Water Programs Compliance Specialist

General Description

*****THIS POSTING IS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II OR SR. DEPENDING ON EXPERIENCE*****

This role is critical in ensuring Toho’s treatment facilities and systems operate in full compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), State, and facility permit requirements. The ideal candidate will have a solid background in water quality monitoring, regulatory reporting, and ensuring that all sampling, testing, and compliance activities are accurately tracked and documented.

This position supports Operations, Engineering, and Laboratory teams through monitoring and reporting compliance activities with a focus on drinking water compliance monitoring programs. This person will provide technical and administrative support to the Environmental Compliance Manager, Engineering, Operations, Field Services, Customer Service, Business Services, and external stakeholders by performing the following duties. Position coordinates overall compliance of Toho Water Authority, reporting to the Environmental Compliance Manager.

Essential Functions

• Monitors and tracks compliance activities related to water quality, ensuring adherence to SDWA, state-specific water regulations, and facility permit requirements.
• Oversees and coordinates water sampling, testing schedules, and on-time reporting. Ensures samples are collected, tested, and results reported by compliance deadlines.
• Reviews and analyzes water quality test results, identifying trends, issues, quality assurance of data and results.
• Prepares and submits compliance reports to local, state, and federal agencies, ensuring all required data is included and submitted on time.
• Maintains detailed records of sampling, testing, results, and all compliance-related activities. Ensures that documentation meets all regulatory requirements and can be readily audited.
• Supports Operations in ensuring all facility permit requirements are met, including routine reporting and documentation requirements. Liaise with permitting agencies (FDEP) as needed to resolve any compliance items.
• Remains current with changes to water quality regulations, both federal and state. Provides training and guidance to staff on regulatory requirements, sampling protocols, and reporting standards.
• Proactively assists in identifying potential non-compliance issues and collaborates with operational teams to implement corrective actions. Support follow-up corrective actions, including additional sampling or reporting.
• Participates in the coordination and reporting of water quality emergencies, including boil water notice events and sanitary sewer spill reporting while ensuring timely corrective actions and compliance with all reporting requirements.
• Tracks status and due dates for compliance reports, sanitary surveys, and permit renewals.
• Coordinates activities with plant operations, supervisors, and field services on malfunction reports, spill reports, boil water notices, routine and special sampling events, and responds to inquiries related to permits, reporting and department activities and procedures. Will work with a variety of personnel to investigate issues.
• Assists with water use permit compliance and reporting. Retrieve data from HachWims report data to South Florida Water Management District.
• Assists operations with Sanitary Survey’s. Compiles information requested by FDEP prior to the survey, and follows up with requests for additional information after the survey. Participate in pre-survey site preparation.
• All other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

• Strong organizational skills and a strong ability to manage multiple compliance tasks while meeting strict deadlines.
• Knowledge of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), water compliance programs and requirements, Florida drinking water regulations, and facility permit requirements.
• Familiarity with water sampling and testing requirements along with frequency of monitoring required for various types of water treatment systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, accurate, and concise reports and informational updates.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word) and experience with compliance tracking software is highly desirable.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Ability to participate in on-call shifts or emergency response as needed.
• Occasional travel for site inspections or compliance-related meetings is required.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain that required qualification would be:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Chemistry, Natural Sciences, or related field preferred

• Requires broad knowledge in water, wastewater and reclaimed water systems.
• Minimum of 4 to 6 years of relevant experience in water utility operations, water quality compliance, environmental regulatory work, or related field.
• Must possess and maintain a valid State of Florida Class E Driver's License.

Physical Demands

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk and bend, kneel, squat, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Environmental factors include indoor, flat surface, noise, sitting with occasionally walking and standing.