Environmental Compliance Specialist

Aqua Virginia, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Aqua Virginia, Inc. is seeking an Environmental Compliance Specialist to support our environmental programs across water and wastewater systems. You will collect data, permit and report, and ensure adherence to regulatory standards.

This role requires coordination with operators, engineers, and regulators to maintain compliance. The ideal candidate has an associate degree (Bachelor preferred), 2+ years in environmental roles, and strong attention to detail with excellent customer service skills.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree is required; a bachelor's degree is preferred
• Ability to travel up to 5%
• Understanding of environmental regulations
• 2+ years relevant experience
• Prior experience in water utilities a plus
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Knowledge and experience with data management and calculations using lab data management software (i.e. SAMS)
• Proficient in MS Office

Responsibilities

• Coordinates and oversees Aqua’s environmental programs including water and wastewater sampling programs, pretreatment, and grease control programs. Drafts permit applications and budgets, and analyzes compliance data.
• Schedules sampling for water and/or wastewater systems and assists operators and managers with sampling issues.
• Organizes and tracks compliance data for reports, conducts data analysis, and prepares regulatory findings and recommendations.
• Records and monitors test results in the compliance database and spreadsheets, documenting activities per standards.
• Identifies gaps in documentation or non-compliance and recommends solutions, including reduced monitoring where allowed.
• Reviews inspection reports and regulatory correspondence; partners with engineers to draft responses.
• Assists operations with regulatory compliance inspections.
• Responds to inspection reports and state violations; maintains relations with regulators.
• Reviews new regulations and informs management of impacts; updates staff on new sampling requirements.
• Coordinates, drafts, and issues public notices; collaborates with communications as needed.
• May facilitate training of new Facility Operators on compliance matters.
• Represents Aqua in discussions with customers on water quality matters.
• Assists in resolving compliance violations and related investigations.
• Performs other related activities including MOR and DMR reviews, CCR reports, and regulatory certifications.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Data management

MS Office

Attention to detail

Customer service

Travel up to 5%

Water utilities experience

Education

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

SAMS

MS Office

Job description

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities. If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S.

The Environmental Compliance Specialist performs a variety of tasks to support Aqua’s compliance functions. Activities include collecting and maintaining data to fulfill regulatory requirements, performing environmental compliance reviews and inspections and documenting results of compliance testing. Manages, coordinates and administers permits in accordance with compliance initiatives and regulatory requirements.

DUTIES:

• Coordinates and oversees Aqua’s environmental programs including water and wastewater sampling programs, pretreatment, and grease control programs. This task includes preparing and maintaining all sampling plans, issuance and tracking of sampling work orders, drafting permit applications and contracted laboratory budgets, and analyzation of compliance data.
• Schedules sampling for water and/or wastewater systems and assists operators and managers with sampling issues.
• Organizes and tracks compliance data for inclusion in reports including field data. Conducts data analysis, summarizes findings and prepares reports on various environmental programs. Makes recommendations to department leadership when issues or questions of non-compliance arise.
• Records and monitors test results in the company compliance database and/or spreadsheets. Documents and tracks activities to ensure compliance with departmental and regulatory standards policies, and procedures.
• Identifies gaps in documentation or potential areas of non-compliance and recommends solutions. Prepare and submit necessary paperwork for reduced monitoring of any contaminant that allows reductions from the base monitoring frequency.
• Reviews inspection reports and regulatory correspondence, meeting with operators and managers as needed to gather details and discuss results. Partners with engineers and management to draft responses.
• Assist operations with regulatory compliance inspections.
• Responds to inspection reports and other correspondence from regulatory agencies. Researches and provides pertinent information to department leadership in response to state violations. Builds and maintains strong working relationships with state and federal environmental regulatory staff.
• Reviews and analyzes new and proposed environmental regulations. Informs management of potential impact of the regulations and assists management with written comments on the regulations as needed. Provides regulatory updates to Facility Operators on any new sampling requirements and provides updates of laboratory results to operations.
• Coordinates, drafts, and issues any public notices. Partners with management, engineering and communications staff as needed on communications.
• May facilitate training of new Facility Operators on compliance matters.
• Serves as a company representative to discuss water quality issues with customers who contact Aqua.
• Assists in the resolution or response to compliance violations.
• Performs other related activities as assigned, e.g, MOR and DMR review and troubleshooting in CMMS, prepares CCR reports, LCR notices, and performs regulatory certifications for each system as required by rule.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Associate's degree required, Bachelor's degree preferred
• Ability to travel up to 5%
• Understanding of environmental regulations
• 2+ years relevant experience
• Prior experience in water utilities a plus
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Knowledge and experience with data management and calculations using lab data management software (i.e. SAMS)
• Proficient in MS Office

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affimative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.

Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).

To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.