I have experience in California Region 2 and Region 1 with respect to POTW NPDES renewals and compliance activities, including:

• Preparing Reports of Waste Discharge (ROWD) for NPDES permit renewals
• Conducting special studies required by individual or regional NPDES permits
• Developing Pollution Prevention and Source Control programs
• Preparing, editing, and/or reviewing annual Pollution Prevention reports

As a chemical engineer, I delight in assessing collection system and treatment plant data to evaluate pollutant fate and transport:

• Identification of sources of heavy metals (e.g., copper, mercury, selenium, molybdenum) upstream of a POTW and alternatives for source control
• Identification of salinity sources for recycled water facilities, to minimize impacts to sensitive plant species
• PCB source control
• Greenhouse gas emission estimates for POTW processes
• Comparing greenhouse gas emissions for various alternatives to biosolid and greenwaste disposal (composting versus anaerobic digestion)

 

I conduct research of government sites and peer-reviewed papers and reach out to specialists in other jurisdictions to develop source control and pollution prevention messages appropriate for Northern California.

• Develop white papers, defining the issues and developing possible solutions
• Draft text for web sites, brochures, social media, and other outreach mechanisms
• Prepare and conduct interactive, engaging presentations to a variety of audiences of all ages

As Palo Alto RWQCP’s Source Control Manager (1999-2005), I initiated numerous pollution prevention measures including targeted outreach materials and stakeholder facilitation to reduce discharges of priority pollutants to stormwater and wastewater collection systems. For mercury, this included a multi-year, staged program to reduce dental mercury discharges as well as a consumer product take-back program.