Job Details

Water Utility Regulatory Manager

Under general supervision, the Water Utility Regulatory Manager performs activities related to regulatory compliance across all aspects of utility operation. The overarching goal is to position the Water Utility to be 'audit ready' at all times for the many regulations it falls under. A significant function of the position will be implementing and maintaining new Lead & Copper Rule requirements, effective in 2024. The position will be responsible and accountable for regulatory compliance of rules from various agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and other agencies. The Regulatory Manager will also assist with staff training and public outreach. Written, verbal communications and program management are essential. Incumbent will facilitate the implementation of changes within the water utility or those recommended by City Administration, including new software, regulatory programs, policy changes, and technical advances in water system operation.

Scope of Responsibility: The Water Utility Regulatory Manager is responsible for the quality and accuracy of his/her own work. Regulatory program compliance tasks require significant attention to detail navigating complex local and federal regulations. Incumbent serves to establish benchmarks, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and targets for Water Utility operational and regulatory performance: water quality, regulatory compliance, and budget impacts. The position requires a long-term approach to their scope of responsibility and will assist in mentoring and training other water utility staff. Incumbent is expected to be actively involved with decisions and planning for the utility in a team-oriented organization.

Primary Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Monitors Water Utility infrastructure (source water, treatment processes, distribution system, etc.) for quality control and regulatory compliance through various available data systems such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Hach Water Information Management Solutions (WIMS), US Geological Survey (USGS), and other available tools. Assist in forecasting Water Treatment Plant (WTP) adjustments under the follow process areas within the Lime Softening Water Treatment Plant (LSWTP) and Membrane Water Treatment Plant (MWTP):

• Raw water source selection and water quality monitoring;
• (LSWTP & MWTP) Pretreatment using flocculation, sedimentation, and plate settlers for turbidity and organic removal;
• (LSWTP) Lime-soda ash softening;
• (LSWTP & MWTP) Ozonation that includes advanced oxidation using peroxide for disinfection, taste/odor control, ozone quenching, filter head loss control, and disinfection byproduct control;
• (LSWTP & MWTP) Filtration with biological Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filters for turbidity removal, taste/odor removal, emerging contaminant removal, and biodegradable organic carbon (BDOC) removal;
• (LSWTP) Ultraviolet (UV) treatment for EPA credit with waterborne pathogen inactivation;
• (MWTP)Ultrafiltration for particle removal and EPA regulatory credit for pathogen removal;
• (MWTP) Reverse Osmosis for removal of salt, organics, and Emerging Contaminants (ECs);
• (LSWTP & MWTP) Final water treatment including stabilization, corrosion control, and other finished water targets;
• Water distribution system operation including pumping/levels, water sampling for EPA regulatory compliance and investigative purposes, and continuously monitoring instrumentation data;
• (LSWTP & MWTP) Water quality monitoring with both continuously monitoring instrumentation and benchtop analysis;
• (LSWTP & MWTP) Chemical feed system operation and troubleshooting;
• Control system information interpretation;
• Participate in any regulatory inspections by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, United States EPA, or other agencies.
• Oversee and complying with NPDES permits.

• Oversee Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) requirements;
• Oversee required water sampling for lead in the Fargo water distribution system for regulatory concentration calculations related to the EPA Action Level and other statistical results;
• Communicate with State and Federal regulators regarding Lead & Copper Rule (LCR) requirements and required utility actions;
• Provide technical support to regional customers regarding LCR;
• Oversee water sampling for lead in schools, daycare facilities, and other affected water customers;
• Provide education regarding LCR to customers, utility staff, and others;
• Provide media interviews regarding LCR implementation as needed;
• Assist with implementing any Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) programs;
• Provide homeowners with temporary Point-of-Use devices or lead removal filtration equipment aligning with LSLR per LCR requirements;
• Lead corrosion mitigation studies as needed;
• Team lead or assist with any other LCR requirements.

• Liaison with Human Resources personnel such as the Safety Manager and Training & Development Coordinator on safety topics related to the Water Utility;
• Coordinate with Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA) representatives or other safety organizations regarding safety program implementation, planning, and training;
• Participate in Safety Committee and/or Safety Committee directive implementation, including Incident Investigates;
• Develop and provide safety related training to Water Utility staff, new hires, contractors, and visitors to facility;
• Assist in the development of safety Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) documents and Lock-Out/Tag-Out procedures for Water Utility facilities;
• Foster the use of Confined Space permits, Hazard Elimination/Control Worksheets, Near Miss Reports and other safety related tracking documents;
• Assist in maintaining a compliant Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) inventory for Water Utility facilities;
• Conduct Safety Inspections and safety related audits for the Water Utility;
• Promote the involvement of all Water Utility personnel and supervisors in the safely program implementation and development;
• Assist with Community Right-to-Know information and required submittals.

• Prepare or assist in preparing RMP for submittal to EPA every five (5) years;
• Help organize and monitor to keep compliance tasks on required schedule for audits, operating procedure review, staff training, release scenarios, emergency response planning, and other program elements;
• Assist in integrating RMP required maintenance tasks into a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to be implemented in the future;
• Assist with any Incident Investigation under the RMP;
• Conduct, coordinate, or assist with any Water Utility staff training under the RMP;
• Liaison with other City of Fargo Departments or other agencies for training exercises and other coordination needs;
• Assist with equipment changes or modifications pertaining to the RPM;
• Participate in self-audits or any federal audits of the RMP.

• Design, implement, and maintain schedules, task calendars, checklists or other tracking tools to verify compliance with regulatory requirements or adherence to operational best practices and facility Key Performance Indicators (KPIs);
• Assist with annual reviews of Water Utility plans such as Emergency Response Plan, Drought and Water Service Management Plan, and other utility planning documents;
• Assist in the development and maintenance of utility Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Operations & Maintenance Manual for the Water Utility;
• Develop and conduct staff training for various best practices, SOPs, or regulatory requirements;
• Review and monitor technical information related to potential future regulations, water research, and technology advances in the water field;
• Perform utility self-audits and self-assessments toward improving Water Utility operations;
• As needed, present to the City Commission or Utility Committee on regulatory and operations topics.

• Helps with workload in other groups as needed or with larger water utility maintenance projects;
• Coordinate