Water Production and Treatment Administrator

The City of Santa Monica is seeking an experienced Water Production and Treatment Administrator to support the Water Resources Division within the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department provides essential services to the community that includes water supply production and treatment; wastewater and stormwater collection and treatment; and resource recovery. The Water Resources Division is responsible for providing safe, sustainable, and high-quality water to Santa Monica’s 93,000+ residents and business community. The Division operates the City’s water and wastewater system that includes three well fields, a 5 million gallon per day (mgd) Charnock Treatment Plant, 3 mgd Olympic Advanced Water Treatment Plant, 10 mgd brackish groundwater desalter (Arcadia Water Treatment Plant), and 1.5 mgd Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project, four water storage reservoirs totaling 40 million gallons, and over 250 miles of water distribution pipelines.

 The City is a recognized leader for its progressive environmental and water supply policies to support a sustainable community for its residents and businesses. The Water Resources Division recently completed several innovative and award-winning water supply projects to provide a climate resilient water supply portfolio. Key projects include: 1) Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project, a first of its kind potable reuse project that leverages wastewater, dry weather urban runoff, and stormwater for groundwater augmentation via direct injection, 2) Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis Upgrade Project at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant to increase the brackish desalter’s overall recovery to ≥90%, and 3) Olympic Well Field Restoration Project that will use advanced oxidation processes to restore the impaired groundwater supply. The Water Production and Treatment Administrator will be responsible for providing direction and oversight of the City’s water production and treatment operations that include three well fields, Charnock, Olympic, and Arcadia Water Treatment Plants, and the City’s four water storages reservoirs.

 DEFINITION

Plans, organizes and administers the operation and day-to-day activities of the City’s water production, treatment, and storage facilities, and water quality laboratory.

SUPERVISION 

Receives administrative supervision from the Water Utilities Manager or designee. Exercises technical supervision over supervisory, clerical, and laboratory staff, making detailed work assignments, frequently reviewing work in progress, and periodically reviewing completed work.

 Representative Duties:

Plans, organizes and directs the operation, maintenance, laboratory functions, storage facilities, and program areas of the City of Santa Monica’s Groundwater Well Fields and the water treatment facilities, including the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, Charnock Treatment Plant, and Olympic Advanced Water Treatment Facility.

Selects, trains, motivates, supervises, and evaluates assigned staff. Provides or coordinates staff training. Works with employees to correct deficiencies and implements discipline and termination procedures. 

Directs the daily testing of water in the various stages of treatment; interprets test results to determine the necessary changes in the chemical dosage and treatment processes; manages water quality adjustments. 

Monitors the performance of the treatment plant facilities to ensure regulatory compliance; oversees the planning of work and utilization of resources; develops and revises operating benchmarks to achieve the City’s goal to meet the water quality and supply requirements.

Meets and coordinates the activities of the treatment plants with federal, State, and local regulators, other public agencies, member agencies, and the public. Ensures compliance with local, State, and federal laws and regulations.

Conducts a variety of studies and investigations. Develops and makes recommendations to update groundwater production well fields and Water Treatment Plant programs, policies, and procedures.

Participates in the development and administration of assigned program budget. Forecasts funding needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies. Direct and monitor asset management of water production, treatment, and storage facilities.

Attends and participates in professional group meetings and stays abreast of new trends, emerging technologies and innovations in the field of water treatment operations, processes and maintenance and laboratory operations. 

Makes presentations to the City Council, boards and commissions, management staff, community groups, stakeholders, and the public.

Ensures compliance of workplace health and safety policies and procedures.

Performs other duties, as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree. A degree in business or public administration, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, or a closely related field is desirable.  

Experience: Five years of recent, paid experience working at a public water system, or on behalf of a public agency in the design of, or operation and maintenance of a potable water treatment plant or advanced water purification facility that produces purified water that meets potable water requirements. Experience working with advanced treatment systems including reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light advanced oxidation process is desirable. At least two years of the required experience must have included oversight of water treatment and production operations. 

Licenses and Certificates:

Possession of a valid Class C driver license. 

Possession of a valid State of California Grade T2 Water Treatment Operator Certificate at the time of application with attainment of the State of California Grade T3 Water Treatment Operator Certificate within 12 months of hire. Must maintain a valid Grade T3 Water Treatment Operator Certificate. Probationary period may be extended up to an additional six (6) months for attainment of the State of California Grade T3 Water Treatment Operator Certificate.

Possession of a valid Grade T5 Water Treatment Operator Certificate issued by the State Water Resources Control Board is desirable. Possession of a valid Grade D3 Water Distribution Operator Certificate issued by the State Water Resource Board/Division of Drinking Water is desirable.