The People Behind the Pipes

1. Tell us about your job?
For the past 20 years, I have been an Environmental Compliance Inspector for DSRSD. My job is to make sure that DSRSD’s pipes and facilities, District workers, the public, and the environment are safe from any harmful spills or leaks. We keep an eye on businesses that store and use dangerous chemicals to make sure they don’t accidentally let them spill into the sewer system. We do this by following and enforcing rules from the federal, state, and district levels about how wastewater should be treated and managed. My job includes giving out permits for water discharge, inspecting businesses, and giving violations and penalties if they break the rules.

Environmental Compliance Inspector Kapil Mohan collects a sample of wastewater at the DSRSD water treatment plant to help make recycled water.

2. What do you like best about your job?
The best part of my job is that I get to interact with so many knowledgeable people and to learn from them about different processes that are used in other industries. Using the knowledge gained from my years of experience, I help to make sure that different businesses follow the rules set by the US EPA for handling wastewater.

3. How did you get into the industry?
I started out by working in different water and wastewater labs as a chemist for more than eight years, where I analyzed samples of solid waste, air quality, and industrial discharge using special techniques from the EPA, OSHA, and NIOSH. Then, I worked in a metal finishing industry for eight years in Hayward, California. I provided ultra-high vacuum cleaning and repairs for the semiconductor and medical industries. We cleaned different metals and new pieces using chemical stripping, etching, mechanical cleaning, and texturing.

The City of Hayward’s Environmental Compliance Inspectors liked the changes I made to the company's pollution prevention and wastewater discharge quality. They thought my work was great and asked me to work as an inspector for wastewater discharge enforcement and as a regulator for pretreatment. That's how I got into the industry.

4. What is the biggest challenge of the job?
The hardest part of the job is learning and understanding the many different ways that various business handle waste. We make sure they follow the rules from the federal, state, and local levels about how they dispose of and discharge waste. We also look for pollutants that might get past the pretreatment system and end up in the wastewater discharge. If this happens, it could damage our pipes, wastewater treatment plants, and facilities that make recycled water.
It's important that industries understand the permits we give them and what happens if they break the rules. This helps keep everyone safe.

5. What is something unique about you?
Having a bachelor's degree in physics, chemistry, and math, along with many years of work in environmental labs and chemical industries, makes my job really interesting. I'm good at explaining discharge rules in a kind way, so businesses work hard to avoid breaking them. I like solving problems and am always looking for safe and efficient ways to do things. Another special thing about me is that I always try to reuse and recycle materials and equipment to save money – that savings is better for the environment and helps keep DSRSD rates low for our customers.

6. What do you like to do in your free time? 
In my free time, I like to learn new things and travel. I read books about fixing homes and cars, listen to news and music, and watch movies. I enjoy singing for people and hanging out with others. I also volunteer at non-profit events to raise money for medical surgeries, education, and food for people in need.