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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 50333373 |
Description Activated On: 1/21/2026 9:08:02 AM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. This is a professional position within the Safe Drinking Water (SDW) Program. An employee in this position performs a variety of duties, within an assigned geographical area of the Commonwealth, involving the regulation of public water systems to insure compliance with the Department’s rules and regulations and to protect public health. Work involves the application of these rules and regulations during the conduct of surveillance, compliance and enforcement activities. Work also involves consulting with and/or responding to private water supply cases, water-related issues from other Department programs and/or state or federal agencies, conditions caused by drought or flooding, and other emergency situations. The public water system facilities assigned to the individual in this position may be located within any of the 11 counties that comprise the Northeast Region. If this position is filled as an Environmental Trainee, the individual will serve a 12-month training period. During this training period, there will be greater oversight of the employee's duties, formal training, and on the job training to perform the Sanitarian duties and implement the objectives of the Water Supply Program. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: Primary Program Activities with Public Water Systems: (1) Sanitary Surveys/Full Inspections: Conducts an extensive evaluation of a public water system and documents the adequacy of its sources, facilities, equipment, operation and maintenance, distribution network, and overall management to determine the ability of the water system to consistently produce safe drinking water. Owners and operators are interviewed. All components of the water system are inspected and evaluated. Pertinent written records are reviewed. Water samples may be collected, both pre and post treatment. If issued, the public water supply permit and any operating conditions are reviewed. Following the sanitary survey, the PA Safe Drinking Water Information System (PADWIS) and the file copy of the inventory information form are updated. Operational and infrastructure deficiencies are noted for use as recommendations in the inspection report or other separate report. (2) Other Inspection Types: Conducts partial, follow-up, complaint and other inspection types, as needed, to determine compliance with the PA Safe Drinking Water Act and its associated regulations. A “Public Water Supply Inspection Report” is completed, which identifies deficiencies and violations and prescribes corrective action or changes in operation, to be completed within allotted time frames usually established by consultation with the operator. Water quality field data is collected utilizing portable field test equipment (chemical test kits, measuring devices, etc.) and water samples are collected for analysis by the DEP laboratory. Laboratory test results are evaluated for compliance with current drinking water standards and treatment techniques. An inspection checklist is completed. Partial inspections concentrate on specific aspects or items of a PWS. Follow-up inspections are generally used to track the status of or progress with completing a required action or milestone. Complaint inspections are conducted in response to reported water quality and quantity issues. Investigations of suspected waterborne disease outbreaks are conducted and coordinated with PDA and PDH. (3) Consultation: Provides information in the field, office, or over the phone to waterworks operators, the general public, professional engineers, lawyers, laboratories, municipal officials and other interested parties. Waterworks operators require continuing update on current, new, and changing regulations. Maintains readily available materials for distribution and must be familiar with all requirements of the PA Safe Drinking Water Act, its associated regulations, and current policies and procedures of the Department. (4) Plan Review: Reviews plans and specifications for new and existing NCWSs, including siting and construction of new sources, treatment systems, storage, and distribution design. Assists the program engineers and hydrogeologists on new sources and treatment of CWSs, including source siting, pump tests, new facility inspections and follow-ups. Must be familiar with the Department’s Public Water Supply Manuals, especially Parts II and IV, which contain standards for CWSs and NCWSs. Also reviews monitoring plans, Operation and Maintenance Plans, and Emergency Response Plans to assess completeness and/or determine compliance with Department standards. (5) Training: Provides presentations on various topics related to safe drinking water to groups, associations, the general public, local government officials, school students, etc. Provides general information to the public upon request. Provides training on new programs and updated regulatory requirements to certified operators, operators, managers, authority members, etc. Supports the training efforts of the District by assisting with training materials and classroom presentations. (6) Monitoring & Reporting: Tracks and reviews numerous monitoring requirements placed on public water supplies. This includes tracking results to determine if the correct monitoring is being performed, providing annual guidance on what is to be completed, reviewing results as received, and taking action to regain compliance when monitoring is not completed. Must review and determine the status of violations generated by PADWIS, and update the system accordingly. (7) Data Management: Maintains/updates PADWIS and eFACTS as per Department policy and procedures to ensure that inventory data, surveillance history, and compliance/enforcement data is accurate and complete. (8) Compliance/Enforcement: Conducts ongoing efforts to attain and maintain compliance by assisting operators in complying with the requirements of the Act and its associated regulations. Takes appropriate enforcements actions as needed to return PWSs to compliance and compel future compliance. Also, recommends, completes, or assists with enforcement activities, such as issuing NOVs and conducting administrative conferences to gain compliance. May assist the Supervisor or Compliance Specialist in preparing Orders, Compliance Orders and Agreements, penalty assessments. Issues field orders as the need arises to attain compliance. Represents the Department at legal proceedings and gives testimony, as required. Responds to various compliance reports (including the SNC Report) and tracks violations to resolution as per Department policy and procedures. (9) Source Water Activities: (a) Monitoring Waivers – Upon request, assists CWSs and NTNCWSs with how to complete SOC, IOC, VOC monitoring waiver applications for new and existing sources. Provides necessary forms and maps to water suppliers upon request. Reviews and approves the monitoring waiver applications within the prescribed scope of the Sanitarian's responsibility and changes PADWIS to reflect the reduced sampling. (b) SWIP Evaluations – For CWSs, assists the hydrogeologist in collecting well location, construction details, sampling results, etc. to enable the hydrogeologist to make an initial evaluation of the well’s SWIP status. If SWIP monitoring is required for the well, assists by coordinating with the water supply to insure SWIP monitoring is started and conducted as outlined in the system’s approved SWIP monitoring plan. May also assist with MPA sampling of selected sources. For NCWSs, conducts initial SWIP evaluations of new and existing wells. Completes SWIP evaluation form by collecting well construction information and water quality data. Makes initial decision on SWIP status based on current standards and updates PADWIS. Forwards selected, initial SWIP evaluations to the Technical Services Section for hydrogeologic evaluation and a final recommendation on SWIP status. (10) Filter Plant Performance Evaluations (FPPE): Accompanies the FPPE staff and assists in the conduct of the FPPE. Consults with the EPCS on the writing of the final evaluation report. Does follow-up inspections, as needed, to check on correction of any identified violations or implementation of any recommendations. (11) Promotes the Department’s mission. (12) Inputs appropriate data in a prescribed format to meet data quality standards set forth by guidance, training, and policy across all of DEP’s electronic data systems; to include ensuring accuracy and completeness of entries, and where available, the use of system specific tools to ensure duplicative entries and data quality issues are minimized. Other Program Activities: (1) Private Water Supplies: Consults with the general public on proper well construction, protection, and treatment. Supplies literature to educate private well owners on water quality and treatment alternatives. Assists in interpreting water sample results. (2) Drought Activities: During times of declared drought conditions, tracks the status of water supply sources at the PWSs. Provides recommendations on management of water sources to get through the drought periods. Represents the Department at County Drought Committee meetings. Provides interpretation of drought regulations and restrictions to the water supplies, general public, and municipal officials. (3) Water Supply Emergencies and Contamination Incidents: Consults with and provides recommendations to public water suppliers, the general public, Department personnel, and local and state officials on appropriate responses to water supply emergencies. Works in conjunction with other programs of the Department and with other outside agencies to coordinate and assist with sampling of public and private water sources to identify contamination and contamination sources, interpret sampling results using drinking water standards, and provide information on possible treatment alternatives. (4) Hazardous Materials: Samples for harmful or hazardous materials or petroleum products in areas that do not exceed published exposure limits. Handles hazardous or harmful materials in areas that do not exceed published exposure limits. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Work is assigned in the form of specific goals and objectives. Work outputs are reviewed throughout the year to ascertain that program goals and objectives are being met. Additional work may also be assigned in response to emergencies, staffing shortages, or management directives. The employee exercises considerable freedom in scheduling and completing the work. The supervisor reviews work outputs as necessary to assess technical proficiency, ensure conformance with established policies, and to promote regional and statewide consistency. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. Class C Driver's License 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. 5. 6. |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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