Watershed Protection Specialist

~ Fairfax Water is Virginia’s largest water utility and one of the 25 largest water utilities in the country, serving one out of every five Virginians who obtain their water from public utilities. Nearly two million people in the Northern Virginia communities of Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Fort Belvoir, Herndon, Dulles, Vienna, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax City depend on Fairfax Water for superior drinking water. ~

Fairfax Water provides water that is treated at four different locations. Fairfax Water owns and operates the two largest water treatment facilities in Virginia with an average daily water production of 163 million gallons and combined maximum capacity of 376 million gallons per day. The James J. Corbalis Jr. treatment plant is at the northern tip of Fairfax County and the Frederick P. Griffith Jr. treatment plant is on the southern border of Fairfax County.

Fairfax Water also purchases water from the McMillan and Dalecarlia treatment plants in Washington DC. They are part of the Washington Aqueduct, owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Fairfax Water draws raw water from two primary sources: the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir, which is fed by the Occoquan River. The four treatment facilities feed an interconnected distribution system that includes 3,995 miles of water mains and 29,069 fire hydrants.

Position Overview

Under the general supervision of the Manager, Planning, the Watershed Protection Specialist implements watershed management Policies and practices related to Fairfax Water’s supply facilities. Responsible for providing technical expertise to support the work of regional agencies on reservoir issues; coordination of Fairfax Water’s waters supply stakeholder outreach grant program, review of water quality data and reports provided by the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory; evaluation of environmental regulations as they pertain to Fairfax Water; and development of outreach and educational activities in the area of watershed management. Serves as Fairfax Water’s primary contact for Occoquan Reservoir shoreline easement issues.

Responsibilities

• Manages the implementation and enforcement of Fairfax Water’s Occoquan Reservoir Shoreline Easement Policy.
• Identifies Occoquan Reservoir and watershed issues as they pertain to water quality including land-use, reservoir use impacts, and invasive species.
• Works with a regional Geographic Information System (GIS)-based tool to enhance water supply protection and spill reporting.
• Prepares technical memorandums on water quality data and reports provided by the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory.
• Manages Fairfax Water’s Water Supply Stakeholder Outreach Grants program.
• Responds to requests by outside agencies for information on Fairfax Water’s watershed management activities.
• Represents Fairfax Water and its interests in technical workgroups of the Potomac Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership and other local, regional and national initiatives of interest to Fairfax Water’s source protection efforts.
• Leads Fairfax Water’s watershed protection education and outreach activities.
• Performing other duties as assigned or required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in environmental science, engineering, natural resources, forestry or closely related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of related experience is required, or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and knowledge. Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently within general guidelines and direction.
• Demonstrated history of self-motivation and use of problem solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationship with co-workers, community groups, representatives of public and private agencies, and the general public.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be computer literate, including use of GIS software applications.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• Must pass a controlled substance (drug) test for employment.

Compensation