Earlier this year, David Boyer moved from the MassDEP Central Regional office to the Boston office to take the position of Director of the NPDES/Groundwater and Title 5 programs. YOWA Board Member Dan Ottenheimer conducted the following interview with David to introduce YOWA members to his background, goals and projects he strives to implement in his new role, and more.
Tell us a bit about yourself in terms of your background and what you did before becoming the Section Chief?
DB: My career in engineering began after completing my Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from UMass-Amherst. I worked in construction as a resident engineer for a few years in the private sector before joining MassHighway (now MassDOT) working on highway design projects located in various communities in central Mass. At that point, I decided to cut my teeth in the environmental field by obtaining my Master’s degree from Northeastern University and shift over to MassDEP in the mid-90’s, focusing my interests specifically on wastewater. I worked at the Central Regional Office (CERO) within the wastewater program with a heavy concentration on all things related to Title 5. Eventually, I rose to the Section Chief position in CERO, and subsequently transferred to Boston to hopefully bring my experience to the table as the Groundwater and Title 5 Section Chief.
What do you see as the big challenges facing our environment here in Massachusetts?
DB: That’s a tough question. There are a lot of environmental challenges that we are currently faced with, some of those being: water quality issues due to stormwater and combined sewer overflows; impaired watersheds at Cape Cod due to nitrogen sources from overdevelopment; cost of environmental protection, especially given the competing interests of housing and wastewater treatment; and of course the growing concern of PFAS. But the issue that I feel that is high up on the list is aging infrastructure. Failing or outdated infrastructure can lead to dire consequences which is further exacerbated by climate change. With Massachusetts being one of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution, we have aged infrastructure that cannot be easily replaced yet it needs serious attention; the waters of the Commonwealth depend on it.
What challenges and opportunities do you see with Title 5 and the Groundwater Discharge program?
BD: Some of the challenges facing Title 5 and the groundwater discharge program fall into land development and not necessarily just because of the housing shortage. I recall my early days at DEP when my supervisor told me “all the good soils are getting used up leaving nothing but difficult sites left”, and that was in the late 90’s. A lot has happened since then. The constraints on development are becoming more and more problematic for onsite disposal. Given the competing interests between the developing land and environmental protection, there is often a difficult and long road to reach a point where both can be accommodated, but that comes at a growing cost.
Do you have any particular projects or goals you’d like to try implement?
DB: My mother always told me to “leave it better than you found it”. So, with that being said, one goal I’ve always had is to make our regulations/guidances understandable, grounded in science, and easily implementable. Title 5, or any environmental regulation for that matter, should not need a doctorate to understand or follow. Title 5 has grown in complexity, especially given the innovative/alternative technologies, so if I can do one thing it would be to simplify things to make them easier to understand but hold firm to the scientific goals of these type of systems.
What advice would you give someone entering the onsite wastewater profession?
BD: My advice: “Bring a friend.” All joking aside, I do think more prospective college students or vocational students should get into the profession, especially on the operations end. We have a huge void in finding qualified operators at our treatment facilities. I personally find the operations field fascinating. There is so much happening at a treatment plant between the biology, chemistry, mechanical and electrical equipment, control systems, lab work, etc. that a person can easily spend their entire professional life in operations and there will still be things to learn. There is no ceiling when it comes to advancing oneself in the field of operations.
Is there anything an organization like YOWA can provide to enhance the professionalism of the onsite wastewater industry or just in general help you do your job better?
BD: Organizations like YOWA can assist DEP by ensuring that we have an open and candid line of communication between our respective organizations. It helps enormously to have experienced stakeholders offer their thoughts on how to make Title 5 (and other environmental programs) run effectively by notifying DEP of the problems along with ideas on how to fix it. We usually know what the problems are, but we need partners in a workable solution. Get involved in offering trainings and encourage our younger generation to understand the benefits of entering the field as previously discussed.
