Laboratory
The Award-winning laboratory staff at the Carmel Area Wastewater District is responsible for the sampling, collection, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting of the quality of the wastewater treatment process and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES). Laboratory personal prepare reports to be submitted to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Department of Health Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Carmel Area Lab personal work with operational staff in developing process control strategies that aid in improving and streamlining the treatment plant processes.
The Carmel Area Wastewater District Laboratory is accredited through the California Department of Public Health Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP). ELAP provides evaluation and accreditation of environmental testing of laboratories to ensure the quality of analytical data used for regulatory purposes to meet the requirements of the State's Wastewater Programs. Carmel Area Wastewater District ELAP certificate number is 1804 and is renewed every two years.
Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Home Page link
Staffing:
CAWD laboratory staff is comprised of one Laboratory/Environmental Compliance Supervisor and two Laboratory Analyst/Environmental Compliance Inspectors.
Raymond De Ocampo – Laboratory Supervisor – Ray started with Carmel Area Wastewater District in July 1994 as a Laboratory Analyst. Ray’s prior experience with reclamation water analysis helped to train the staff in the new reclamation facility starting up. Ray holds a California Water Environment Association Grade 3 Laboratory Analyst and California Water Environment Grade 1 Environmental Compliance Inspector certificate. Ray was promoted to the Laboratory/ Environmental Compliance Supervisor in 2016. In 2018, Ray was California Water Environment Association Monterey Bay Section P3S Person of the Year and was 2nd Place for the same award at the Annual California Water Environment Association Annual Conference.
Jacob Gams– Laboratory Analyst I – Jacob graduated from California State University Monterey Bay with a B.A. in Environmental Studies. Prior to joining the Carmel Area Wastewater District, he worked at Monterey One Water for seven years at various jobs, which included an Internship, Lab Assistant, and a Lab Technician II. Jacob has analyzed and collected samples ranging from raw influent to drinking water. He also has a Grade 2 Lab Analyst Certification from California Water Environment Association (CWEA). He is currently working on achieving the Enviromental Inspector Compliance I.
Trevor Holland – Laboratory Analyst II - Trevor started with Carmel Area Wastewater District 2008, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge from a contract laboratory and the drive one would expect from a college graduate. Trevor has an additional five years’ experience with his previous employer, Monterey Bay Analytical Services. Trevor holds a Grade 4 in Laboratory Analyst and a Grade 1 in Environmental Compliance Inspector; he also holds a B.S. degree in Earth System Sciences from CSUMB. Trevor Holland was awarded the CWEA Laboratory Person of the year for 2015 and 2018. He was also awarded 2nd place for Laboratory person of the year at the Annual California Water Environment Association Annual Conference in 2019. Trevor Holland has been nominated for the prestigious Crystal Crucible Award for his significant participation in Wastewater Analysis, Education and Planning within a Wastewater Laboratory, along with 10 years of membership in CWEA.
Other program(s) that the Laboratory is involved:
Carmel Area Wastewater District is the lead agency for the Central Coast Long Term Environmental Assessment Network (CCLEAN), which is funded by four municipal dischargers and an industrial discharger, under direction from the State of California Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Based upon a consensus-building approach, the program is designed to satisfy regulatory requirements, as well as to document the status and trends of important water quality indicators in the Monterey Bay waters.
Central Coast Long Term Environmental Assessment Network Home Page link
