87    INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
OPERATIONS
James C. O'Shaughnessy, Associate Professor
Frederic C. Blanc, Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
David Bassett, Project Coordinator
Susan Moulton, Executive Director
Bay State Skills Corporation
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
INTRODUCTION
A large number of industrial facilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are presently being
required to install wastewater treatment or pretreatment systems operated by licensed operators. In
Massachusetts a program is presently being implemented to provide separate examinations and licensing for industrial wastewater operators and municipal wastewater operators. Typically the municipal
operators deal with biological secondary treatment plants while the industrial operators are involved
in physical-chemical treatment of wastewaters from metal finishing, electroplating, electronics, and
other high-tech industries. An existing training program for municipal wastewater operator training
did not cover physical chemical treatment areas in any depth. The Commonwealth therefore decided
to establish training courses for the more than 2000 individuals likely to apply for licensing.
BACKGROUND
In February, 1984, a suit which had been brought by the Attorney General's Office on behalf of the
MDC, against an electronics company was settled. Part of the settlement agreement specified actions
that the Bay State Skills Corporation should take, i.e.:
"Within 30 days of entry of Judgment, and again on February 1, 1985, on February 1,
1986, on February 1, 1987, and on February 1, 1988, the Company shall grant $100,000
(for a total of $500,000) to the Bay State Skills Corporation ("Bay State"), established by
G.L. C. 401. The Grants shall be for the purpose of establishing courses of instruction
concerning the operation and maintenance of industrial wastewater treatment facilities that
discharge to metropolitan sewer systems. The courses of instruction shall be developed by
Bay State in consultation with technical personnel from the Metropolitan District Commission ("MDC"), the Department of Environmental Quality Engineering ("DEQE") and other
entities that are familiar with the operation and regulation of wastewater treatment facilities."
Bay State Skills Corporation is a quasi-public corporation established by state law to encourage and
facilitate cooperative relationships between government and industry and develop or expand programs of skills training that are consistent with employment needs. Accordingly, Bay State Skills
Corporation awarded a contract to develop and test industrial wastewater operations course materials
for use in an industrial operator training program to Northeastern University. A total of five courses
were developed. The courses were one introductory course, two intermediate courses, one advanced
course, and one course based on a series of lecture modules for various types of industrial wastewaters
generated in Massachusetts.
Initial planning meetings were held between Bay State Skills Corporation, the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (DEQE), and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) which has since been reorganized as the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
(MWRA). Following the planning meetings, an Industrial Advisory Board was formed. The Indus-
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