SWQCB

Inland Empire Laboratory Announces New CEO and Marks 115th Year Serving Local Community

Southern California’s oldest and most prestigious testing laboratory—Babcock Laboratories, Inc.—has announced that former Chief Financial Officer Tiffany Gomez has been selected by the Board of Directors to succeed Allison Mackenzie as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2021. This succession exemplifies the organization’s 115 years’ long legacy of employee opportunity.

As part of the succession plan, Ms. Gomez became President of Babcock Laboratories (Babcock Labs) during the summer of 2020 under the guidance of Ms. Mackenzie, who, after leading the organization for 36 years, will transition into the role of Executive Vice President of Development & Regulatory Affairs. This seamless transition will help bolster business development while Ms. Gomez familiarizes herself with the new role. Both Ms. Gomez and Ms. Mackenzie have made it clear that Babcock Labs’ top priority is caring for its longstanding relationships with its many public agency and private industry clients.

“I am honored to lead Babcock Laboratories and to continue the legacy my predecessors have built,” said Ms. Gomez. “My vision for Babcock Laboratories is to continue to sustain and grow a legacy of quality analytical testing services while partnering with our clients to help them succeed at protecting people and the environment.”

Ms. Gomez holds a Master of Science in Accountancy from Texas A&M University Commerce, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. She joined the Babcock team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2014 and has over a decade of experience in …

Biosolids: The Ultimate Recycling Success Story

In the wastewater treatment world, biosolids are often seen as the ultimate recycling success story. Biosolids are the nutrient-rich organic byproducts resulting from wastewater treatment and over 60% of biosolids produced nationally in the U.S. are land applied. They are used in agriculture, landscaping, forestry, and even by homeowners on lawns and gardens. Although biosolids are under scrutiny once again due to the source of their composition—human and industrial waste—preliminary evidence suggests that the beneficial use of biosolids rests on solid ground.

To learn more about the future of biosolids, new Babcock staff member, Colleen Thompson, interviewed Greg Kester, Director of Renewable Resource Programs at the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA). Greg is the subject matter expert when it comes to emerging issues regarding all renewable energy, recycled water, biosolids, and climate change mitigation. “Biosolids have a plethora of benefits, they assist in creating healthy soils which help crop growth, they are significant mitigators of climate change, reduce irrigation use, offset the use of inorganic fertilizers, and essentially are the best example of recycling,” said Kester. In fact, many agricultural areas depend on biosolids to help…

A Quick Year in Review:2020

As we welcome the end of an unprecedented year and prepare to welcome 2021, we would like to reflect on some of the key industry topics of 2020 that will likely provide clues to the issues and challenges our industry is sure to experience in the New Year.

To Grab or to Composite...That is the PFAS Question!

The debate regarding the most appropriate method to collect non-potable liquids—specifically POTW influents and effluents—continues. Last month California State Water Quality Control Board (SWQCB) staff appeared to walk back parts of the original Phase III PFAS monitoring orders, directing the responsibility for making decisions regarding sampling techniques back to the agency and their laboratory. October is upon us and water treatment professionals are wondering…