By Sara Jerome,

@sarmje

A wastewater operator in Massachusetts was indicted for falsifying environmental test results between 2013 and 2015.

“Kent Oldfield, 52, operated wastewater treatment plants at condominium complexes in Dover, Holliston, and Lunenburg. He allegedly delivered swapped-out water samples to a testing laboratory and forwarded the results to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection,” The Republican reported.

Attorney General of Massachusetts Maura Healey said he took samples from locations that were not within his facility, according to the report. A statewide grand jury indicted him last week on charges that he knowingly tampered with testing and knowingly supplied the government with false reports.

“All of these charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Healey’s office noted in a statement.

Oldfield provided this comment to the Sentinel & Enterprise: “Oldfield said Friday he was unaware of the indictments. ‘I don't know anything about that,’ Oldfield said before declining to comment further.”

An investigation revealed that “on dozens of occasions between March 2013 and April 2015, Oldfield allegedly falsified wastewater sampling results from three condominium facilities, including the Village at Flat Hill Condominium in Lunenburg, in reports to the [the state] in order to cover up permit violations at those facilities,” The Telegram reported.

Water regulators emphasized the threat Oldfield’s actions posed to the environment.

"Wastewater has a direct impact on groundwater, a valuable natural resource. For that reason, wastewater must be treated to meet strict environmental standards,” said Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin Suuberg in a statement. “We rely on certified operators to test discharge water, factually report their findings to us, and ensure that wastewater is properly treated before it is discharged. Most operators do it right, but we will enforce on those that do not."

For similar stories visit Water Online’s Labor Solutions Center.