Matthew Frazier

Good evening esteemed leadership and members of EnviroCert International Inc. CESSWI and QSM committees,

I began my journey in The Water Industry in the summer of 2006 as a sales associate for a privately-owned retail garden center right here in Santa Clara Valley in San Jose, California. I worked there for roughly two years, helping home owners and landscape professionals choose plants for their gardens, properties, and yards.

From the summer of 2006 through the summer of 2016 I worked as a consultant, sales associate, and specialist in retail garden centers and nurseries plus hardware stores and home-improvement centers with garden centers.

In the spring of 2016, I changed focus to becoming a basic-level Certified Water Manager through The California Landscape Contractors’ Association, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. I monitored water-usage at one residential property for one year and earned my basic-level certification. I next monitored water-usage at five residential properties for one year and earned my expert-level certification.

My education and training in Residential Landscape Water Management led to an opportunity with Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) as a Water-Wise Outdoor Surveyor (Irrigation Surveyor). Concurrently, during the second half of my two-year term as a part-time temporary employee with Valley Water, I inherited a position as a Water-Waste Inspector from a colleague. I conducted water-waste inspections and water-wise outdoor surveys until winter of 2020.

Upon my exit-interview with my supervisor, also programs-manager for the Conservation and Planning Unit, I expressed my desire to continue where I left off with Water Waste Inspection as I ventured forth into my next professional opportunity.

During the holidays of 2020, I conducted extensive online research about opportunities in Wastewater Management and coincidentally came across EnviroCert International and The Stormwater Management Field. I decided to focus on earning my certification as a Qualified Stormwater Manager and then Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Inspector concurrent with Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality. Trainee-status in both of those certificate-programs.

In the process of researching PHDs for the QSM certificate, I came across the call for volunteers. I immediately wrote to the leadership of the QSM and CESSWI volunteer committees and expressed my interest and passion for Stormwater. These leaders graciously granted me admission to their committees.

I have since reached out to CASQA and joined two of their subcommittees for volunteer experience to count towards the CPSWQ-IT program and am now a Track Co-Lead for the subcommittee on Stormwater Capture which is part of a collective for tracks which will be featured in their fall annual conference.

I am also pursuing a volunteer opportunity with The California State Water Board in Municipal Stormwater Management for fall of 2021.

My goal is to aid in the efforts to alleviate The Water Crisis in Santa Clara County and The State of California. Through education and outreach, I want to do my part to make a difference.

As of July 9th of this summer, I graduated from Valley Water’s Water 101 Academy and am now a Third Annual Cohort District-4 Certified Water Ambassador. With this credential and education, I plan to help influence water policy at the state-level as I pursue Water Conservation and Water Management in various contexts and platforms.

My current jobs are lawn and garden department lead and sales specialist for Azimian Ace Hardware on weekdays here in San Jose. Also garden center live goods sales specialist for Lowe’s on weekends here in San Jose. I enjoy educating and empowering associates and customers in bot of my jobs with respect to Water Conservation and Water Management.

Thank you for your consideration and invitation to be a part of this movement.

Matthew Frazier
Certified Water Manager
Qualified Stormwater Manager