John P. Sullivan

John P. Sullivan has been the Commission’s Chief Engineer since March 1989. Mr. Sullivan has over 53 years of water and wastewater engineering experience with the Boston Public Works Department and the Commission. Mr. Sullivan received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts in 1972 and his Masters in Business Administration from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts in 1992. In 2010, he received a Masters of Science degree in Emergency Management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He is a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts and a Massachusetts Certified Operator of Drinking Water Supplies. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and recipient of that Society’s “Young Civil Engineer in Government” award and received the Massachusetts Society of Professional Engineers “Young Engineer of the Year Award”. Mr. Sullivan received the “Associate Member of the Year Award for Utility Contractor Association of New England.” and the “Collection System Award” from New England Water Environment Association. In 2016, he was inducted into the “Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni” at the University of Massachusetts and awarded the “Outstanding Senior Alumni Award” from the UMASS College of Engineering. He is past president of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies as well as a past president of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies; having received the President’s Award from both Associations for his integral work in assisting with the water crises in Flint, Michigan. Sullivan continues to serve as the Chairman of the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) a position held since 2002. He is a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers as well as an Honorary member of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section, ASCE, the American Water Works Association and the New England Water Works Association. He serves as a Commissioner on the Boston Conservation Commission as well as a Commissioner representing Massachusetts on the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. Mr. Sullivan received the “Henry L. Shattuck Public Service Award” in 2018 from the Boston Municipal Research Bureau and the Engineering Center Education Trust “Leadership Award” in 2022.