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CEO Gets Down And Dirty In Baltimore On Hit CBS Show 'Undercover Boss'

ESSEX, Md. (WJZ)—Baltimore is once again front and center for an episode of  the popular CBS show "Undercover Boss."

Kai Jackson reports this episode is about a company and its leader who gets down and dirty.

He's no Mike Rowe, but when you're waist deep in sludge, you best believe it's a dirty job.

"Handling sludge is icky," said Bill Massa, Synagro CEO. "Never in my life did I think I'd be grabbing sludge with my bare hands. In fact, it made me pretty uncomfortable."

Massa is the president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Synagro. It's a wastewater treatment company that manages the Back River plant in Baltimore County.

And this Sunday Massa will be cleaning it on CBS' "Undercover Boss."

"Working with Christa in Baltimore, and we're cleaning out a centrifuge. A centrifuge is a big piece of equipment that separates water and solids," Massa said.

"It's always interesting watching the new guy," said an employee.

Massa hasn't been on the job for a full year yet, so his chances of being recognized were slim.

His big challenge was surviving the disgusting and back-breaking work at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Essex and other cities.

"I'm putting these clothes on and after five minutes I'm thinking 'I'm just not going to make this,'" Massa said. "The clothes are real heavy, digging into my shoulder. Finally I got it rearranged, and I'm working the next three or four hours, and I got through it."

Like many of the featured bosses on the show, Massa has a heart and admits he empathized with his employees.

"When I'm out and people are telling me some of their hard stories and issues they're dealing with, that was very touching. It definitely moves you," Massa said.

You can see "Undercover Boss" at 9 p.m. on WJZ-TV.

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