Tag Archives: Diversity & Inclusion

Washington inmates bring drinking water to Ethiopian prisons through one-of-a-kind program

June 17, 2019

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Former California plumbing contractor Andy Pierce (right) is the founder of Project 41, an initiative that enlists Washington-state prison inmates to build water filters for use in water-scarce parts of Africa. Photo courtesy of Project 41.

This story begins with a bicycle-powered swimming pool pump in Haiti and ends with 400 inmates in Washington building water filtration systems for Ethiopian prisons. Many dots must be connected to get from one to the other, and they all pass through a California plumbing contractor named Andy Pierce. From aid worker to entrepreneur Pierce’s […]

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Apprentices Are Expected To Fill One-in-Fifty Jobs on UK’s Largest-Ever Water Project

March 28, 2019

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Tideway Featured

Tideway, an independent water company in London, launched a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program to clean the River Thames and address a pending worker shortage in one fell swoop. “London relies on a 150-year-old sewer system built for a population less than half its current size,” said Hannah Shroot, media relations lead for Tideway. The company is […]

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King County Enhances Diversity Through Operator in Training Program

February 21, 2019

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King County - Training

King County, Washington is becoming more racially diverse as the growth of Asian-, Latin-, and African-American populations outpaces that of the white population, according to 2018 census data. Recognizing its changing demographics, the county is working to recruit a workforce that is fair and inclusive for all. Two years ago, the county Wastewater Treatment Division […]

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Five Things WEF’s Water Leadership Institute Taught Me

December 19, 2018

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Rahkia Nance Featured

Rahkia Nance, 2018 Water Leadership Institute graduate Rahkia Nance is the digital communications manager for the Water Environment Federation (Alexandria, Va.). A former newspaper reporter, Nance has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Tallahassee) and a master’s degree in strategic communication from American University (Washington, D.C.). When she’s not digitally […]

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From the President: Activating the People–Water Nexus

October 24, 2018

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From the President - Thomas Kunetz Featured

A few weeks ago, at WEFTEC® 2018 in New Orleans, I had the privilege to become the 2018–2019 president of the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.). I am deeply honored to be given the opportunity to continue in the long tradition of my predecessors to serve the members of WEF by providing you with […]

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