WEF Highlights

While known for top-rated university science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs that are educating the next generation of water professionals, the state of Indiana has a problem: convincing graduating students to stay. Half of the 2014-to-2016 bachelor’s-level STEM graduates of Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.), for example, found employment out of state, according to […]

Faced with the challenge of staffing three new water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD; Virginia Beach, Va.) launched its wastewater apprenticeship program in 1979. HRSD has grown to operate 13 award-winning WRRFs that provide service to 1.7 million residents across 18 cities and counties. Its apprenticeship program has grown in tandem, […]

The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) has introduced a new component to its robust set of operator training materials. The Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals 1 – Liquid Treatment Trainer’s Kit provides a hands-on guide for instructors of wastewater operator training programs. The Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals series is designed to help operators prepare for the first three […]

The topics of membership, engagement, and workforce development will take center stage at the 2019 Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Member Association Exchange (WEFMAX) meetings. WEF volunteers are invited to attend these meetings to engage in open discussions, share thoughts and ideas, ask questions, and provide solutions. WEF leaders and staff will attend each […]

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 […]

At this year’s Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC®), 44 teams of elite wastewater operators met in New Orleans to participate in the 31st-annual Operations Challenge competition. For 11 of those teams, 2018 marked their national-level debut. To help new teams acclimate to the rigorous pace and complexity of Operations […]

Water professionals who participate in the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) gain the skills needed to design, build, and maintain cutting-edge green stormwater infrastructure. Since its creation in 2016, more than 350 water professionals have received NGICP certifications. As word spreads about the value of this training, Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Member […]

When it comes to training operators in wastewater treatment, one size does not fit all. Gwinnett County, Ga., figured this out in 2014 when it set a new goal to become a “utility of the future.” This process began with assessing the utility’s status by looking at its existing facilities and treatment processes, such as […]