The January 2021 issue of Water Environment & Technology magazine includes sound-offs from water sector leaders around the world, who described how their organizations contend with such universal challenges as climate change, workforce issues, and flood management. Their remarks were abbreviated for space in print. Full comments are presented below. Janett Tapia — The Netherlands In […]
Tag Archives: Workforce
What We Can Learn From COVID-19
August 21, 2020
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![What We Can Learn From COVID-19 Robert Pontau, Jr., a Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia) member and assistant general manager of the Brunswick (Maine) Sewer District, recently reflected on how working in WRRF management during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed his perspective. Image courtesy of Pixabay](https://news.wef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/HL-coronavirus-march20-scaled-75x75.jpg)
The COVID-19 pandemic has attracted widespread attention to how WRRFs approach biohazard preparedness, worker safety, and personnel management. Staggered schedules, erratic shifts, and stringent safety protocols have become another part of the job for wastewater professionals. Robert Pontau, Jr., a Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia) member and assistant general manager of the Brunswick (Maine) […]
Accommodating Essential Water Services
March 31, 2020
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![Accommodating Essential Water Services State and federal regulators recognize that water resource recovery facility (WRRF) operators are among a select few critical personnel categories. During the coronavirus pandemic, regulators at multiple levels are exercising reasonable enforcement discretion and enabling more people to help keep WRRFs in operation. Image courtesy of U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency](https://news.wef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Essential_Critical_Infrastructure_Workers--75x75.png)
In recent days, state and federal regulatory groups have made several temporary policy changes that recognize the water sector’s critical role in protecting public health during the coronavirus pandemic. These changes relax certain restrictions, such as temporarily honoring expired operator certification credentials or forgiving missed consent decree deadlines, that could otherwise impede a water resource […]
Celebrating Women in the Water Workforce
March 17, 2020
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![Celebrating Women in the Water Workforce The recipients of the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Water awards stand with the masters of ceremonies at the Women of Water Summit. Pictured are (left to right): Tifphani White-King, Jon Freedman, Eleanor Allen, Nadine Leslie, Karen Sands, Christine Boyle, Karen Pallansch, Sarah Stevenson, Diane VanDe Hei, Adrienne Esposito, Bernadette Sohler, and Debra Coy. Mariah Walters Orose/WEF](https://news.wef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Awards-75x75.jpg)
Women of Water Summit recognizes female water-sector changemakers Mazars USA (New York City, N.Y.), a financial consultancy active in the water sector, kicked off 2020 by hosting its inaugural Women of Water Summit in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 9. The daylong summit featured industry leaders speaking in nine segments that celebrated outstanding achievements of female […]
YH2O Youth Mentorship Program Provides Fresh Talent to Baltimore’s Water Workforce
March 6, 2020
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![YH2O Youth Mentorship Program Provides Fresh Talent to Baltimore’s Water Workforce The YH2O Youth Mentorship Program recently won the 2019 City on a Cloud Innovation Challenge hosted by Amazon Web Services (Seattle, Wash.). Winning the challenge, which recognizes new ideas that capitalize on cloud computing to improve lives, will enable the program to add new training courses teaching information technology applications for the water sector. Image courtesy of Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development](https://news.wef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/3-75x75.jpg)
Since launching in 2015, an innovative apprenticeship program developed by the Chesapeake Water Environment Association (CWEA) and the Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW) has equipped nearly 100 young adults with the skills they need to become successful water professionals. Baltimore’s YH2O Youth Mentorship Program is an intensive, 6-month course for high-school educated Baltimore residents […]
WEF Joins Utility Leaders in Endorsing New EPA Workforce Grants
January 20, 2020
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![WEF Joins Utility Leaders in Endorsing New EPA Workforce Grants Attend the National Water Policy Fly-In, April 27-28, in Washington, D.C. Image courtesy of skeeze/Pixabay](https://news.wef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/HL-capitol-jan20-75x75.jpg)
As utilities across the U.S. brace for the workforce skills gap anticipated from the water sector’s looming silver tsunami, federal regulators and utility leadership organizations are taking action with a new grant program aimed at attracting new talent to jobs in water. The Water Workforce Infrastructure and Utility Development Grants program was passed by U.S. […]
From the President: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Workforce Challenges
January 13, 2020
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![From the President: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Workforce Challenges jarrell_final-e1578412788594 (crop)](https://news.wef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/jarrell_final-e1578412788594-crop-75x75.jpg)
Working in the water sector, I am constantly learning and being challenged by the people around me. Ours is a profession that, at its core, requires working with others to find solutions that make sense for the future. I love the spirit of cooperativeness that you can find so often behind the fence of a […]
From the President: Supporting Tomorrow’s Water Professionals
November 18, 2019
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According to the Brookings Institution (Washington, D.C.), as much as 50% of the current water workforce in the U.S. will retire within the next 35 years. The water sector must take steps today to ensure the next generation of water professionals can seamlessly take the reins, keep critical water resource recovery facilities running, and confront […]
January 15, 2021
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