Up to half the managers, engineers and field workers at water utilities will retire in the next decade, said the Water Research Foundation. That leaves utilities vulnerable to losing critical institutional knowledge and struggling to find replacement workers. To address this impending crisis, the Water Research Foundation completed a “Water Sector Workforce Sustainability Initiative.” The final report, which analyzes the workforce crisis in the water utility industry and identifies potential solutions, was released Jan. 19.
“Baby Boomer retirements, shifting demographics and a declining number of students receiving science, engineering and technical degrees are just a few of the factors causing the workforce crisis in the water utility industry,” said Linda Reekie, project manager with the Water Research Foundation.
The report outlines ways the utility industry can address the workforce crisis, including:
• Improving the water sector job image;
• Identifying water sector career pathways;
• Developing a water workforce resource clearing house; and
• Increasing collaboration within the water utility industry.
A webcast on this project will run on February 4 at 1 p.m. MST.
