Overcoming the Water Utility Workforce Challenge

Although this post focuses on the water utility workforce, similar challenges exist across many companies and industries.  The problem is that Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), which account for 23% of the US population, are rapidly approaching retirement age, and there is a shortage of workers to fill the positions they vacate.

There is little doubt that the aging workforce and replacement of retirees is one of the main challenges utilities in all sectors are currently facing.  In addition to the impact on daily operations, this challenge also hinders emergency preparedness, because new and/or younger employees may not have the experience or institutional knowledge necessary to efficiently and effectively deal with emergency situations.

Composition of the Water Utility Workforce

There are approximately 1.7 million water utility employees in the US, encompassing not only the country’s water utility workforce but also employees of trade contractors, engineering firms, construction companies, and similar entities.

Although I mention above that the aging workforce problem exists in all utility sectors, the problem is exasperated in the water sector – for example, the median age for a water treatment plant operator is 46 years old, versus the national average across all types of jobs of 42 years old.  Overall, more water employees are in the 35-64 age range compared to the average across all occupations, whereas this trend is reversed for the 18-34 age range.

Overcoming the Challenge

According to this article, here are the critical steps that water utilities can take to fill the worker pipeline and replace retiring employees:

• Enhance employee recruitment efforts to educate and excite young people on the nature and opportunity associated with joining the water utility workforce.
• Incorporate organizational employment needs into long term budget and planning discussions.
• Partner with other local or regional water system operators to pool resources and expand the “marketing reach” of recruitment efforts.
• Develop more effective employee training practices to “mine the gold you already have.”

Forward-thinking water companies are already working on some of these initiatives.  Let’s hope others will follow suit sooner rather than later. The efficiency of the nation’s water infrastructure – as well as the ability of the water utility workforce to deal with emergency situations – depends on it.