Clean Water Current

(March 13, 2018) - NACWA participated in a roundtable discussion March 8 hosted by the Brookings Institution to examine water workforce issues.  The conversation focused on how water workforce jobs can be used to promote economic opportunity for local communities while also improving local and regional water infrastructure. Participants address a number of key issues, including understanding the national water workforce challenge; local utility perspectives on recruitment, training and retention; the role of community partners; and national avenues for action. 

A number of NACWA member utilities participated in the discussion and provided valuable insights, including DC Water, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and the City of Baltimore’s Department of Public Works.  Other association partners from the water sector including the Water Environment Federation and the U.S. Water Alliance also participated and contributed to the dialogue, as did the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Brookings is expected to release a report on water workforce issues later this year.  NACWA is a strong supporter of further exploring these issues, including through recent legislation introduced in Congress.  Please contact Nathan Gardner-Andrews, NACWA’s Chief Advocacy Officer, for more information.