Building Tomorrow’s Water Infrastructure Workforce: Strengthening the Industry Over the Next 10 Years

Across the country, water systems are aging, demands are rising, and the challenges tied to climate change aren’t slowing down. But one issue is quietly shaping the future of every treatment plant, utility, and public works department: a rapidly shrinking water workforce.

Over the next decade, the industry will need thousands of new operators, engineers, technicians, and innovators. And not just replacements, we need a bigger, more tech-savvy, future-ready workforce. The good news? With the right strategy, the next 10 years can be a turning point.

1. Start Earlier: Capture Curiosity in the Classroom

Most young people don’t grow up dreaming of becoming water operators, but what if they did? Water careers are hands-on, essential, and meaningful. We just need to tell that story earlier and louder.

Ways to spark early interest:

• Bring water professionals into classrooms for STEM talks & demos

• Host plant tours & hands-on learning days

• Offer high school internships & paid summer programs

• Share “day-in-the-life” videos on the platforms teens actually use

Planting the seed early builds long-term interest and creates a pipeline that keeps growing.

2. Make Entry Paths Clear, Affordable, & Accessible

Breaking into water careers should feel like taking a well-marked trail, not hacking a path through the woods.

To make it easier:

• Build community college partnerships for operator-focused programs

• Offer tuition assistance & exam fee reimbursements

• Create bridge programs for people switching industries

• Expand online training to reach rural & remote communities

When training feels accessible, financially and logistically, more people take the leap.

3. Tap Into Untapped Talent Pools

The future water workforce is more diverse than the past one, and that’s a strength. To grow the industry, we need to reach people who haven’t traditionally been invited in.

Reach out to:

• Military veterans

• Women entering skilled trades

• Communities of color

• Immigrants with technical experience

• Individuals seeking second-chance employment

Pair this outreach with supportive apprenticeships, language-friendly programs, and guaranteed wages. A workforce built from all parts of a community serves that community better.

4. Modernize Compensation & Show Real Career Growth

Let’s be honest, water careers compete with construction, manufacturing, energy, and tech. To win talent, utilities need to offer more than stable benefits.

What today’s workers want:

• Clear promotion ladders

• Certification bonus pay

• Modern equipment and safe working environments

• Flexibility where possible

• Benefits that support modern families

Transparency, growth, and competitive wages change recruiting from a struggle into a magnet.

5. Embrace the Tech Revolution in Water

The next decade of water won’t look like the last one. Sensors, automation, digital twins, predictive analytics, AI-enabled leak detection, this is a high-tech industry now.

To keep up:

• Upskill current staff on digital & data tools

• Recruit IT, cybersecurity, & systems-thinking professionals

• Provide hands-on tech apprenticeships

• Promote water careers as modern & future-forward

A technologically confident workforce makes utilities more efficient and more attractive to applicants.

6. Build Stronger Partnerships Across Education, Industry & Government

A thriving water workforce doesn’t emerge from one institution; it grows from collaboration.

Strategic partnerships can deliver:

• Shared training curricula

• Regional apprenticeship networks

• Funding leverage

• Coordinated recruitment campaigns

• Consistent skill standards

When utilities, colleges, workforce boards, engineering firms, and community groups team up, breakthroughs follow.

7. Use Funding Intentionally: Workforce Is Infrastructure Too

Federal and state infrastructure dollars aren’t just for pipes and pumps; they can support the people who keep the entire system running.

Smart investments include:

• Hiring workforce coordinators

• Expanding apprenticeships

• Offering paid training

• Purchasing technology for modernized training environments

• Launching regional workforce planning efforts

Investing in people is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen infrastructure long-term.

8. Protect Institutional Knowledge Before It Walks Out the Door

A large portion of the water workforce is nearing retirement, and with them goes invaluable experience. Capturing that expertise is critical.

How to safeguard knowledge:

• Formal mentorship programs

• Phased retirement options

• A push to document key processes

• Video walkthroughs led by senior operators

Preserving what veteran workers know keeps systems running smoothly while new hires learn the ropes.

9. Lead With Purpose: Water Work Is Meaningful Work

If there’s one message that resonates across generations, it’s purpose. Water work protects public health, supports the environment, and keeps communities thriving.

Highlighting the mission attracts workers who want steady careers with real impact, but may not realize such paths exist.

The Next 10 Years Start Now

Rebuilding and expanding the water workforce is one of the sector’s biggest challenges, but also one of its biggest opportunities. By modernizing training, embracing technology, investing in people, and telling a more compelling story about what water workers do, we can build a workforce that’s stronger, more diverse, and more future-ready than ever.