University OF Hawai’i Program Schools Young Engineers in Stormwater Management

Population density on the Hawaiian Islands is growing rapidly, with figures from the 2020 U.S. Census suggesting more than 100,000 people have immigrated to the state since 2010. At the same time, research from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (UH; Honolulu) indicates that the effects of climate change are manifesting as lower overall rainfall volumes, but more frequent intense downpours across the archipelago in recent years. For these reasons, attention to stormwater management is growing among Hawaiian conservationists, municipal governments, utilities, and researchers. The City and County of Honolulu, for example, is in the process of establishing a new stormwater utility that would join more than 2,000 U.S. municipalities in charging user fees based on the impervious space of their property, with proceeds funding new stormwater-management improvements.

Getting Ready for Operations Challenge 2021

WEFTEC 2021 will host the 34th annual Operations Challenge. This five-event competition demonstrates the precision, speed, and safety of the wastewater sector’s most elite specialists. Teams of wastewater collection and treatment operators are sponsored by a WEF Member Association or recognized Operator Association. They will face off in the Laboratory and Process Control events on …

A focus on hiring veterans could help ease the industry’s skilled-labor shortage

Jose Martinez firmly believes that military veterans are great candidates for jobs in the water and sewer industries, which sometimes struggle to attract employees. And the general manager of the Otay Water District should know — he’s a United States Navy veteran himself. Granted, Martinez had an easier path than many veterans when he transitioned from the …

Jumping into a Wastewater Apprenticeship

Have you read the Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals series published by the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia)? I served as a development editor for the second book in the series. My time researching wastewater operations from a distance eventually compelled me to jump into the trenches. Today, I am an Operator-in-Training (OIT) for Maryland Environmental Services.

Microsoft Systems Academy now free for transitioning service members

By Julia LeDoux February 9, 2021 Transitioning service members will no longer have to use their GI Bill funds to attend the Microsoft Systems Academy. “MSAA is now fully funded by Microsoft and is permanently offered online,” said Chris Cortez, vice president of military affairs at Microsoft. “MSSA is one of only a few corporate-sponsored programs that …

American Water Earns 2021 Military Friendly® Gold Employer, Spouse Employer and Supplier Diversity Designations

February 25, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time CAMDEN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–American Water (NYSE: AWK), the nation’s largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, announced today it has earned the 2021 Military Friendly® Gold Employer, Spouse Employer and Supplier Diversity designations produced by VIQTORY. “American Water remains committed, and takes great pride in creating meaningful opportunities …