Shyam S. Mohanka, Ph. D., P.E., BCEE
Civil & Environmental Engineer
Discussion of one of the top five critical issues facing the water industry
Workforce - A survey of 116 utilities conducted by the Black and Veatch Corporation for the American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) and the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) found that these utilities expected to lose 14 percent of staff to retirement within five years and 27 percent in ten years. The general public is unaware of the importance of public works or what has to happen in order to provide clean, safe water to our homes. Couple this with the fact that salaries are often 25 to 40 percent below similar industry positions and as such, workers aren’t flocking to town hall looking for jobs. Management’s challenge will be to capture the operational knowledge of retirees, to modify the training of the replacement workforce for the new (higher tech) utility, implement true leadership succession planning, improve the retention of desired workers and enter into partnerships with their local community colleges and other learning institutions to improve the preparedness of the new worker pool.
Succession planning is the process of ensuring that the right people, appropriately trained, are in the right place and at the right time to accomplish the utility’s mission and objectives. The critical steps involved in succession planning are as follows:
. Assess the current workforce
. Analyze the future workforce
. Identify required transitions and existing gaps
. Develop Strategies to fill the gaps and make the transition to a high performing
Organization
The effective succession planning will identify workforce needs, allow the utility to compete effectively in the labor market and identify training, recruitment and restructuring needs.
The solutions we begin crafting today will result in an easier transition down the road. When it’s all said and done, hard work now will result in a deeper understanding of our utilities, a better experience for system personnel (those on the way out as well as those on the way in) and confidence that we won’t compromise the public health of our communities.
WATER FACTS, NEWS, IQ & TIPS
Water Facts: 2.6 billion people in the world lack access to improved sanitation
Water-Related Disease Facts: For children under age five, water related diseases are the leading cause of death
Water Conservation Tip: Households using automatic timers consume 50% more water than households that operate systems manually. Only use the automatic timer when you’re out of town, and then be sure you have a rain sensor
AWWA Public Affairs Advisory (December3, 2008): This Friday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) will release the results of its 2003-2005 monitoring study examining a broad range of organic compounds in source and finished water at nine drinking water plants across the country. The study was a part of the National Water-quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the USGS and characterized the occurrence of 277 organic compounds in the drinking water supply to better understand their sources. More information about the data release or NAWQA program can be found at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/.
AWWA & NYSAWWA MILESTONES (1950-59)
1950 – Wallace & Tiernan introduces the continuous amperometric chlorine residual recorder. Filter Material Standard B 100 is published.
1951 – AWWA appoints the first committee for investigation of research projects; work eventually revolves into the Research Foundation. Malcolm Pirnie outlines the objectives of a national water policy. Hazen & Sawyer is founded.
1952 – AWWA Transmission and Distribution of Water Division established
1953 – Wallace & Tiernan introduces automatic residual control
1954 – AWWA Journal circulation reaches 10,000
1955 – New York City receives from the US Supreme Court an amendment to the 1931 decree that enables it to develop the West Branch of the Delaware River. American Cast Iron Pipe Company ships its first ductile-iron pipe.
1956 – AWWA Directors issue policy statement opposing the “Cross Connections of Water Supplies with other supplies of uncertain nature regarding the return of used water to mains”. First hermetically sealed meter developed
1958 – US Congress passes the Water Supply Act, making storage available to cities and industries from federal multipurpose reservoirs
1959 – The World Health Organization (WHO) issues the first edition of international standards for drinking water. John R. Baylis reviews the development of filter bed design and washing methods.
1959 – NYSAWWA membership stands at 900 after 45 years
EVENTS CALENDAR
January 14-15, 2009 – NYSAWWA Winter Board Meeting, Saratoga Springs, NY
January 25-27, 2009 – AWWA Water Resources Symposium, Portland, Oregon
January 28, 2009 – AWWA Web Cast on Advanced Technologies in Metering
January 29-31, 2009 – AWWA Membership Summit, San Antonio, Texas
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Bethany Acquisto (Daigler Engineering PC)
Patricia Cerro-Reehil (NYWEA)
Bryan Connor (Ti-Sales Inc.)
Christina Marie Corrigan (Malcolm Pirnie Inc.)
Adam Cummings (MRB Group)
Charles R. Fernandez (All’s Well Drinking Water Svc. & Rpr.)
Thomas Lauro (Westchester County Water Agency)
William C. Link (Pace University)
Brian M. Rohan (Rohan Engineering PC)
Frank Russo (Holzmacher McLendon & Murrell PC)
John E. Ryan (Water Authority Western Nassau County)
Dennis Scorcia and Tom Warren (Fluid Metering Inc.)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS, WE MUST NOT ONLY ACT, BUT ALSO DREAM; NOT ONLY PLAN, BUT ALSO BELIEVE. Anatole France
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