The wastewater industry needs new talent to run the plants as current operators inch closer and closer to retirement. Roughly 33% of the workforce is eligible to retire within the next 10 years. It’s a pressing problem that affects both the public and private wastewater sectors, but each one is approaching the issue differently.
Each sector has its own challenges, with potential employees carefully weighing the pros and cons of each before signing a contract. But before determining which sector seems like the better career path, it’s important to understand how public and private wastewater operators work.
The public wastewater sector
Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) collect sewage from homes and businesses, clean it, and discharge effluent to rivers, lakes, and oceans. However, under the Clean Water Act, they can only discharge effluent if they obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES) from the EPA or their state environmental agency.
Dr. Daniel Gingerich | Photo by The Ohio State University
In the U.S., this permit typically covers toxicity testing, sampling methods, PFAS monitoring, and effluent limits. Discharging treated wastewater without a permit is illegal and may result in criminal penalties, potential imprisonment, and private lawsuits.
More broadly, public wastewater treatment plants protect the public, have tight nutrient limits and regulations, and operate at all hours of the day.
“Public is definitely going to be the more stable option,” says Daniel Gingerich, Ph.D., assistant professor of integrated systems engineering at The Ohio State University (OSU). “People tend to stay in those positions for a long time, because they are supported by and support other sectors of the municipality’s government.”
The private wastewater sector
Private wastewater treatment plants are maintained by their owners, not municipalities. Companies build and service their own wastewater treatment systems, which are typically found in small communities and industrial areas.
Like public wastewater treatment plants, private operators require a NPDES Permit to discharge treated wastewater. While they also discharge water to natural waterways, private operators can also discharge to reclaimed water distribution systems, golf courses, farms, and groundwater recharge fields.
Both systems operate the same and serve similar functions, but their differences lie in how their teams are structured, the benefits they offer, and their opportunities for career advancement.
The public vs. private wastewater sectors
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of both industry sectors and how they stack up against each other.
| Consideration | Public | Private |
| Job stability | Very high, performing an essential public service | Average, depends on corporate performance |
| Career growth | Career trajectory depends on tenure and certifications | Career trajectory depends on performance, making it possible to climb the ranks faster |
| Compensation and retirement | Raises are already set and standardized, pensions are common | Salaries are negotiable and market-dependent, 401(k) plans are common |
| Work culture | Decision-making moves slower, having to going through supervisors, department heads, and city officials | Decision-making moves faster, with fewer layers separating the wastewater operator and higher-ups |
| Funding source | Budgets are funded by ratepayers | Budgets are funded by project fees and product sales
|
Spotting the key differentiators
Both types of plants operate the same way—they send treated wastewater to where it’s supposed to go. The real differences can be found behind the scenes, and have assets that appeal to the shrinking labor pool.
“Currently, I think the large public wastewater operators are better positioned,” Dr Gingerich said. “Small public operators will be the ones that are the most strapped for cash in order to have the staff necessary to do maintenance work, monitoring work, and think about what comes next.”
The value propositions of both sectors lie in different areas. For those looking for job stability and a stable pension, working for a public wastewater treatment plant is probably a better fit. For wastewater operators searching for mobility and the opportunity to climb the ranks faster, the private sector may have more appeal.
But as the need for the younger generation to fill wastewater roles intensifies, the pressure doesn’t all fall on potential applicants. Each sector must reevaluate how it recruits operators, how it pays employees, and how it communicates its pros with potential applicants.
To stay competitive, both sectors need to turn the mirror back on themselves. By asking the following questions, they can determine whether their current hiring and retention strategies are effective.
Public wastewater operators
- Do we have a succession plan in place?
- Is our pay structure competitive?
- Are we supporting apprenticeship programs or partnering with community colleges?
- Are we recruiting beyond our usual hiring pools?
- Are we clearly communicating the benefits we have to offer?
Private wastewater operators
- Is our 401(k) plan strong enough to compete with a promised pension?
- Are we making fast career advancement clear to potential applicants?
- Are we attending enough tradeshows and events in the industry to build credibility?
- Are we adjusting wages fast enough to compete with the benefits public wastewater operators have to offer?
- What is our reputation in the industry? Are we known for promoting current operators or constantly making new hires?
If operators in both sectors can answer their respective questions, they can confidently say that they’re being competitive in the space. And competitiveness is a critical quality to possess in a field that’s pressed for time and talent.
Looking ahead
As experienced operators embark on retirement and the applicant pool continues to dwindle, both sectors need to make their case clearly and fast.
Candidates must weigh their current priorities: job stability and a promised pension or mobility and quick career progression. Operators must spend less time waiting for the right candidate and focus their efforts on becoming the job opportunity that’s too good to pass up.
