Imagine going to get a drink of water at the kitchen sink but not being able to get anything from the tap. Or think of what might happen if you tried to flush the toilet but nothing happened. Having access to water is important for almost every area of our lives. Water utility managers help to give people access to this very necessary resource.

Working as a water utilities manager is a very useful job. Working with budgets, ordering repairs, and managing daily operations are some of the main parts of the job. People in this work also deal with rules and regulations and might conduct research on the different types of technologies that are available. For example, a water utility manager might find problems with copper pipes and research other materials to use instead.

People in this type of work have to be willing to work in different environments. They might work in an office or spend much of their time in water treatment plants or outdoors checking on what the workers are doing. The work is not usually very physically difficult, but it can be busy and sometimes stressful. Salaries in this area begin at about $42,400 and can rise to more than $103,000, but the amount depends on people’s experience and the size of the city or town where the job is.

Work as a water utilities manager usually requires at least some education at a university or college. Electrical engineering or water resource technology are good fields to choose, and getting a Master’s degree can help make it easier to get work. Getting experience in supervising other workers can help, and being familiar with how water systems work is a good idea.

In high school, you can already start to prepare for your career by taking courses like physics, chemistry, and mathematics. What you learn there will help you to calculate how much pipe you need for repairs, what chemicals you need for water treatment systems, and anything else that you need to know.

The ability to write well and to speak in front of crowds are also good skills to have since managers normally have to give reports to governments or other organizations. Suppose that a town’s water system needs upgrading because of old pipes and equipment. A water utilities manager might need to apply for extra funding, and being able to fill out requests for money or talk to possible funders to get help.

For at least the next few years, getting a job as a water utilities manager could be very difficult because the current worker from the older generations might still stay in their jobs for years. Still, opportunities will eventually open up, and people who are in high school now might find that they will graduate at the right time.

Are you interested in helping make water available to people? Are you good at organizing people and keeping track of projects that need to be done? Working as a water utilities manager might be the right choice for you.

Bibliography:

Canadian Water & Wastewater Association. “National Water Efficiency Committee.” http://cwwa.ca/net_conservation_e.asp.

Indeed.com. “Water Management Jobs.” https://ca.indeed.com/Water-Management-jobs.

Salary.com. “Salary for Waste Water Treatment Plant Manager in Ontario, Canada.” https://www1.salary.com/CA/Ontario/Waste-Water-Treatment-Plant-Manager-salary.html.

Western Canada Water. “Water Industry Career.” http://wcwwa.ca/careers.