Inside this edition of WEF Member Updates:
SURVEY | CONTENT & PUBLICATIONS | MEMBER BENEFITS | EVENTS

Letter From the Executive Director

Thank you to our members for a successful 2024! With your support, we made even more progress toward life free of water challenges.

I want to highlight a few accomplishments that directly tie to our strategic plan.

Workforce: At WEFTEC, the Operations Challenge saw a record-breaking 56 teams participate, which showed our passionate and diverse water workforce.
Community: We launched a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Water Environment Association of Texas to address the most pressing challenges facing collection systems and stormwater management.
Circular Water Economy: Our participation in the White House Roundtable on Water Security and Climate Resilience provided a platform to proliferate our Circular Water Economy framework and best practices.

As we enter the new year, I encourage you to continue using your member benefits highlighted in this newsletter, including professional growth opportunities and networking at the water sector's premier conferences. For your colleagues looking to connect with the water sector, we're offering 25% off of WEF dues for first-time individual members through February 14. Just use the promo code NewYear25 at checkout.

Join us as we amplify water stories that will grow, strengthen, and diversify our community this year.

Sincerely,

Ralph Erik Exton

We Want Your Feedback! Participate in the WEF Member and Stakeholder Experience Survey

Your voice matters! Help us enhance your experience as a WEF member or stakeholder by completing the WEF Member & Stakeholder Survey.

Quick Details:

Time: 15–20 minutes
Reward: $5 Amazon e-gift card (optional)
All survey responses are completely confidential

For more information, please contact Camille Leverett at [email protected].

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When Your Workforce Plan Needs Work

In an era when employee retention has become a critical issue across industries, the water sector faces unique challenges and opportunities. Prepared or not, water professionals must adjust their thinking and approach in an area they have not had to think about for some time — recruiting and retaining invaluable members of the sector.

Johnson County Wastewater (Kansas) embarked on an ambitious journey to transform its approach to employee recruitment and retention. Its proven strategy highlights the importance of the water sector while offering a blueprint for other organizations grappling with similar issues. Learn how the utility reduced job vacancy rates from 30% to roughly 3% in WE&T.

Read When Your Workforce Plan Needs Work

Submit Your Scholarship Application to Attend Water Week 2025

We're excited to once again award 20 young professionals — members who are 35 years or younger — a scholarship to attend Water Week 2025 in Washington, D.C. Water Week is a powerful opportunity to raise awareness about critical water issues and advocate with a unified voice for the sector. During the week, attendees will hear from members of Congress and key government leaders, network with other water professionals, and meet with their congressional representatives.

Costs covered include

Registration costs for the National Water Policy Fly-In on April 8
$500 - $1,000 in stipends

The application must be completed and returned to Amy Kathman by February 15.

Apply today

Apply for the 2025 WEF Awards

WEF Awards honor members and organizations who have transformed the water sector. Winners will be recognized at the prestigious Awards Ceremony during WEFTEC 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

Some of the more than 25 awards offered include

The deadline for submitting a WEF Award application is Monday, March 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

nominate today

Celebrate Water's Best – Nominate a Fellow

Nominate a water-sector professional for the 2025 WEF Fellows program to celebrate their extraordinary impact on preserving and enhancing the global water environment.

Nominees must demonstrate hard work, dedication, professional achievement, and significant contributions to WEF practice areas. They'll be honored at the Awards Ceremony during WEFTEC 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, February 28, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The award is only available to members.

nominate today

Make Your Mark on Wastewater Biology: The Microlife

Members are invited to suggest changes, additions, or cuts to the third edition of Wastewater Biology: The Microlife. Your input will guide the upcoming 4th edition. It emphasizes the biological aspects of wastewater treatment and provides a general overview of microorganisms, written with minimal technical jargon so it can be used by a wide spectrum of wastewater professionals.

If you're interested in being a reviewer for this project, please contact Lara Hahn for the full text of the book and the review template. Review comments are due by February 21.

Volunteer today

February 11 – 14, 2025
Dallas, Texas

Meet the top water utility executives and managers at UMC 2025. The next generation of utility leaders will also be in attendance. The Young Professionals Summit will be held February 9 – 11, immediately before UMC.

You'll leave prepared to bring your utility into the future with a focus on addressing climate resilience, fixing aging infrastructure, achieving digital transformation, and leveraging funding options.

Have you ever been to a WEFMAX? If not you're missing out! The Water Environment Federation Member Association Exchanges (WEFMAX) provide an opportunity for members to network with their peers from across the U.S. and Canada. At WEFMAX, you'll hear the latest updates from WEF and share MA successes and lessons learned. Space is very limited, so sign up early! Grow your network at one of the following WEFMAXs:

WEFMAX in Oklahoma City, OK (April 2 – 4) Building Bonds: Cultivating Community and Culture in MAs
WEFMAX in Salem, MA (April 30 – May 2) Workforce Development: It's Not Witchcraft!
WEFMAX in Palm Springs, CA (June 4 – 6) Cultivating and Fostering Positive Value, Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity in Your MA