Matthew Watts discusses the looming labor shortage in the water industry, with projections showing a significant loss of experienced water treatment plant operator in the next decade.
💧H2O INTRO 👨🔧 Meet Matthew Watts of Middlesex Water Company
What happens when half your water operators retire—and no one knows the job exists?
Matthew Watts is confronting this workforce crisis head-on. As Treatment Planner for Middlesex Water Company, he’s leading a grassroots push to inspire the next generation of licensed operators. By bringing engaging demos and real-world water science into schools—from elementary to college—Matthew is planting the seeds for future careers in water operations.
His message: this isn’t just a job, it’s one of the most fulfilling roles in public service.
Matthew was a participant in the Transformative Water Leadership Academy of the American Water Works Association and WaterNow Alliance.
This was a conversation at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington, D.C.
waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. Visit https://www.waterloop.org/
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