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Water Technologists

Keeping the Water Clean

Clean water. Most of us take it for granted.

Well, let’s meet the people who help keep it that way in rural Newfoundland and Labrador: the Engineering Technologists from the Water Resources Management Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation. They review plans for new water and sanitary sewer systems, issue permits, conduct regular inspections to ensure the systems function as they should, and train municipal operators, staff and councilors. Water distribution systems require pressure regulation, filter maintenance, and the safe operation of disinfection systems.

Our technologists accomplish these goals by ensuring that system design parameters are optimized prior to construction and then follow up with extensive operator training curricula to train municipal operators on operation, maintenance and repair of these systems. If wastewater isn’t treated properly, the end result could be worse than no treatment at all. Education is a big part of the technologists’ work because of municipal staff turnover and the election of new councilors. Proposed new federal environmental sewage discharge regulations will, if adopted, bring new standards and new training requirements, so municipalities will need the technologists’ support to work through these challenges.

The next time you turn on the tap, remember the Engineering Technologists from Water Resources.

WE ARE Water Technologists.