Wastewater Worker Recognition Week

Most of us turn on our faucets and flush the toilets without considering where the water ends up. Wastewater treatment plant operators work quietly behind the scenes ensuring to clean, test and monitor this vital resource protecting public health in our state. The duties of wastewater treatment plant operators vary depending on the size of the treatment facility. The operators run and maintain the pumps and motors that move wastewater through filtration systems. They are responsible for making sure treatment facility equipment works properly. Before the wastewater reaches the treatment facility, other operators are busy taking care of the collection system and all of the maintenance and repair of pump stations and collection lines. They are continually adapting to challenges and new technologies to keep up with customer and regulatory needs. This also includes consideration of occupational risks associated with COVID-19 to ensure these essential workers stay safe and the wastewater service to the community remains uninterrupted.  

Many people do not realize that wastewater requires monitoring 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.  The availability of safe and reliable water is often taken for granted and that wastewater workers usually don’t get the credit they deserve for providing ready access to the treatment of wastewater. It is the daily work of our dedicated professionals that minimize environmental impact our community.

Thankfully there are some wonderful men and women whose job is just getting started after you flush the toilet or watch water disappear into the sink drain. It’s a job that doesn’t garner a lot of notice, unless something goes wrong.

Some stats on our wastewater collection and treatment system:

• Approximately 103 miles of pipe
• Approximately 1,790 manholes
• 4 lift stations
• Two wastewater treatment plants
• We treat more than 1.5 million gallons of sewage a day

Once again, Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared April 17-23 Wastewater Worker Recognition Week so if you see a wastewater worker this week, please take time to give them thanks for all they do.

WHEREAS, Colorado’s water is a valuable economic, environmental, and recreational resource that should be protected; and

WHEREAS, Colorado’s wastewater treatment workers consistently work to improve the cleanliness of Colorado’s streams, rivers, and lakes; and

WHEREAS, Colorado’s wastewater treatment workers include operators, maintenance personnel, laboratory workers, sewer maintenance workers, biosolids workers, industrial waste pretreatment workers, administrative workers, engineers, and suppliers; and

WHEREAS, Colorado’s wastewater treatment workers have served as essential workers through the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting to honor Colorado’s wastewater workers for protecting the water and environment of this state;

THEREFORE, I, Jared Polis, Governor of the State of Colorado, do hereby proclaim the time period between April 17, 2022 and April 23, 2022 as

WASTEWATER WORKER RECOGNITION WEEK

in the State of Colorado.	GIVEN under my hand and the Executive Seal of the State of Colorado, this seventeenth day of April, 2022
	Jared Polis Governor