The “Silver Tsunami” and the Future of Water Workforce

Over the past several months, our team at Watura has met with utilities of all sizes across North America. The same situation keeps coming up: open positions that have been vacant for months — and, at the same time, messages from people eager to join the sector but who don’t know where to start. It’s a big chasm between utilities that need people and people who need guidance — and it’s one of the biggest water and wastewater workforce challenges of our time.

We’ve heard this story in Illinois, California, Wisconsin… and also in France, Bolivia, and other places where we work. No matter the country, the pattern is the same: a generation of experienced operators and technicians is retiring, and the next one isn’t arriving fast enough. The so-called “silver tsunami” is real — and with it, decades of field know-how are leaving the sector.

And yet, this is also a moment of opportunity. There are thousands of motivated people who want to make a difference in water and wastewater, and utilities that are ready to rethink how they train and retain their teams. What’s missing is a clear, accessible path that connects the two.

That’s why we built Watura.
Our platform is designed to help utilities train, qualify, and grow their workforce through a modern, flexible learning experience.

• We offer a library of high-quality courses based on industry standards and developed with recognized experts — covering drinking water, wastewater, maintenance, math, and exam prep.
  
  
• The platform is flexible — operators and managers can train anytime, anywhere, on any device.
  
  
• And it’s comprehensive — every user’s progress and CEUs are automatically tracked, giving utilities a clear overview of team development and compliance.
  
  

Beyond the technology, what drives us is the conviction that training shouldn’t be a box-checking exercise. It’s how the next generation of operators builds confidence, skills, and pride in their work — and how utilities can attract and keep talent in the long term.

We’ve seen firsthand how this challenge transcends borders. Whether it’s a mid-sized city in the Midwest or a regional utility in Europe, the need is the same: to build a resilient, skilled, and motivated workforce ready to keep clean water flowing.

At Watura, we’re proud to be part of this effort. Because in the end, it’s not just about CEUs — it’s about people, purpose, and the future of water.

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