Operations & Maintenance

From hands-on-training and leadership opportunities, such as Operations Challenge, to online training, such as the Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals series, WEF provides operators with many opportunities to advance on-the-job knowledge and develop their careers.

Featured Operations and Maintenance Resources

The featured resources below are just a sample of everything WEF has to offer. Search our entire website and technical resource database for more.

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Publications for Operators

From hands-on training and leadership opportunitie to our Operator Training Manuals series, WEF provides operators with various opportunities to advance your on-the-job knowledge and career.

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Skills Builder for Operators

WEF's comprehensive Skills Builder quizzes incorporate math, safety, and a variety of other topics to help you test, maintain, and advance your operations and maintenance knowledge.

Test Your Knowledge

Operator Scholarship

This scholarship provides funding for individuals who are seeking water sector operator education, training, or certification to enter the water sector or advance their knowledge, skills, abilities or license.

More about the Operator Scholarship

Training Resources

WEF Study Guides are designed for today’s professional operators. Our guides cover a wide range of facility operations, including biosolids, collection systems, laboratory testing, and wastewater operations.

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Operations Challenge

Operations Challenge is the world’s premier skills competition for water resource recovery facility operators. As one of the most effective training and development tools for operators, it now has been replicated by several international organizations.

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BROWSE OPERATIONS News

The latest operations articles, videos, and other content from throughout the organization and across the water sector.

Industrial Water Resources
Intelligent Water Solutions from Jacobs and Palantir

Sponsored WEFTEC Product Launch presentations and Q&A sessions bring a new level of detail and technical specifications to exhibition programming.

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Industrial Water Resources
How AI and Cloud Based Capabilities Are Changing Stormwater and Wastewater Management

Sponsored WEFTEC Product Launch presentations and Q&A sessions bring a new level of detail and technical specifications to exhibition programming.

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Industrial Water Resources
Protect Your Water Network with Grundfos Smart Water Sensors

Grundfos is transforming water management with Metasphere smart water sensors. These innovative sensors detect rising water levels in manholes before they lead to ...

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Industrial Water Resources
Making a World of Difference in Water Industries

Join ABB at WEFTEC 2024 on October 7-9, 2024, in New Orleans

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Industrial Water Resources
Visit Mueller Booth No. 3453 at WEFTEC

Mueller is a leading manufacturer and marketer of products and services used in the transmission, distribution, and measurement of water.  We help municipalities ...

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Industrial Water Resources
Plan WEFTEC Your Way

You can access all the most up-to-date and detailed programming and details via the WEFTEC Online Planner or the WEFTEC Mobile App. Both portals contain the same ...

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Find the Operations Communities You Need

OPERATIONS CHALLENGE COMMUNITY

The Operations Challenge Community coordinates the industry's premier professional-skills competition. Held annually at WEFTEC, the event recognizes excellence in wastewater operations. The committee develops and revises the competition protocols that demonstrate the span of skills necessary for contemporary water quality professionals. 

Join the Operations Challenge Community

PLANT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COMMUNITY (POMC)

The POMC meets online every four to eight weeks and face-to-face at the Midyear Meeting and at WEFTEC. The POMC is charged with developing operations and maintenance workshops, webinars, and training, as well as supporting operations and maintenance technical sessions at WEFTEC.

Join the Plant Operations and Maintenance Community

Join or Renew Your WEF Membership Today

Connect with our community of water professionals who ensure that our local communities have access to clean water that protects public health. Explore our member benefits and find the membership type that’s right for you.

Join or Renew Online

Visit Our Community Platform

This virtual workspace, called WEFUnity, empowers WEF members to network and collaborate in an online environment.

See what's happening in the Community Platform

EXPLORE ALL PRACTICE AREAS

WEF is a source of high-quality technical resources featuring the latest research, news, and education. WEF's members and other credible resources have created and compiled this information into the Practice Area groupings listed in the dropdown menu.

Industrial Water Resources

Industries treat and reuse wastewater and process water as well as provide environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment while reducing costs and maintaining value for their businesses.

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Operations

From hands-on-training and leadership opportunities, such as Operations Challenge, to online training, such as the Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals series, WEF provides operators with many opportunities to advance on-the-job knowledge and develop their careers.

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Utility Management

To respond to myriad daily challenges faced by water and wastewater utility leaders, WEF continuously works with its members and partners to develop a variety of management initiatives; resources; and educational, training, and networking opportunities.

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Biosolids Resource Recovery

Through biosolids management, solid residue from wastewater treatment is processed to reduce or eliminate pathogens and minimize odors, forming a safe, beneficial agricultural product. Biosolids are carefully monitored and must be used in accordance with regulatory requirements.

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Collection Systems and Conveyance

The system of underground pipes and maintenance structures that convey wastewater has brought dramatic improvements to public health. Most sewers carry wastes from households and commercial establishments and are referred to as sanitary sewers.

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Government & Regulatory Affairs

WEF advocacy activities aim to educate WEF members and the water sector on public policy issues related to water quality and resources and equip them to play a greater role in water policy discussions.

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Public Health

The water sector and its systems protect public and ecological health. Using the data that can be collected through smart water technologies provides additional insights to address complex public health issues.

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Stormwater & Watershed Management

Take a comprehensive look at how all water resources, including uplands, drainage basins, wetlands, stormwater, surface water, and groundwater interact.

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Water & Wastewater Treatment

More than 16,000 publicly owned water resource recovery facilities operate in the United States. Skilled engineers and operators work together to ensure new and updated facilities continue to protect public health and the environment.

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