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Entries for the 'EFCs' Category
Steve Wilson posted on October 12, 2011 09:24 
Both in June and recently, we wrote blog posts about the results of an operator survey published by the North Carolina Environmental Finance Center. This is another piece from their report dealing with operators suggestions for retention ideas.
Better Pay, Benefits Top The List
Below are the suggestions from operators as to what a utility could do to better recognize and retain them, as listed in the NCEFC survey results report.
- Higher Pay
- Increase Pay with Certification Level
- Improve/Include Benefits
- Pay for and Allow Attendance at Seminars/Workshops/Classes
- Cost of Living Increase
- Merit-Based Pay Increases
- Provide Incentives
- Certificate of Appreciation
- Hire More Staff
- Public Acknowledgement
- Pat on the Back
- Realize the Importance of Our Jobs
- Training of Board Members
- Increase Communication Between Board and Employees
- Become More Involved with Day-to-Day Operations
I want to talk about the last 4. Honestly, if community leaders did these 4 things, some of the salary and benefit issues would likely be more understandable to them, and the community as a whole would be more likely to develop sustainable practices.
They All Fit Together
To get the mayor and/or board to realize the importance of the operator's job, they need to communicate with the operator, become more involved in daily operations, and be trained on the issues and responsibilities they face. Maybe we have been going about this all wrong. Instead of just requiring training for board members, as some states now do, board members should also meet with the operator on a regular basis, say every other week on a weekday morning for breakfast. The operator can give an update on what has been happening, what issues he has been dealing with, what things he plans to ask the board to do and why.
In addition, each board member should spend a day each quarter working with the operator. They could help collect samples, help read meters, see how a backwash cycle is completed, order chemical, and anything else that would help them understand what goes into the operation of a water plant. I hear all the time that the problem with training board members is that they serve their two years, then someone new takes over. If a community had this sort of program in place, how long would it be before the list of supporters for the system grew well beyond the current board?
Steve Wilson posted on October 10, 2011 10:27
Back in June I wrote a post about perceptions of operators, boards, and customers based on work completed by the North Carolina Environmental Finance Center. They surveyed 300 operators in North Carolina on a number of topics. The post in June discussed how customers and town boards value or don't value their operators. Today, I wanted to highlight a little more from their report dealing with operator satisfaction.
Study Purpose
According to the report, one of the main reasons for completing the study was that so many small towns complain about their operators leaving. Turnover is high, and in this study they wanted to look at why. Here are some reasons they found:
- 32 left their last job for more money
- 32 left for more possibility of advancement
- 19 left for better benefits
- 12 retired
The other top 10 reasons given included plant closed/downsized; laid off; management/board issues; closer to home; career change; and better shifts. It's a common problem for small towns across the country that small town operators, move on to better paying jobs with benefits once they have the experience to be eligible for those jobs.
Common Problem
Last week I heard two different stories about operator retention that highlight the problems for small systems. A community of about 1000 hired a new operator to run their water and wastewater plants. He left 6 months later to take a meter reader position in a large community that paid more ($26/hr) and gave him the opportunity to get into operations after 2 years making ($30/hr). So he could not only make more, but he had a chance for advancement.
In the 2nd case, a trainer told the story of a large community that offers him free space to hold CEU classes for small town operators in the area. The community provides the space because they use the training events to recruit operators/workers for their system.
You Get What You Pay For
There is really one issue here, and that is how valuable is a safe, dependable water supply to your community. It all starts with your operator, who understands your system and has experience working with it. Without that person, the community can't sustain their water system. Small communities are fiercely independent and want to be left alone, but at the same time don't understand the costs required to stay that way.
What Can Be Done?
I don't believe there is a lot a small community can do to change this trend. The facts are simple: to retain an operator long term, they will need a competitive salary with benefits and a supportive work environment. Too many small communities don't value their water, so it follows that they don't understand the value of their operator. It is that understanding, by the community and its leaders, that will change things, nothing else.
That said, in our next post we will share some ideas for improving operator retention.
Steve Wilson posted on July 18, 2011 09:56 
In June, we announced the kick-off of our internship pilot program. Over the next several months, we'll be documenting the progress, challenges and lessons learned in this experience.
Two Communities So Far
We have found two communities, so far, that we will be working with this summer. They will be utilizing our intern to assist them in developing tools and information that they can use to help run their systems more effectively. Each community is in a different place, and has unique issues they want help with.
Our idea, when we started this program, was to find a few communities interested in developing ERP's, asset management plans, and long range plans, and have our intern, who is a Class C water and Class D wastewater operator in Illinois, provide some of the man power necessary to develop the inventories, look up information, etc.
Every System Is Unique
Boy is this an understatement. Neither community fit the model we envisioned for this project. Community A, for lack a better name, is actually in really good shape. Their operator and village president are on the same page, they have an idea of where they want to go, they have an ERP (with help from ILRWA), and they have a little money in the bank. It's a community of only 800 people, and they are doing a great job managing their system. They actually contacted us, after seeing the article in our newsletter, and asked for specific help with asset management.
The best way to describe the situation in Community A is they are doing well and are being proactive and moving further forward. They are in a classic situation where succession planning needs to be a part of the picture - with the village president and operator on the verge of retiring in 5 years or less. They have the CUPSS software from USEPA and were a little intimidated with trying to work with it, so Nate's main job for them is going to be to get CUPSS set up for them. We are also using the new "AM Kan Work" manual from NMEFC, and plan to have Nate develop both sets of tools for each of the communities that ask for our help.
Community #2
This community was suggested to us by Illinois RCAP, and we are grateful for their help and support. Community #2 is a community that is starting from scratch. We haven't talked to them yet, our first meeting is tomorrow, but the information we do have suggests that it is a community that has had significant problems in the past, and are now stepping up with new managment and village officers to try and get a handle on their water and wastewater systems. They first need an evaluation of where their systems stand, so Nate will be conducting a Vulnerability Assessment for them. Based on those results we will move forward. Illinois RCAP is also assisting this community, and will be advising Nate as we work with the community.
Working Out Better Than We Had Hoped
The goal of the program is to expose Nate to a variety of community situations that will better prepare him for managing his own system, while providing a measureable benefit to each of the communities that participates. We are already seeing that Nate's exposure to even these two communities, is going to go along way in preparing him for his first head operator position. And for the communities, we are developing plans with Nate that will really help them move forward and meet their needs.
Note #1: We are still looking for 1-2 communities of under 1000 people within an hour of St Louis, that would be interested in participating in this program.
Steve Wilson posted on June 24, 2011 16:20 
The North Carolina Environmental Finance Center(NCEFC), with funding from the SE-TAC at Mississippi State, conducted a survey of about 300 operators in North Carolina as part of a project looking at how to better retain operators and to recognize them for the work they do. North Carolina Rural Water Association was also a partner on the project. This is the 1st of several blog posts that will highlight the study results. Today, I want to focus on the perceptions of operators and of the operator profession.
Small Systems
Small systems, especially, have higher turnover rates and this project provides some insights into why that is the case and offers suggestions on what can be done. The project report can be found here.
Perceptions
I have heard many times that a town board doesn't respect or trust their operator and that they are unwilling to make changes based on the operators recommendations, etc. It's also commonly said that water customers don't know what their operator does or understand the value of their operator and drinking water. I agree these are real and common problems. The real issue is changing perception and its a responsibility every operator, technical assistance provider, and legal authority should take seriously.
Survey Results
The NCEFC survey asked operators if their if they felt their management, boards, and customers recognized their value. 64% said managment DID recognize their value, while 55% said boards DID NOT and 58% said customers DID NOT recognize their value. Actually, I'm surprised the customer statistic isn't higher. I find that to be a common problem with most operators I talk to.
What To Do
I have jokingly suggested at a few meetings that we should have a national "turn off the pumps" day, where every water system in the country stops providing water to their customers. Though I don't seriously advocate such measures, consider what it would do to highlight the value of drinking water.
What you can do, as an operator, is be a cheerleader for both your system and your profession. Use available resources to share what you do with your board and customers. If you would like information that you can pass out to customers, let us know, we can direct you to alot of good stuff. If you are a very small system with no budget for such things, call us, we might be able to help. Most importantly, be involved in your community and schools to help educate those you serve.
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