PRWA 2022 Water and Wastewater Industry Salary Survey

It has been fifteen years since PRWA last completed a salary survey. In 2007 when that survey was completed, rural systems were struggling to set fair wages and rates. The industry was aware of an aging workforce, and fewer and fewer workers were joining our industry.

Fifteen years later, these trends continue. Our workforce has aged fifteen years, with little prospect of replacement. Additionally, systems report losing qualified and skilled workers to other industries and competing systems. Adding in the impacts of a national staffing crisis, systems struggle to maintain enough workers for basic services. In an attempt to shed some light on trends in our industry PRWA embarked on this Salary Survey.

The results revealed a few trends that may help systems and workers alike when considering a fair wage and how to retain workers. The results show three key points.

1. The private for-profit sector of our industry offers higher pay. This limits the availability of workers for the public or non-profit sectors.
2. Our industry pays less than competing industries, pushing skilled workers to shift career focus or start on different career paths.
3. At an individual level, experience and education provide for greater salaries.

As we enter a new age of employment, our industry must strive to train and keep the best workers we can. Public health and security depend on our ability to do so. We at PRWA hope that the data collected and analyzed in these pages helps each of you to see ways to improve your workforce and your system.