Survey: Pandemic affecting water sector staffing, supply chains

The water sector is grappling with staff shortages and clogged supply chains triggered by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey conducted by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) of its utility and service provider members.

Forty percent of the 416 utilities that responded to the survey said they currently are struggling to hire staff, especially for the positions of water operator, service technician and driver. In addition, utility respondents indicated their employee turnover rate has nearly doubled to 21 percent, compared to 11 percent earlier in 2021. Illnesses and quarantining have impacted field and water treatment operations in about 30 percent of surveyed utilities.