Back to Basics: Water/Wastewater 101 for New Staff/Elected Officials

By Alicea Easthope-Frazer, Senior Project Director, SOG Environmental Finance Center

Turnover is a fact of life for water and wastewater utilities. New board members are elected every few years, and staff transitions – retirements, job changes, or shifting responsibilities – are common. Especially in smaller towns, one person may carry multiple roles, so when someone leaves, a lot of institutional knowledge can leave with them. Without that foundation, decisions around finances, regulatory compliance, asset management, and strategic planning become harder, slower, or riskier.

Another layer of complexity: many people stepping into utility board or staff roles don’t come to the table with a utility-specific background. They might come from nonprofit work, private sector roles, or other government positions. A study by the UNC School of Government (“The Emergence of the Outsider: Tracking North Carolina City/County Manager Career Paths”) found that a sizeable number of city/county managers entered via non-traditional routes – not rising through local government operations, but instead arriving with diverse professional experience. This richness of perspective is valuable, but it also means there’s a steeper learning curve when it comes to understanding utility management.

The recent “Recognizing the State’s Talent” report from the NC Office of State Budget & Management (OSBM) adds more urgency. It shows that the state faces substantial workforce challenges: high turnover, competitive labor markets, rising retirements, and pressures on recruiting and retaining qualified employees. For example, first-year turnover among state employees was 32.8%, and state agency vacancies are well above pre-pandemic levels. When these trends occur across public service more broadly, utilities – often embedded in local government and reliant on public service staff – feel these pressures too.

All of this underlines a simple fact: the more we can build shared understanding of utility basics – financials, infrastructure management, procurement, and workforce issues – the better equipped utilities will be to adapt, maintain stability through transitions, and deliver reliable service.

In response to these challenges, the School of Government Environmental Finance Center is launching a webinar series this fall. Our goal is to give new staff and board members a clear, approachable introduction to the essentials of utility management. By breaking down complex topics into practical takeaways, the series helps everyone get up to speed quickly, so that important decisions are made with confidence, even during times of turnover.

What the Webinar Series Covers

• Each Monday, join a one-hour virtual session introducing the core responsibilities of managing a public water or wastewater utility: budgets, audits, rate setting, asset management, communication, workforce development, procurement, and partnerships.
• Guest experts from the UNC School of Government will bring real-world insight, helping connect theory and practice.
• Later in the week, an office hours session provides space for follow-up discussion, clarifications, and questions.

Why It Matters

• Helps new staff and board members – especially those with non-utility backgrounds – get up to speed quickly, making informed decisions from the start.
• Builds consistency and continuity through leadership transitions, so utility policy, financial health, regulatory compliance, and community service don’t suffer.
• Supports retention and effectiveness by reducing the “learning-on-the-job” burden. In environments where turnover and vacancies are high, equipping new leaders with knowledge can help them avoid costly mistakes or delays.
• Strengthens the capacity of public enterprise utilities as part of the broader state and local government workforce, which is under pressure from labor shortages, retirements, and rising expectations.

Practical Details

• The series is free to attend.
• You can drop in for the topics that are most relevant to you; no requirement to attend every session.
• Participants who attend will receive the slides to refer back to later.
• Important: sessions will not be recorded – we believe live discussion and interaction are central to learning, and this format encourages engagement.
• Link– https://unc.zoom.us/j/2820729531?omn=91843434520, Meeting ID: 282 072 9531

Schedule (breaks from the expected schedule are italicized)

• Week 1: Thursday, September 25, 1 pm [topic: utilities are public enterprises]
• Week 2: Monday, September 29, 11 am [topic: audited financial statements]
• Week 2: Thursday, October 2, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 3: Monday, October 6, 11 am [topic: budgeting]
• Week 3: Thursday, October 9, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 4: Monday, October 13, 11 am [topic: asset management]
• Week 4: Thursday, October 16, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 5: Monday, October 20, 11 am [topic: billings and collections]
• Week 5: Thursday, October 23, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 6: Monday, October 27, 11 am [topic: rates]
• Week 6: Friday, October 31, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 7: Monday, November 3, 11 am [topic: accounting and financial reporting]
• Week 7: Thursday, November 6, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 8: Monday, November 10, 11 am [topic: customer communication]
• Week 8: Thursday, November 13, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 9: Monday, November 17, 11 am [topic: internal communication]
• Week 9: Thursday, November 20, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 10: Monday, November 24, 11 am [topic: recruitment and retention]
• Week 10: Wednesday, November 26, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 11: Monday, December 1, 11 am [topic: grant compliance]
• Week 11: Thursday, December 4, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 12: Monday, December 8, 11 am [topic: procurement]
• Week 12: Thursday, December 11, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 13: Monday, December 15, 11 am [topic: partnerships]
• Week 13: Thursday, December 18, 1 pm [office hours]
• Week 14: Monday, December 22, 11 am [topic: network of assistance]