Water Operator Stories Project

 A collection of stories from Water Operators across the U.S.

Everyone everywhere needs clean water. In most settings, water needs to be treated before and after it’s used by humans. The process is technical, highly regulated, site-specific and constant, yet the people and places associated with water treatment often operate outside public view. And while there are ample resources to support water treatment at large or municipal scales, smaller operations sometimes struggle to maintain their technology and workforce. 

Water Operator Stories is an oral history project that aims to shed light on the often invisible yet deeply essential work of small systems water operators. Since January 2026, we have collected stories from individual operators who describe different paths that lead to this unique career, share day-in-the-life stories from work in the field, relate problem-solving anecdotes specific to small water systems, represent an array of geographic and cultural contexts throughout the US, and speculate about the future of small-scale water treatment. These stories are arranged by operator and by theme.  

Whether you’re a water operator, a water industry professional, a student, engineer, educator, politician or simply a water-curious citizen, we trust this collection of stories will reveal something new about the taken-for-granted world of water operations. Enjoy!