Commissioner Murman quoted in this editorial in the Tampa Tribune regarding government collaboration:
Editorials
Editorial: A unique collaboration to keep the clean water flowing
Published: October 18, 2014
Having clean water flow into our homes and businesses every day for a relatively minor cost is something we all take for granted.
But behind the scenes are thousands of government workers employing biology, chemistry, engineering and computer skills to make sure the water in Hillsborough County is safe for consumption.
The work is essential but not something young students think about turning into a career.
Changing that mindset is the focus of a new collaboration among the Hillsborough County school district and utility officials with the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County’s government. The idea is to educate students about the importance of water in Florida and the work that government utilities do to ensure this critical resource remains clean, available and affordable as the state continues to grow.
Helped by city and county officials, the school district is creating a curriculum for students that will offer certification in water treatment skills along with field trips and internships.
“It’s something no other school district has,” says Tampa City Council member Charlie Miranda, who is partnering with County Commissioner Sandra Murman, city of Tampa public works Administrator Brad Baird and county utilities Director George Cassady to drive the initiative.
Nearly 2,000 jobs are dedicated to bringing clean water into our homes in Tampa and the unincorporated parts of the county. But the workforce is aging, and few new graduates know to consider water treatment plants as a career choice. Baird and Cassady expect about 40 percent of their workforce to retire over the next five to 10 years.
Opportunities are there for high school students who might not want to pursue a college degree. “These are good-paying jobs,” Murman says. She says the work can keep young people from leaving Hillsborough to start their careers elsewhere.
Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia has been working on a curriculum that can alert students to the potential and give them the skills to attain the certification. Students in elementary and middle schools will be exposed to the importance of conservation and sustainability practices. High school students can get hands-on work at the facilities and be prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.
Advances in technology have changed the ways water is treated. “This is not your grandfather’s treatment plant,” Cassady says. “These are respectable careers.”
Water policy is expected to be the focus of state lawmakers when they meet for their annual session next year. It is critical the state safeguards its water sources and cleans up those that are being polluted. With Amendment 1 on the November ballot, voters will have a chance to ensure the state dedicates sufficient dollars to land and water conservation efforts annually.
We may not give a second thought to what happens behind the faucets in our homes. But it’s critical that government does and that it employs a workforce that can deliver the goods. This unique collaboration is an excellent example of three government agencies joining together for the common good.
