Septic installer working with a tank
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Navigating the Decentralized Wastewater Industry: Career pathways

Like so many other skilled trades, the decentralized wastewater industry is facing a labor shortage as more young people don’t pursue trades and more workers are retiring than are entering the field to replace them. But one good thing about labor shortages is that they create substantial opportunities for a new generation of workers to get established and grow into the field. Before they can do that, though, they need to understand the benefits and the wide range of pathways available for a career in decentralized wastewater. 

The primary benefits are simple to communicate: competitive wages, stable employment opportunities nearly anywhere in the country, and the ability to help safeguard both public health and the environment. Other benefits, typically for service jobs in the industry, include working outside, being one’s own boss, and relatively flexible hours. 

That said, service jobs like installing and pumping tanks are far from the only career pathways for those interested in decentralized wastewater. Here, we break down the four principal options a little bit further. If you’re trying to convince someone they should enter the decentralized industry, try to emphasize the wide range of possible occupations in these pathways to pursue!

#1: Skilled Trades (Private Sector)

This is the track that includes the service occupations we mentioned like installing and pumping, in addition to manufacturing and other operation & maintenance. Electricians and plumbers who work with septic systems can also fall into this area. These jobs involve a lot of direct interaction with customers, from home and business owners even to developers. Many in the service occupation own their own small business, or at least work for one. Most positions do not require a college degree, but do need postsecondary education and usually a state license. 

Skilled trades is the pathway facing the biggest need for its labor supply. According to the EPA, the typical annual salary range for these kinds of jobs is $30,000 to $45,000, but can certainly go higher depending on your circumstances. Additionally, the EPA found in 2018 that the states with the highest need for workers in these jobs were Texas, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.

Finally, these are the occupations that DecentralizedWastewater.org primarily serves with our Event Calendar, which provides a handy way to keep up with opportunities for certification and continuing education in order to obtain and maintain state licenses!

#2: Professional (Private Sector)

This track is primarily composed of engineers and other scientists with college degrees in civil engineering, environmental science, chemistry, or biology. Sales representatives and managers also fall under this category, whether they are selling equipment or services to homeowners, contractors, or other businesses. 

These occupations are typically highly skilled and specialized. The engineers design decentralized systems, and soil scientists are critical in helping to evaluate sites for new systems. While there isn’t quite the same level of need overall in the workforce for professional workers as trades workers, soil scientists are one professional occupation that requires more attention on recruitment — It takes a long time to fully train a soil scientist in the necessary chemistry, microbiology, geology, and hydrology.

The EPA found that this is a higher-paid pathway in the decentralized industry, with the median salary around $86,000 and with sales managers seeing the potential to earn upwards of $100,000. The states with the highest need for professional workers, as of 2018, were Texas, Florida, Colorado, Utah, and Tennessee.

#3: Academic (Public/Private Sector)

This pathway focuses on research to support the development and innovation of decentralized systems, and teaching students in relevant fields of study. Relatively speaking, this is a fairly narrow pathway. The number of university faculty and staff with experience in decentralized wastewater, whether in research or teaching, is small. Investment of money and time to build out these programs at universities is sorely needed.

Those that do manage to stake out an academic career researching and/or teaching about decentralized wastewater do have an encouraging financial outlook, according to the EPA. They found the median annual salary approached $83,000. The states with the greatest need for more academics in this area in 2018 were Colorado, New York, Nebraska, Utah, and Washington. 

#4: Regulatory (Public Sector)

Finally, the regulatory pathway consists of those who provide oversight to wastewater and sanitation in order to protect public health and safety. Though there are some state-level regulatory jobs, the bulk of these positions are found in county and city health or environmental departments, and center on environmental compliance, environmental health, and occupational health. The most commonly linked regulatory occupation to decentralized wastewater is Environmental Health Specialist. 

In smaller counties and cities, these regulators will also often oversee health areas such as food safety, solid waste/garbage control, air quality, and sometimes more. This wide range of responsibilities means that the field has high-growth potential and plenty of positions available. The median annual salary is around $73,000. New York, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah needed to add the most to their regulatory workforce in 2018. 

Unfortunately, new workers in environmental and public health rarely receive formal comprehensive training in decentralized wastewater, meaning their skill sets have much room to expand. As such, you will also find training events for environmental health specialists and other inspectors specialized in septic and decentralized systems on our Event Calendar. 

Sources and Other Resources