The Clear Take on Water and Wastewater Today

The Clear Take on Water and Wastewater Today

Taking a look at outsourcing trends in our industry.

We’ve heard it before: “outsourcing” can be a dirty word in our industry. But, maybe that’s an old‑school way to look at it. Outsourcing used to be associated with “privatization,” a management option that does have its share of considerations. Through our conversations with administrators, city council members and operators throughout the Midwest, we’ve pinpointed that lack of control is the major issue with outsourcing. Leaders of communities do need to be in control of their resources – monetary, human and natural. It’s what they’re elected, appointed and hired to do. But, in this day and age of low unemployment and shallow training, there are areas where outsourcing to experts makes good sense. Water/wastewater management/operations is one.

In fact, the difficulty of employing and retaining operators, particularly in systems serving populations under 10,000, is one key reason administrators outsource. The most recent projections indicate that the replacement need for operators (due to retirement or other separations) is more than 8%, or the need for 9,200 new recruits through 2026.

“Having an operator retire or leave is often why communities come to us,” said PeopleService Director of Sales Chris McMillen. “We offer the short-term solution to that problem and so much more, including shoring up infrastructure issues and identifying cost savings – all with monthly reports and complete transparency – the assurance that what needs to be done is being done. And, control is gained in a whole new way.”

To learn more about what we do for our customers, contact Chris.