Drip-Feeding Digital Talent into Water Treatment

Emerging technologies in water treatment are changing the people companies need to hire. Across the USA and UK, utilities, engineering firms, and technology providers are looking for professionals who can combine water industry experience with skills in automation, data, controls, and digital systems.

At LVI Associates, we have seen a clear shift in hiring demand during 2026. Employers still value strong engineering and operational backgrounds, but they are placing greater emphasis on digital capability.

Robert Tinton, Senior Vice President at LVI Associates, says this shift is changing the scope of technical roles across the sector.

Water treatment jobs are becoming more digital 

Water treatment has always relied on process engineers, plant operators, maintenance teams, scientists, and project managers. Those roles remain central to the industry, but the way people carry them out is changing. 

Treatment facilities are using connected sensors to monitor performance, automation to manage routine processes, and digital platforms to support maintenance and planning. New approaches to water reuse, membrane treatment, PFAS removal, and desalination are also creating more specialist technical requirements. 

The US Department of Energy’s National Alliance for Water Innovation reflects this direction, with projects focused on advanced treatment, automation, modeling, and water reuse. 

As technology develops, employers need people who can connect technical knowledge with practical delivery. A new system may perform well during testing, but companies still need skilled teams to install it, operate it, and respond when results do not match expectations. 

What LVI Associates has seen this year 

Across our work in the water and wastewater market, we have seen clients add digital requirements to roles that were previously focused on one engineering discipline. 

Process engineers may now need stronger data skills. Maintenance teams may work with predictive systems and connected equipment. Project managers may oversee software providers as well as contractors and engineering partners. 

The shift makes sense, but it also creates hiring problems. 

Some employers are looking for one person who has extensive water experience, advanced automation skills, strong data knowledge, and experience with a specific platform. Very few candidates will meet every requirement. 

“The strongest hiring strategies separate the skills someone needs on day one from the skills they can develop after joining. Employers that search for a finished candidate with every capability may struggle to fill the role,” says Robert. 

Companies can widen their options by considering talent from power, manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and industrial automation. 

These professionals may not have direct water treatment experience, but many understand process control, regulated operations, complex assets, and critical infrastructure. With the right sector training, they can bring skills that are in short supply within water. 

The USA must replace experience as technology advances 

In the USA, many employers are managing two workforce issues at the same time. 

They need to replace experienced operators and engineers who are leaving the industry, while also building the digital skills required for newer treatment systems. 

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects thousands of water and wastewater operator openings each year, largely because existing employees will retire or move into other occupations. 

When experienced people leave, employers lose more than headcount. They may also lose years of knowledge about local infrastructure, seasonal changes, equipment behavior, and emergency response. 

Digital tools can help record plant information, but they cannot replace the judgment developed through practical experience. 

“The US workforce challenge is partly about vacancies, but it is also about knowledge transfer. Employers need experienced people involved in new technology programs before that expertise leaves the business,” Robert adds. 

Water companies should involve operators and engineers when selecting and introducing new systems. Their input can help identify practical problems, improve training, and reduce the risk of investing in technology that does not fit day-to-day operations. 

The UK needs new entrants and new skills 

The UK faces a different pressure. The sector needs to bring in large numbers of new employees while delivering major infrastructure and environmental programs. 

Water UK has outlined plans to recruit 50,000 people into the sector by 2030, including apprentices and younger workers entering through new training routes. 

This creates an opportunity to build digital capability from the start. 

Apprenticeships and graduate programs can expose new entrants to automation, instrumentation, data, and connected systems alongside traditional water treatment knowledge. 

However, recruitment numbers alone will not solve the problem. Employers also need clear development paths that show people how they can progress into technical, digital, and leadership positions. 

“Bringing people into water is only the first step. Employers also need to show them how their careers can develop and how digital skills fit into that progression,” says Robert. 

The sector will also need experienced hires from adjacent industries. Water companies cannot depend on moving the same small group of specialists between competitors. 

Employers need to rethink the ideal candidate 

Water employers in the USA and UK are competing with energy, technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and other infrastructure sectors for similar talent. 

Automation engineers, controls specialists, data professionals, and digital project managers have several career options. Water companies need to give them a clear reason to join. That starts with better job descriptions. 

Employers should explain the technical problems candidates will solve, the systems they will work with, and the impact their role will have. Generic language can make advanced water treatment positions sound more routine than they are. 

Hiring managers should also be realistic about mandatory requirements. Some roles need direct water treatment experience, particularly where regulation, safety, or operational responsibility is involved. Other skills can come from related industries. 

“Employers do not need to lower standards. They need to be clearer about which experience is essential and where strong transferable skills can provide another route into the sector,” Robert explains. 

Digital talent needs a reason to choose water treatment 

Water treatment offers technical professionals the chance to work on complex infrastructure, environmental challenges, and services that affect public health. But strong candidates will not enter the sector by accident. 

Employers need to present clear career opportunities, provide practical training, and move quickly when suitable talent becomes available. 

At LVI Associates, the hiring changes we have seen during 2026 show that water companies understand the need for greater digital capability. The next step is creating recruitment strategies that match the talent available in the market. 

That may mean hiring from another sector, developing an existing employee, or dividing responsibilities across a team rather than searching for one person who can do everything. 

Looking to hire water treatment talent? 

LVI Associates supports utilities, engineering consultancies, contractors, and technology providers across the water and wastewater market. 

Our teams recruit across water treatment engineering, automation and controls, project delivery, commissioning, operations, and technical leadership. 

If your organization is hiring or struggling to find specialist skills, request a call back from LVI Associates. A specialist consultant can discuss your hiring requirements, candidate availability, and the best way to approach the market.