WPI membership spans 49 U.S. states/territories, 12 Canadian provinces/territories, many Canadian First Nations and U.S. tribal entities, as well as many Eastern European, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern countries/territories. WPI has assisted in the certification of more than 500,000 water and wastewater treatment professionals, including those who have earned a WPI Certification or Professional Operator (PO) Certification.

Innovation is integral at WPI. To continue improving the organization’s effectiveness, executive staff and volunteer leadership decided to implement a strategic planning process for the development of a research-based, strategic plan for WPI to use in the creation of future objectives and implementation tactics to ensure continuous improvement of WPI’s existing products and services.

The first goal of this process was to develop consensus on the desired goals of the association, given the needs of stakeholders in the water and wastewater industry.
The second goal of this process was to develop 3 – 5 long-term strategies that the association can implement to achieve these goals.

To inform this process, WPI engaged Association Laboratory. Founded in 1999, Association Laboratory specializes in research and strategy for trade, professional and nonprofit membership organizations.

The following summary briefly describes the outcomes, specific goals, and recommendations of the WPI Strategic Planning Task Force.

Vision Statement

Public Health and the Environment are Protected through Professional Stewardship of Water Resources

Mission Statement

Competent Water & Wastewater Professionals Successfully Operate in a Supportive Public and Policy Environment

Goals

Improve the competence of water and wastewater professionals and the efficacy of their systems through standardization & classification.
Ensure the public, policymakers, other stakeholders, and potential and current operators are aware of the value of the role of certified operators.
Create & maintain a diverse, engaged, and supportive network of peers committed to advancing the profession of water and wastewater operations.

Strategies

Standardization

Certified operators will have validated competencies applicable across jurisdictions.
- Update common standards for operator certification/licensure that are relevant across systems and jurisdictions, including adapting Model Standards of Operator Certification, exam development, and the Professional Operator program.
- Support the acceptance and use of testing modalities that incorporate virtual or online methods to improve exam accessibility.
- Develop resources guiding evaluation of instructor qualifications and content relevancy of distance education courses.
- Facilitate promotion of certification reciprocity and the revised classification framework.
- Promote the Professional Operator program.

Classification

Systems and facilities are consistently defined and classified using modern, science-based criteria.
- Create or adapt modern, science-based criteria for systems and facilities and ensure alignment of operator certification with these revised criteria.
- Communicate revised criteria to stakeholders and advocate for relevant changes in policy.
- Explore the potential for a relevant accreditation process for systems and facilities.

Professional Advocacy
Implement a content strategy communicating the positive nature of careers in water and wastewater management to current and future operators.
- Leverage efforts by industry partners to improve policymaker and public awareness, valuation, and fair compensation of professional operators and their staff leading modernized water and wastewater systems.

Community Strategies
Initiatives implemented by WPI to directly support the goals and missions of organizations in the industry.

Professional Community Strategies
Create an individual membership category for operators.

Organizational Strategies
Modernization, Standardization, and Harmonization