Celebrating the Unsung Heroes Ensuring Clean and Safe Water for All
Sacramento, Calif. — As California faces ongoing droughts, climate change, and increasing water demand, the role of water professionals has never been more critical. From ensuring access to safe drinking water to protecting our waterways from pollution, these unsung heroes are at the forefront of public health and environmental protection.
The Sacramento Area Sewer District (SacSewer) is proud to join communities across the nation in celebrating Water Professionals Appreciation Week, October 5-13. This annual event, which takes place during the first full week of October, recognizes the tireless efforts of those who maintain the systems that keep our water clean, our environments safe, and our daily lives uninterrupted.
“Access to clean water is fundamental to our well-being and future, and we deeply value the crucial role that our professionals play in protecting public health and the environment,” said Christoph Dobson, general manager for SacSewer. “As the challenges to water infrastructure and environmental sustainability grow, so too does the need for more skilled professionals in this critical field. In my recent video, I expand on how essential sewer service is to everyday life. Our current and future workforce must be ready to meet these challenges head-on and continue to provide the reliable service that our customers have come to expect.”
Imagine a day when you couldn’t flush the toilet, take a shower, or wash the dishes. Just as important as the clean water that comes into your home is what happens to the dirty water that goes out. For most of the Sacramento region, that’s the job of SacSewer.
SacSewer’s team of dedicated professionals operate and maintain over 5,000 miles of sewer pipes and the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility (EchoWater Facility), ensuring seamless sewage collection, treatment, and resource recovery for more than one million people across the Sacramento region. The EchoWater Facility, one of the largest and most advanced water resource recovery facilities of its kind in the nation, is a cornerstone of SacSewer’s operations. This state-of-the-art facility not only treats sewage but also leads the way in resource recovery, contributing a drought-resistant water source for local agricultural and habitat lands via our landmark project—Harvest Water.
SacSewer is focused on its mission to protect public health and the environment—24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Clean water and proper sanitation are some of the most vital public health services in the world, credited with the dramatic reduction of deadly waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. Since the mid-20th century, increasing environmental consciousness—along with government funding for sewage treatment—also resulted in substantial advances in environmental protection related to reducing sewer overflows and regulating sewage discharge to receiving waters.
Water Professionals Appreciation Week was established in September 2017 by the California Legislature via Senate Concurrent Resolution 80. This annual designation highlights the important role that water and wastewater professionals play in ensuring the safe and reliable management of water, wastewater, and recycled water in California.
