LOC News
Cities Encouraged to Recognize Oregon’s First Water Professionals Appreciation Week
This October, Oregon will celebrate its first Water Professionals Appreciation Week, recognizing the professionals who work every day to provide safe drinking water, manage wastewater and stormwater, protect public health, and safeguard Oregon’s water resources.
HB 4005, supported by the LOC and water organizations across the state, was signed into law earlier this year. The new law designates the first Saturday in October through the following Sunday as Water Professionals Appreciation Week – October 3rd though the 11th this year.
The legislation recognizes the essential role water professionals play in Oregon communities and provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of careers in the water sector.
Water professionals are often at their best when the public never has to think about their work. They operate treatment plants, maintain pipes and pumps, monitor water quality, respond to emergencies, manage increasingly complex regulatory requirements, and keep essential infrastructure operating around the clock. Much of that work happens behind the scenes, but virtually every Oregonian depends on it every day.
The recognition also comes at an important time for Oregon’s water sector. As experienced professionals approach retirement, communities must recruit and train the next generation of operators, technicians and public works professionals. Yet many Oregonians, particularly young people considering their future careers, may have little exposure to the range of skilled, stable and meaningful careers available in the water sector. Raising the visibility of these professions is one small but important step toward building the workforce Oregon communities will depend on for decades to come.
That is the purpose of Water Professionals Appreciation Week: to recognize the people behind the essential services our communities depend on, while helping more Oregonians understand the careers and opportunities that make those services possible.
The LOC encourages every Oregon city to recognize Water Professionals Appreciation Week locally. One simple way to participate is for your mayor and city council to adopt a resolution or proclamation recognizing the drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, public works and other water professionals who serve your community.
Cities may also consider recognizing water professionals during a council meeting, highlighting their water workforce through city communications or social media, inviting elected officials or community members to tour a local water facility, or sharing information about water sector careers.
However your city chooses to participate, the goal is simple: celebrate the professionals serving Oregon communities today while helping inspire the water workforce we will need tomorrow.
Contact: Michael Martin, Lobbyist – mmartin@orcities.org
Last Updated 9/4/2026