The Business of Infrastructure: Water Resource Occupations

This post was written by Lynn Weinstein a Business Reference Librarian in the Science, Technology, and Business Division.

The bipartisan $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58), signed into law on November 15, 2021, marks the largest commitment to investments in U.S. water infrastructure since around World War II. Water has far reaching impacts for our population, agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, energy production, navigation, tourism, and the job market. The quality of our water is protected by two U.S. Congressional acts that were passed in the early 1970s in an effort to protect water sources: The Clean Water Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-500), and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act (P.L. 93-523).

The eight-year public-projects infrastructure bill includes $55 billion for clean water projects aimed at upgrading aging systems, including $15 billion for lead pipe remediation. The bill supports $4 billion in investments in technologies that detect and manage emerging contaminants. Additionally, $9 billion will be allocated to reduce lead in disadvantaged communities, as minority, low income, and indigenous populations are often disproportionately affected by water resource problems that often have negative public health consequences. The allocation of these funds will create a variety of job opportunities.

Woman laughing, holding welding equipment, with her welder's helmet flipped up. — Welder, training for war production. Stair Vocational High School. Photo: Arthur Rothstein, June 1942. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information photograph collection. Library of Congress.

Man wearing a hard hat, with industrial equipment in the background. — Herbert Smith, drill operator, is a member of a local labor-management cooperative committee and is a job steward. Tennessee Valley Authority. Photo: Alfred Palmer, June 1942. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress.

Man looking at a wrench. — Pipefitter at the Douglas Dam, Tennessee, Tennessee Valley Authority. Photo: Arthur Rothstein, June 1942. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information photograph collection. Library of Congress.

Water resource occupations have been described in vocational books as Dream Jobs in Green and Sustainable Living as well as the tongue-in-cheek Disgusting Water and Sewage Jobs. The types of employment opportunities that could be created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act include: construction equipment operators, welders, concrete workers, plumbers and pipefitters, occupational health and safety specialists and technicians, waste and wastewater plant operators, civil engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and managers. The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations and the Occupational Outlook Handbook provides project employment rates, typical wages, and the employment and experience required. Most skilled vocations, such as plumbers and pipefitters, are learned on the job through an apprenticeship, or through training received in vocational-technical schools. Occupational profiles at CareerOne Stop provide information on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for various occupations. Each state develops occupational employment projections based on Labor Market Information (LMI), and this information is available on state websites.

Three men looking at laboratory equipment. — Paul L. Imes, Samuel C. Watkins, and George W. Richardson are employed as laboratory technicians by TVA at its plant at Muscle Shoals. Photo: Alfred Palmer, June 1942. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress.

Two men leaning over a set of blueprints. — Engineers discuss blueprints at Wilson Dam, Alabama (Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)). Photo: Arthur Rothstein, June 1942. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress.

Man looking into a telescope. — A Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) engineer establishes a line during the construction of the Watts Bar steam plant. Photo: Alfred Palmer, June 1942. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress.

Learn more:

Business Reference Services at the Library of Congress has created a number of library guides that may be of interest when researching infrastructure investments.
Federal Budget: Sources of Information This guide includes print and electronic resources for those who are interested in the federal budget process, those interested in past budgets, and those wanting to research how the United States government spends its money.
Federal Government Contracting: A Resource Guide. Doing business with U.S. federal agencies requires an understanding of a complex series of rules, regulations and laws. This guide provides access to useful historical, statistical, news, and administrative resources in both print and electronic form.
Small Business Hub: A Research Guide for Entrepreneurs A virtual space with strategies for researching the steps of starting, growing, and closing a small business with links to recommended resources.
National Recovery Administration (NRA) and the New Deal: A Resource Guide Beginning in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated a series of “New Deal” programs with the goal of getting the U.S. out of the Depression. This guide provides print and electronic resources for researching the NRA and other related recovery efforts.

If you have a specific question, please feel free to reach out to us through Ask-A-Librarian.

Large crane scooping up earth to dig a canal. — All-American Canal under construction, Imperial County, California. Photo: Dorothea Lange, January 1938. Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Library of Congress.

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