Water Technology

EPA State Environmental Training Program

Associate Degree: Water Utility Operation

Certificate of Completion

(575) 527-7584

The Water Technology program is an award-winning, up-to-date technical training opportunity that will open doors to a career anywhere in the United States. Graduates of this program have found work in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, California, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Puerto Rico. More than 300 graduates have begun careers in the water field, working in such diverse areas as the semiconductor industry, the food processing industry, aerospace industry, electrical power industry, city water and wastewater departments, municipal or contract analytical laboratories, water reuse or recycling plants, metal plating companies, engineering consulting firms, and state planning offices.

While jobs are widely available, training programs like this one are rare. As the treatment of water becomes more technical, municipalities and industries rely on training programs to fill their needs. Students in this program learn how to clean water to make it safe for drinking and how to purify water to a high quality for use in computer chip manufacturing, food processing, or steam generation. They will also learn how to treat wastewater so it can be safely returned to the environment or reclaimed for beneficial use.

Instruction also includes maintaining equipment such as pumps, motors, valves, and chemical feeders; laboratory testing and analysis; water chemistry and microbiology; and some basics of supervising and managing a water utility, including budgets, preventive maintenance schemes, and billing. Various course assignments requiring laboratory data sheets, simple process control spreadsheets, and term papers enable students to sharpen their computer and writing skills. General studies in basic algebra, applied math, water chemistry and microbiology, speech, and technical writing round out the curriculum.

Opportunities for students to gain new knowledge and skills in operations, maintenance, and laboratory areas are provided through classroom training, hands-on laboratories, field trips, guest lectures, and training on the program’s own water and wastewater plants.

Before graduating, students will spend a minimum of 180 hours at a cooperative education site with a municipality or industry. Students have found co-ops at water and wastewater plants in Albuquerque, El Paso, Las Cruces, Socorro, Hobbs, Silver City, Mesilla, and Glorieta, and with industries such as Intel and Kurita America.

Financial aid beyond loans, grants, work-study monies, and DACC scholarships include five scholarships specifically for Water Technology students: 1) Max Summerlot Memorial Scholarship, given to a water technology student in his or her second year in the program; and 2) Cynthia Hiers-Robinson Curent-Use Scholarship; 3) Jake Hands Memorial Scholarship; and 4) two scholarships presented by the New Mexico Water and Wastewater Association to students in water technology training.

NOTE: Courses appearing in italics are identical to those offered at New Mexico State University Las Cruces (main) Campus. The remaining courses are applicable toward the bachelor of applied studies degree offered by the NMSU College of Extended Learning. At least 36 hours of the technical requirements are applicable toward the bachelor’s degree in agricultural and extension education offered by the NMSU College of Agriculture and Home Economics.

Associate Degree (67 credits)

NOTE: Students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 with a final grade of C or better in English 111G and all required OEWU courses.

Certificate (32 credits)

A one-year curriculum is available for individuals who choose not to pursue the associate degree. Graduates of the one-year program have the capability to work in a municipal water or wastewater treatment plant.