New to Pikes Peak Community College is a degree and certificate program in Water and Wastewater Technology.  The program resulted from conversations with representatives from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) who expressed a need to fill positions with qualified employees.

Jeff Crockett, Customer Operations Superintendent at CSU says, “We seem to have a lot of baby-boomers now retiring, and we’re just not getting enough qualified applicants to fill the positions.”

Former Dean Judy Baros, Natural Resource Technology Program Coordinator Ruth-Ann Larish, and others worked closely with staff from CSU to get the proposed curriculum designed and subsequently approved by the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE) and by the North Central Association. 

The two-year program prepares students for employment at the technician level in water and wastewater treatment operations.  The curriculum includes science and math foundations, water and wastewater techniques, group projects, and an internship.  There are employment opportunities in jobs such as waste treatment technicians, wastewater treatment technicians, collection system technicians and distribution system technicians.  The program is only one of two in the entire state; the other at Red Rocks Community College.  

Nearly 42,320,000 gallons per day of wastewater is treated, which translates to a per capita usage of about 140 gallons per day.  For more information on this program, contact the Division of Health, Environmental, Natural and Physical Sciences at 866-411-PPCC.