Water and Wastewater Energy Efficiency Training Program
Enhance your water and wastewater facility’s energy efficiency with the no-cost Water and Wastewater Energy Efficiency (WWEE) Training Program!
The WWEE Training Program is offered by the NC DEQ’s State Energy Office and Division of Water Infrastructure. This expert-led program equips personnel with essential energy management strategies, cost-saving techniques, and practical energy conservation measures.
Through three (3) in-person sessions, attendees will gain practical insights into optimizing energy consumption, improving reliability, and ensuring long-term success. With multiple locations and dates available, plus 12 professional development hours (PDHs), this is a must-attend opportunity for water and wastewater professionals dedicated to improving operations and reducing costs. Secure your spot today and bring your colleagues and neighbors (3-5 recommended)!
Program Concept and Overview
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office (SEO) and Division of Water Infrastructure (DWI) are partnering to offer a no-cost energy efficiency training program for NC water and wastewater facilities and personnel. The program will be taught by industry experts in conjunction with our contracted training provider, the Institute of Energy Professionals (IEP).
The goals of the program are to introduce water and wastewater personnel to basic concepts of energy management principles (i.e., energy bills, demand, rates, calculations, metrics, basic energy conservation measures or ECMs), followed by focus on energy efficiency opportunities specific to water and/or wastewater treatment plants (i.e., motors/VFDs, process improvements, aeration, etc). Additionally, the program focuses on the fact that energy is only one of many challenges a small, rural water and wastewater operator faces. As such, the program focuses not just on energy savings, but also the importance that any ECM reduces expenditures (that can otherwise be used for operations), improves reliability and productivity, and potentially even increases compliance. The program will emphasize both identification and implementation of ECMs unique to each participating system. While the training is designed to identify energy efficiency opportunities for each attendee’s system, it is ultimately intended to empower attendees with the knowledge needed to continually find and implement opportunities for improved energy efficiency at their systems long after the training has concluded.
Attendees are encouraged to invite their local leadership (up to 2 people) to attend lunch and the final hour of class the last day of instruction (12-2 PM on Day 3). SEO and DWI leadership will be in attendance to discuss funding opportunities, technical assistance, and other opportunities for the attendee’s facilities. There will also be a short review of the materials covered to-date, as well as imparting to leadership the importance of energy management and efficiency and the “non-energy” benefits it can provide for the local community.
Learning Outcomes
- Electric rates—how they are structured and how to optimize their application.
- Proven methodologies and strategies for developing a successful sustainable energy management program for your facility.
- Energy conversion factors, formulas, and how to apply them in analyzing system consumption, costs, and projecting savings for energy initiatives.
- Approaches and techniques for analyzing energy consumption data and identifying savings opportunities, as well as techniques for securing needed consumption information.
- Practical and implementable energy conservation measures.
Logistics and Program Details
- Multiple program dates and locations to choose from.
- Additional dates and locations are being actively planned.
- In-person instruction ONLY (no virtual attendance).
- Each program will be three (3) consecutive weeks, with five (5) hours of instruction one day per week.
- Lunch and snacks will be provided.
- Each cohort is limited to 20-30 students (depending on classroom size). Be sure to register as soon as possible to reserve your spot!
Who should attend?
- Recommended attendees are those part of, or interested in assisting, small and/or distressed water and wastewater systems, including:
- Water and/or wastewater professionals,
- Operators, ORCs, and managers,
- Local electricity or utility professionals, and
- State or local government personnel.
- Interested attendees are encouraged to bring multiple participants from their facility (3 to 5 recommended), and/or invite colleagues from surrounding facilities to create a framework for long-term success.
- Attendees are encouraged to invite their local leadership (up to 2 people) to attend lunch and the final hour of class on the last day of instruction (12-2 PM on Day 3).
- NOTE: The program will be focused on smaller water and wastewater systems, but it is not a requirement for attending.
Continuing Education Details
- 12 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) from IEP
- Please include your drinking water and/or wastewater operator certification number(s) during registration.
- Approved NC Drinking Water PGH Course ID# 250008 (12 hours)
- Approved NC Wastewater CE Course ID# CE01282501 (12 hours)
- Professional Engineers may use the PDHs towards their continuing education credits at their discretion.
Program Dates and Offerings
- Pre-registration for the courses below is required! Each attendee must submit a registration. Register HERE for a FREE 3-session WWEE Training course.
- Additional programs will be scheduled! Be sure to sign up for the interest list HERE to be notified about additional cohort locations and dates when they are scheduled.
- Cohort #1: Greenville, NC (Tuesdays, April 1-15, 2025)
- Dates: April 1, April 8, and April 15, 2025
- Location: Greenville Utility Commission's WWTP, 240 Aqua Ln, Greenville, NC 27834
- Cohort size limit: 30
- Last date to register: March 25, 2025
- Cohort #2: Sanford, NC (Tuesdays, June 10-24, 2025)
- Dates: June 10, June 17, and June 24, 2025
- Location: Sanford Water Reclamation Facility, 5327 Iron Furnace Rd, Sanford, NC 27330
- Cohort size limit: 20
- Last date to register: June 3, 2025
- Cohort #3: Wallace, NC (Tuesdays, Sept. 16-30, 2025)
- Dates: September 16, September 23, and September 30, 2025
- Location: Wallace Public Works, 838 Old Wilmington Rd, Wallace, NC 28466 (a.k.a. 838 S. Wilmington Rd, Wallace, NC 28466)
- Cohort size limit: 25
- Last date to register: September 9, 2025
- Course details for 3-session Water and Wastewater Energy Efficiency (WWEE) Training:
- Cost: FREE
- Registration and sign-in: 8:00-8:30 AM (first day only)
- Training: 8:30 AM-2:00 PM (each of the three days)
- Course sessions: Three (3) consecutive weeks, with five (5) hours of in-person instruction one day per week
- Professional Development Hours (PDHs): 12
- Lunch and light refreshments included
- Is there a cost to attend this training?
- No, this program is provided at no cost for all attendees.
- I am interested but cannot attend the sessions listed. When will additional sessions be released?
- We are actively working to determine additional dates and locations. We will update the website as details are released. Be sure to sign up for the interest list HERE to be notified about future training sessions.
- Who should attend this program?
- Managers and/or operators of wastewater treatment plants, particularly from systems designated as distressed, who are interested in learning more about how energy efficiency can save their system money through low and even no-cost adjustments.
- See ‘Who Should Attend?’
- Is lunch included?
- Yes, and light break refreshments!
- What if I don’t have 3-5 attendees from my system that would be able to attend?
- That is OK, we will work with your system to participate even if you cannot send 3-5 attendees.
- Do I have to attend all three (3) weeks? What if I miss a day?
- Your in-person presence for all three (3) weeks of the program is requested. If you wish to receive PDH/CE credits approved by NC, attendance for the full course is required. Unfortunately, partial credits cannot be issued per NC rules.
- Also note that our training partner (IEP) will record (audio and video) one of the full programs for students who have missed a class and wish to make it up. The recordings will be maintained by IEP and provided to attendees on an as-needed basis. They are not intended to be used in-lieu of in-person instruction.
- I am interested in learning more. Where do I go for more information?