About
Who We Are
The Eastern Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Operators Association (EPWPCOA) is a non-profit association whose members are actively involved in protecting the water environment through their profession. Members are operators and supervisory staff at water and wastewater treatment facilities and consultants, vendors, and regulatory staff in Eastern Pennsylvania.
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Our History
The Association was inspired by an idea at a meeting that was held in State College, PA in 1936.
Early the following year, 1937, the Sewage Works Operators Association of South Eastern Pennsylvania was organized. The men included representatives of the then, Pennsylvania Department of Health and interested wastewater, then sewage, treatment plants.
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The Reading Group prepared the 1937 version of the Constitution and By-Laws. The objective read, “The Object of this Organization shall be to organize the Sewage Operators, and all those who are interested for the securing better ideas and using them solely for the interest of Public Health”.
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In March of 1941 Association Leaders met with Dr. John J. Shaw, Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania to discuss the “Introduction of a Licensing Act for Sewage Works Operators”. Legislation creating a mandatory program died in the Legislature. However, this discussion did lead to the recognition of the “Voluntary Certification Program for Sewage Treatment Plant Operators”. This program received excellent support from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
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The name of the organization has changed over the years: the Eastern Pennsylvania Sewage Works Operators Association became the Eastern Pennsylvania Sewage and Industrial Waste Operators Association; then on August 18, 1961 the Organization became the Eastern Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Operators Association, Inc. The Association was incorporated on the same date in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
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After its incorporation the Association started its affiliation with the Water Pollution Control Association of Pennsylvania and continues this affiliation with the now Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA). The Association (EPWPCOA) has a representative that sits on the Board of Directors of the PWEA.