After months of discussions and collaboration across the Four Corners region, Fort Lewis College is launching a new workforce training that aims to prepare the next generation of water operators, a field facing growing demand across Southwest Colorado.
The Fundamentals of Water Operations training will be offered free to participants and held each Thursday in May at the FLC Center for Innovation in downtown Durango. The program is the result of a years-long partnership between Project RUN, FLC@Work, the Four Corners Water Center, the City of Durango, and the La Plata Economic Development Alliance.
The training was developed through months of community engagement and industry input, beginning with a regional demand assessment that included site visits and interviews with water operators across La Plata County and neighboring communities. 
Those early conversations, conducted by the City of Durango and Rosalinda Linares-Gray, former Project RUN director, revealed a shared and urgent need.
“The feedback that we got from every single system was that there is a significant need for this program,” said Laura Rieck, assistant public works director of utilities for the City of Durango. “They are in 100% support of it, and they want to be part of it.”
In response, Project RUN and its partners designed the training through an industry-driven process. A planning session and design sprint brought together water professionals from municipalities, small systems, Tribal utilities, and state agencies to shape the curriculum.
“That’s central to the Project RUN approach—building training side‑by‑side with the people who work in the industry every day,” said Phelps Feeley, assistant director of workforce and community relations at FLC. “We brought together operators, employers, and regulators to tell us what skills truly matter, and then designed the training around that real‑world input.”
Hands-on learning
The result was a clear shift toward hands-on, field-based learning.
“We’re really excited about how hands-on and field-based the training has evolved to be,” Feeley said, adding that the program provides authentic exposure to water careers. “Get people in the field, show them what this career track really looks like.”
Participants will spend time both in the classroom and at operational sites across the region, including water treatment facilities and laboratories, gaining experience with equipment operation, lab testing, and instruction from licensed operators.
Follow the water
The curriculum is intentionally designed to mirror the journey of water itself, taking learners through natural and built systems, helping them understand both technical processes and career pathways.
"The easiest way to learn about water is to follow the flow of the water,” Rieck said.
Beyond technical skills, the program is designed to create clear pathways into the workforce. Participants will connect with working professionals to support learning during and after the course.
The goal is not just experiential learning and exposure, but a supported transition into the field.
“We’re recruiting operators to be mentors for our learners during the course, and who can then support them after the course to take the next step,” said Carolyn Cummins, director of the Four Corners Water Center.
That next step may include internships, entry-level positions, or certification pathways.
“I would like people to take a second look at a water operator career… it can offer a livable wage in our community and is valuable to the community,” said Libby Baumchen, program manager at the La Plata Economic Development Alliance.
Solutions focused on industry and regional needs
Recognizing the need for water operators across the region, the program was developed in collaboration with partners, including the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Tribal public works and utilities departments. The training exposes participants to Tribal Nation, municipal, and Colorado state water career pathways.
This regional approach ensures the program reflects the communities it serves. The need had been identified over several years, but collaboration with community partners helped make the program possible.
“It’s gratifying to turn that feedback into something tangible that supports real workforce pathways.” Cummins said.
The training also aims to increase awareness of a profession that is essential but often overlooked.
“People don’t really know what this career is,” Cummins said. “You realize that this field is so important. People take for granted the fact that you can turn on your tap and water will come out.”
By combining hands-on learning, industry mentorship, and clear workforce pathways, the program creates new opportunities for students, career changers, and community members to explore, enter, or advance in an essential and in-demand field.
To enroll or sign up, visit the FLC@Work website.