WSSC Water Commissioners’ Scholarship Now Accepting Applications

Laurel, Md. – March 2, 2022 – WSSC Water launched its 2022 Commissioners’ Engineering Scholarship to attract aspiring engineers to careers in the water industry. Scholarship winners receive $2,000 per year and up to $8,000 over four consecutive years.

“With COVID-19 causing more Americans to question their employment choices and future career goals, we need to do all we can to help spark interest in water-sector jobs for up-and-coming engineers,” said WSSC Water Commission Chair Keith E. Bell. “We are proud to offer this scholarship to current engineering students from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. With a renewed focus on fixing aging infrastructure thanks to the passage of the infrastructure bill, now is the time to deepen our bench.”

The scholarship is open to students with permanent residency in Montgomery or Prince George’s County who are enrolled in a full-time college or university engineering program. High school seniors already accepted into an engineering program are also eligible. The application deadline is Thursday, March 31, 2022.

Two scholarships, one from each county, of $2,000 each may be awarded. Recipients are eligible for additional $2,000 awards for up to four consecutive years, including post-graduate studies in engineering.

“This pandemic has shone a light on the importance of having uninterrupted access to safe drinking water, which is why building our talent pipeline through efforts like this scholarship is so crucial,” said WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Carla A. Reid. “I appreciate the continued efforts by our Commissioners to fund this worthwhile program.”

This year, applicants can choose one of three topics to write a 500- to 1,000-word essay:

1. WSSC Water’s strategic vision is to be a world-class provider of safe, reliable water and wastewater services that protect its customers’ health, safety and quality of life in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The combination of rising sea levels and more intense rain events due to climate change presents several challenges to drinking water and wastewater utilities such as WSSC Water. Discuss in detail one of the issues WSSC Water might face and some of the methods WSSC Water can undertake to address climate change challenges to better prepare for its effect and ensure a sustainable water supply.
    
2. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants are of increasing concern for water and wastewater utilities. Many of these are found in very low quantities (parts per billion). What processes would you recommend a water and wastewater utility implement to handle PFAS or other emerging contaminants? Also, address how the utility should fund the improvements.
    
3. Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development, and the environment.  Ensuring equal access to adequate and affordable water for all water users (particularly marginalized) needs to be considered when planning the future of service provision. This requires bringing the greatest benefit to the most users with the available financial and water resources. Water serves diverse needs, and persons with disabilities, for example, may have underlying health conditions that make them particularly vulnerable when there is inadequate or unaffordable access to water. Discuss the relationship between natural resources and service provision and how WSSC Water can promote social inclusion while maintaining the necessary economic efficiency required to maintain its water systems now and in the future.

In addition to the essay, applicants must include an introductory video and proof of residency in WSSC Water’s service district. Get complete details and application requirements at wsscwater.com/scholarship.