WEF and DC Water Team Up to Launch New Green Infrastructure Certification Program

WEF and DC Water Team Up to Launch New Green Infrastructure Certification Program

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Program slated to grant certifications in 2017

DC Water (Washington, D.C.) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) on Feb. 8 announced they will create a National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) to certify individuals who install, inspect, and maintain green infrastructure systems. “WEF and DC Water are providing the leadership for the program,” said Stacy Passaro, the program’s manager, “and we are currently looking for a few other GI leaders to join us.”

The new program, which will be housed within the WEF Stormwater Institute, also will help support community-based job creation in U.S. cities, according to a WEF press release.

The certification will “verify that individuals performing the installation, inspection, and maintenance of green infrastructure have the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to support long-term performance and sustainability of these systems,” according to the WEF press release.

The green infrastructure systems that will fall under the new program include bioretention, permeable pavement, cisterns and rain barrels, and green roofs, as well as others that still are being determined, Passaro said.

The program components are being developed currently, and the first certifications are expected by early 2017.

To provide a national perspective on stormwater management needs and green workforce goals, the program is seeking nationwide partners to join a coalition of stormwater leaders. The coalition will assist with the creation of the program’s vision and guide its implementation. The coalition currently includes the Milwaukee (Wis.) Metropolitan Sewerage District.

LaShell Stratton-Childers, WEF Highlights

WEF Resources & Efforts

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