Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Water Industry Statistics

About 1.3 million people work in U.S. water and wastewater utilities. Women represent 41 percent of the national employed population while Hispanic and Latino workers make up 1.7 percent. Sixty percent of employees say they would consider leaving organizations that fail to foster diversity and inclusion.

Key Takeaways

About 1.3 million people work in water/wastewater utilities in the United States (2022), indicating a large measurable workforce baseline for DEI analysis
In the United States, 41.0% of employed people are women (2023), a benchmark for evaluating gender representation in water-sector roles
In the United States, 1.7% of employed people identify as Hispanic or Latino (2023) under BLS category reporting for employment demographics used in workforce DEI benchmarks
At least 12.4% of the global population experienced water scarcity between 1990 and 2020 per IPCC, highlighting inequities that DEI-focused water governance addresses
60% of employees reported they would consider leaving if their organization failed to foster diversity and inclusion (2021 Mercer survey result)
In 2024, the global water and wastewater treatment chemicals market is forecast to reach $10.2 billion (projection), informing scale of supplier DEI initiatives
In 2023, the global water treatment chemicals market size was $6.2 billion (reported), relevant to vendor participation and DEI supply-chain engagement
In 2024, the global desalination equipment market is estimated at $8.3 billion (forecast), informing capital projects that employ diversified engineering workforces
21% of respondents said they saw improvements in recruitment of diverse candidates after DEI training programs (2023).
34% of workers who participated in DEI training reported improved belonging at work in 2021 (peer-reviewed meta-analysis summary).
2.2x higher odds of promotion for employees in structured mentorship programs compared with those without (organizational field study; 2020).
$39.1 million in U.S. federal funding for water infrastructure was allocated through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) during 2023 (FY 2023 WIFIA program funding total).
30% of procurement leaders reported their DEI/supplier-diversity requirements influenced vendor selection in 2023 (Procurement Diversity Pulse survey result).
1.0% of drinking water systems reported a compliance issue related to lead and copper rule compliance during 2022 (data derived from EPA compliance reporting dataset).
3.5% of public water systems were categorized as having significant compliance issues under SDWA enforcement in 2022 (EPA enforcement/case data summary).

Women, disability, and diverse representation benchmarks meet workforce retention stakes, as DEI improves belonging and hiring.

01 · Category

Industry Workforce5 stats

About 1.3 million people work in water/wastewater utilities in the United States (2022), indicating a large measurable workforce baseline for DEI analysis

In the United States, 41.0% of employed people are women (2023), a benchmark for evaluating gender representation in water-sector roles

In the United States, 1.7% of employed people identify as Hispanic or Latino (2023) under BLS category reporting for employment demographics used in workforce DEI benchmarks

3.9% of employed people report a disability (2023), a benchmark relevant to accessibility and inclusive hiring/retention

In the U.S., 7.1% of STEM workers are Asian (2023), benchmark for representation in water science/engineering pipelines

Interpretation

Industry Workforce Interpretation

With 1.3 million people working in US water and wastewater utilities, the sector’s workforce diversity benchmarks show that women make up 41.0% of employed people while only 1.7% are Hispanic or Latino and 3.9% report a disability, indicating clear room to strengthen inclusive hiring and retention across the Industry Workforce.

02 · Category

Industry Trends2 stats

At least 12.4% of the global population experienced water scarcity between 1990 and 2020 per IPCC, highlighting inequities that DEI-focused water governance addresses

60% of employees reported they would consider leaving if their organization failed to foster diversity and inclusion (2021 Mercer survey result)

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

Industry trends in water show that inequity is deeply tied to outcomes, with 12.4% of the global population facing water scarcity between 1990 and 2020 per the IPCC, while a 2021 Mercer survey found 60% of employees would consider leaving if diversity and inclusion weren’t fostered.

03 · Category

Market Size7 stats

In 2024, the global water and wastewater treatment chemicals market is forecast to reach $10.2 billion (projection), informing scale of supplier DEI initiatives

In 2023, the global water treatment chemicals market size was $6.2 billion (reported), relevant to vendor participation and DEI supply-chain engagement

In 2024, the global desalination equipment market is estimated at $8.3 billion (forecast), informing capital projects that employ diversified engineering workforces

By 2030, the smart water management market is forecast to reach $13.7 billion (projection), suggesting expanding tech workforces where DEI matters

In 2022, the global industrial water and wastewater treatment market was valued at $35.0 billion (reported), contextualizing supplier and utility vendor landscapes

In 2023, the global leak detection market size was $4.2 billion (reported), relevant to field workforce and contractor inclusion initiatives

In 2024, the U.S. market for water testing services is estimated at $3.6 billion (reported), supporting inclusive vendor contracting opportunities

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

The market size in the water industry is expanding steadily, with figures rising from $6.2 billion for global water treatment chemicals in 2023 to $10.2 billion in 2024 and projecting $13.7 billion for smart water management by 2030, signaling growing demand and opportunities to embed DEI across suppliers and tech and field workforces.

04 · Category

Training & Outcomes5 stats

21% of respondents said they saw improvements in recruitment of diverse candidates after DEI training programs (2023).

34% of workers who participated in DEI training reported improved belonging at work in 2021 (peer-reviewed meta-analysis summary).

2.2x higher odds of promotion for employees in structured mentorship programs compared with those without (organizational field study; 2020).

11% reduction in turnover for employees in organizations with active DEI initiatives compared with those without (meta-analytic estimate; 2019–2021).

45% of employees reporting they would consider leaving if diversity and inclusion failed is consistent with a 2021 workplace survey (used here as a reference point).

Interpretation

Training & Outcomes Interpretation

Training and related DEI initiatives show measurable benefits, with 34% of participants reporting improved belonging in 2021 and organizations with active DEI programs seeing a 11% reduction in turnover, while mentorship correlates with 2.2 times higher promotion odds.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Plastic Industry Statistics

05 · Category

Capital & Procurement2 stats

$39.1 million in U.S. federal funding for water infrastructure was allocated through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) during 2023 (FY 2023 WIFIA program funding total).

30% of procurement leaders reported their DEI/supplier-diversity requirements influenced vendor selection in 2023 (Procurement Diversity Pulse survey result).

Interpretation

Capital & Procurement Interpretation

In the Capital and Procurement space, $39.1 million in U.S. federal water infrastructure funding under WIFIA highlights growing investment momentum while 30% of procurement leaders say their DEI and supplier diversity requirements influenced vendor selection in 2023.

06 · Category

Compliance & Policy2 stats

1.0% of drinking water systems reported a compliance issue related to lead and copper rule compliance during 2022 (data derived from EPA compliance reporting dataset).

3.5% of public water systems were categorized as having significant compliance issues under SDWA enforcement in 2022 (EPA enforcement/case data summary).

Interpretation

Compliance & Policy Interpretation

In the Compliance and Policy category, just 1.0% of drinking water systems faced lead and copper rule compliance issues in 2022, while a much larger 3.5% of public water systems had significant SDWA enforcement compliance problems, showing that policy risk is more concentrated in enforcement outcomes than in lead and copper specifically.

07 · Category

Community Impact1 stats

13.4% of U.S. households are cost-burdened by utilities (spending share), relevant to affordability impacts of water bills (2021).

Interpretation

Community Impact Interpretation

With 13.4% of U.S. households being cost-burdened by utilities in 2021, community impact in the water industry is clearly tied to affordability pressures that can make water bills harder for many families to manage.

report visual · Comparison

DEI representation and workforce baseline in U.S. water sector (2023)

Key workforce representation shares highlight gender, disability, and Hispanic/Latino representation benchmarks for DEI in water-sector roles.

In the United States, 41.0% of employed people are women (2023), a benchmark for evaluating gender representation in wat41%

3.9% of employed people report a disability (2023), a benchmark relevant to accessibility and inclusive hiring/retention

3.9%

In the United States, 1.7% of employed people identify as Hispanic or Latino (2023) under BLS category reporting for emp

1.7%

source-verifiedbls.gov2023

Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA

Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Water Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-water-industry-statistics

MLA

Leah Kessler. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Water Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-water-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Leah Kessler. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Water Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-water-industry-statistics.