At the Water Skills Forum 2026 we officially launched the “Say What You Are” campaign — a simple idea with a big impact.
The 2026 Census is coming, and how our workforce describes what they do will directly shape how the water sector is represented in national data.
Right now, too many of our people are being counted under broad or unrelated job categories — not because the work isn’t there, but because of how it’s described.
“Operator” instead of Water Treatment Plant Operator
“Technician” instead of Water Network Maintenance Technician
“Plumber” instead of a water utility role
Small wording changes can mean the difference between being counted… or being invisible.
The Say What You Are campaign is about helping our workforce clearly describe:
✔ the job they do
✔ the systems they work on
✔ the services they support
We’ve developed a practical campaign pack to support councils and utilities, and were pleased to have Ronan Analytics at the forum to walk through the data challenge and why it matters.
This is about better data, stronger advocacy, and making sure our sector is seen for what it truly is.
Campaign Materials
Supervisors of water operations teams ensures systems run safely and reliably. Here's how to respond to the census.
Water Treatment Plant Operators are responsible for the production of safe drinking water. Here's how to respond to the census.
Plumbers who work on water supply infrastructure do more than the average plumber. Here's how to respond to the census.
In smaller regional councils, employees often perform multiple operational roles. Here's how to respond to the census.
Council technicians work across the water distribution network. Here's how to respond to the census.