Water Quality Management : Emily Griffith Technical College

Water Quality Management

We have full-time and part-time start dates throughout the year! Give us a call at 720-423-4700 to find out when our next available start date is.

Keeping our natural resources clean is a vital task and you can make a career out of it with our Water Quality Management program! 

What is Water Quality management? Water Quality Management is an industry buiilt around maintaining public and environmental health by treating and conveying drinking water and wastewater. With resource management issues becoming more and more important in our times, this dynamic and technologically driven industry offers an array of jobs now and in the future.

At Emily Griffith, our program provides hands-on experience in technical areas across the industry, including: treatment process and process chemistry for industrial facilities, microbiological treatment processes, operation and maintenance of hydraulic equipment, maintaining conveyance systems, and much more. You will also learn about industry issues here in Colorado, and participate in technical tours of major water treatment facilities. 

Latest technology: Learn in our on-site pilot scale treatment system with industry standard equipment. 

Convenient classes: Take classes two nights a week and complete career-relevant projects at home with our part-time, hybrid option. We also have a full-time afternoon program.

High-demand career: Enjoy an 88 percent job placement rate in the Water Quality Management field with your Emily Griffith WQM certificate.

Want more information? Get the Water Quality Management Program Flyer and the Water Quality Management Program Checklist.

What Can I Do with an Emily Griffith Water Quality Management Certificate?

Graduates from Emily Griffith’s Water Quality Management program use their certificate to up their technology game at their current jobs or to work in jobs such as the following:

  • Water Treatment Plant Operator
  • Water Distribution System Operator
  • Industrial Wastewater Treatment Operator
  • Water Quality Lab Analyst 
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Water Utilities Technician

Other potential career paths include jobs in environmental science/agriculture, natural disaster/emergency response, utilities and engineering.

Skilled Trades
$5,067
Approximate cost. Additional material and book fees may apply
Part Time Program
10 Months
Program length


No upcoming starts available.

Apply to Emily Griffith Technical College

Course Information

Required Courses

Course Code Course Title Credits
WQM 100 Introduction to Water Quality 3
WQM 101 Introduction to Water Distribution 3
WQM 102 Introduction to Wastewater Collection 3
WQM 103 Introduction to Water Treatmenton 3
WQM 104 Intro to Wastewater Treatment 3
WQM 105 Specific Calcs-Water Qual Mgmt 4
WQM 119 Basic Water Quality Analyses 4
WQM 212 Drinking Water Regulations 4
WQM 216 Bio/Bacteriological Water Qual Anal 4
WQM 230 Industrial Montitoring and Treatmen 3
WQM 100 Introduction to Water Quality

Introduces environmental concepts utilized in the water industry. The course covers how the subjects of geology, chemistry, biology, and physics influence the water industry, the hydrologic cycle on a global scale, and how to monitor and maintain water quality.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 101 Introduction to Water Distribution

Learn a basic overview of water distribution systems and operations. It is a hands-on interactive experience and will prepare the students for entry level work for a water utility. Students will enjoy hands-on training and be exposed to industry experts both in the classroom and in the field. Key topics include Regulations and Water; Distribution System Components; Basic Hydraulics, Operations and Maintenance; Maps, Quarter Section Books, SCADA Systems, Web Resources; Water Quality Regulations, Disinfection, Monitoring and Records; Distribution System Water Maintenance, Flushing Programs, Safety; Public Health, Cross-Connection Control & Backflow Prevention; Operation & Maintenance of Meters &Pumps; and Electrical Applications.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 102 Introduction to Wastewater Collection

Learn the purpose, components and design of collection systems. Topics include safety procedures, inspection and testing, pieline cleaning and maintenance, underground repair, lift stations and sewer rehabilitation. Learn entry level skills necessary for wastewater collection systems and operations. This course is designed to train operators in the practical aspects of operating and maintaining wastewater collection systems with emphasis on safety practices and procedures. Students will learn the major components of collection systems and the different wastewater collection methods, regulations and policies. Science topics such as water sampling equipment and procedures will be discussed. Methods for operating and maintaining equipment necessary to perform surface and subsurface inspection of interceptor sewers and pipelines will be reviewed. Students will identify the proper safety procedures for underground repair and maintenance, construction, inspection and testing of sewers, inspection of manholes, and underground construction and repair.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 103 Introduction to Water Treatmenton

Learn entry level skills of basic water treatment plant operations used to prepare surface waters for potable use. This course stresses the knowledge and skills needed by conventional operators treating surface waters. Topics include startup and shut down procedures, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtering, corrosion control and taste and odor, associated calculations, laboratory tests and plant maintenance.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 104 Intro to Wastewater Treatment

Learn entry level skills of basic wastewater treatment plant operations used to treat wastewaters for discharge into natural waters. This course stresses the knowledge and skills needed by conventional operators treating wastewaters. Topics include startup and shut down procedures, NPDES permits, natural cycles, pretreatment, primary treatment, secondary treatment, collection systems, flow measuring, and disposing of solids, associated calculations, laboratory tests and plant maintenance.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 105 Specific Calcs-Water Qual Mgmt

Provides an in-depth study of the calculations associated with water and wastewater treatment. Topics include dimensional analysis, manipulation of conversion factors, geometric figures, velocities, detention time, surface loading, filtration and backwash rates, porosity, weir overflow rates, efficiencies, weight of dry solids, sludge pumping, settleable solids, volatile solids, mean cell residence times, settleability, disinfection and chemical dosage as relating to trickling filters, ponds, RBC, and activated sludge.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 119 Basic Water Quality Analyses

Introduces laboratory analyses done in the water industry. The course covers the functionality and use of analytical instruments for safely analyzing water samples for common parameters relevant to the water industry. Water chemistry topics are explored to explain the use and function of the instrumentation.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 212 Drinking Water Regulations

Provides the knowledge and skills to implement a compliance-monitoring program for a water treatment facility using groundwater or source water. The topics covered include all regulatory requirements found in the Safe Drinking Water Act regarding microbial and chemical contamination for monitoring and reporting operations.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 216 Bio/Bacteriological Water Qual Anal

Provides an in-depth study of microorganisms in the water industry. The course covers analysis of various water samples to identify different microorganisms and explore how these impact the water industry. Interpretation of mathematical formulas, instrumentation application, and proper lab protocols are covered.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
WQM 230 Industrial Montitoring and Treatmen

Provides an understanding of industrial treatment. Various types of treatment systems are reviewed such as flotation, screening and microscreening, neutralization, coagulation and precipitation, adsorption, filtration, pure oxygen systems, chemical feed systems. Also included are safety, collection and preserving of samples, establishing an industrial monitoring program, operational strategies, interpretation of laboratory results, start-up/shutdown of systems, maintenance, plans and specification, various types of industrial wastes and troubleshooting.

Start Date: No upcoming starts available.
EMILY’S STORIES


“Emily Griffith is a good place to study,” says Gabriella. “Teachers are very nice and they help you all of the time when you have questions.”

Gabriella Montes has wanted to be a nurse ever since she was a little girl. She moved to Colorado when she was 11 from Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. When one of her brothers got sick a few years ago, she gave him one of her kidneys. “Helping him then and in the future is one of my biggest motivations for becoming an LPN,” explains Gabriella. 

She has been working in healthcare in a variety of roles. She completed training in Medical Bilingual Assisting with Pima Medical Institute as well as Nurse Assisting with Lutheran Family Services. She has work experience as a bilingual Medical Assistant and a phlebotomist, and she currently works as a CNA. But she still wanted to become a full-fledged nurse. 

A friend recommended the Practical Nursing program at Emily Griffith, but she needed some help with the reading and math tests. So she took classes in our Adult Education program. 

“Emily Griffith is a good place to study,” says Gabriella. “Teachers are very nice and they help you all of the time when you have questions.”

There’s also a special place called the Student Success Center where everybody can study. That’s where she goes to study extra hours before class starts.

Gabriella recently passed the math test to get into the LPN program thanks to the help she received through the Adult Education program. She says it has been challenging to balance work, family, and school but she says, “It’s not easy but with time and dedication, you can do it!” 

Her advice to other students? “Don’t let anyone stop you!” 

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