When Amber Faucette received her Class IV operator license from the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality this month, she helped Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility reach a milestone.
Faucette became the third woman in the utility to reach Class IV, the highest level of licensure for a wastewater operator in the United States, according to PBWU Manager Ken Johnson.
“I think the significance for us is that it’s unprecedented for Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility to have that many women,” Johnson said. “We have four Class IV operators, three of whom are women. In addition, if you look at the water and wastewater profession, it’s pretty much been dominated by male operators. When you look at the five Class IV level operators we have, the majority are female employees. That pretty much is exciting. Across the state of Arkansas, and you compare it to a comparable city, that’s something to be proud of.”
Faucette joined Stacy Carpenter and Jornetta Shaw as Pine Bluff Class IV operators. Each passed an exam to receive the license.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Carpenter, a 27-year employee of the utility, received the license in 2008 and said she became the first woman in southeast Arkansas to achieve that.
“To go ahead and obtain that, it’s a great honor,” said Carpenter, the utility’s lab supervisor. “I was proud to be able to receive my Class IV, and now that the new generation is coming through here (of) females receiving Class IV, it helps you out with your job. It’s a good qualification to have, and it’s a good tool to have.”
Shaw, who’s been with PBWU for more than eight years, was certified Class IV last year. She and Faucette — a nine-year employee — are senior lab technicians who collect samples from ponds and industrial locations and test for chemicals.
Shaw said she fell in love with lab work as a student at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where she earned a degree in fisheries and biology.
“They are an inspiration, and (Stacy) helped us as far as studying for the test and guide us, her and Mr. Vincent (Miles, PBWU environmental director),” Shaw said of her coworkers. “It was a great pleasure going through the process.”
Faucette said she is excited to use her degree in biology and pre-medicine in her job.
Johnson said PBWU looks at promoting diversity in the workplace, as the water and wastewater industry has been a male-dominated workplace in the past. In the utility lab, women are leading the way.
“You always want to dream big and do the best you can,” Carpenter said. “If there’s anything where you can get the highest level of certification, go for it. Because, in the end, it’ll be very rewarding.”