Newark Hosts Treatment Plant Tour for New Jersey women water professionals
May 20, 2026— The City of Newark Water & Sewer Utility hosted 22 water professionals on a guided tour of the Pequannock Water Treatment Plant (PWTP) to showcase Newark’s state-of-the-art upgrades and connect with women in New Jersey’s water sector.
City of Newark Water & Sewer staff and members of G.L.O.W.W (Gathering, Lifting, and Organizing Women in Water) posed for a group photo in front of the Pequannock Water Treatment Plant at the conclusion of the tour. Photo Credit: City of Newark Water & Sewer Utility
When Principal Engineer Marina Shenoda began her career with the City of Newark Water & Sewer Utility in 2021, she was struck by the fact that she was one of a few woman engineers in her office.
“I remember going to conferences early in my career and just not seeing many women in the room. And the ones who were there, we were all kind of isolated from each other. I thought, someone should do something about that. So I did.”
Today, roughly 15% of the US water workforce is female— an improvement in the recent decade, but still a clear gender disparity. This is what motivated Ms. Shenoda to spearhead G.L.O.W.W.
“Women in water deserve a space to find eachother, share their experiences, and lift one another up,” said Ms. Shenoda. “I started G.L.O.W.W. because I wanted women in water to know they have a community here in New Jersey, people who get it, who’ve been through it, and who want to see each other succeed.”
G.L.O.W.W, which stands for Gathering, Lifting, and Organizing Women in Water, is a community where women in the water industry, at any stage in their career, can gather, connect, center their experiences, and encourage more women to consider a career in water. This initiative was founded by Ms. Shenoda with the support of Nicole Brown of GFT Inc. and Giselle Diaz of Boswell Engineering, both leaders within the American Water Works Association New Jersey Section (AWWA NJ). The group welcomes all allies of women regardless of gender identity.
“I thank the AWWA NJ for their support in pioneering this initiative,” said Ms. Shenoda. “It is very important that we recruit, hire, and support women in water so that they thrive; and in turn, our water systems thrive.”
This Wednesday, G.L.O.W.W embarked on a tour of the Newark-Pequannock Water Treatment Plant (PWTP), guided by Principal Mechanical Engineer Erica Espiritusanto and PWTP Superintendent Kevin Greer. This visit marks one of many inaugural events for this women-centered cohort, creating opportunities for information-sharing and both personal and professional connections.
Just eight months ago, Newark completed a $20.5 million upgrade of the treatment plant, which equipped the plant with new GAC filter media, a filter air scouring system, a new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, and new valve and pump replacements. The upgrades were made possible by the support of Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s administration and low-interest loans from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank.
“Our forefathers gave us two of everything. If something breaks, we have a backup on hand,” noted Mr. Greer. This is a reflection of all the thought, foresight, and ingenuity that went into designing our system, and it certainly gives Newark a unique edge.”
Erica Espiritusanto, who led the tour along with Mr. Greer, stepped out of her comfort zone and gave a well-rounded overview of Newark’s water treatment process.
"I was a bit nervous about presenting Newark's entire water treatment process to seasoned water professionals," said Ms. Espiritusanto. "But once I started, I found my rhythm. I was proud to take on the challenge and present to other fellow women in water.”
The tour was attended by 22 water professionals from STV Inc., Gannett Fleming (GFT), Middlesex Water Company, Boswell, HDR, Inc., Carollo Engineers, American Water, North Jersey District Water Supply (NJDWS), Envirolutions, Passaic Valley Water Commission, CP Engineers, and Structural Technologies.
“We are not in competition; we are collaborators,” Mr. Greer continued. “We are all in this mission together of providing clean drinking water to the residents of New Jersey.”
At the end of the tour, Mr. Greer reflected on the importance of embracing diversity for a stronger water workforce.
“Diversity might be a bad word to some, but it is not here,” said PWTP Plant Superintendent Kevin Greer. “This is what Newark is all about. We have talented individuals from every ethnicity and every background who add tremendous value to our water system.”
A screengrab of the promotional banner for the G.L.O.W.W PWTP Tour on the Official AWWA NJ website for members to RSVP. Courtesy of the AWWA NJ.
The tour was followed by a networking dinner to further connect, share, and discuss future plans for G.L.O.W.W.
“We have a lot of exciting things coming up: a webinar series this fall, more events throughout the year, and some really great collaborations in the works. But honestly, what excites me most is watching this community grow. Every event, more women show up, and that’s the whole point,” said Ms. Shenoda.
To learn more about G.L.O.W.W and the American Water Works Association- New Jersey Section, visit njawwa.org.
