CPRO-W2: The Nation’s Premier Risk Management Designation for Water and Wastewater Professionals

Building a More Resilient Water Sector

There is an urgent need for integrated risk management in the water sector in light of increasing uncertainty from climate change, escalating regulatory demands, and financial constraints. The Certified Public Risk Officer - Water & Wastewater (CPRO-W2) designation shifts risk management from isolated responses to a comprehensive enterprise framework.  

Designed specifically for the water sector, candidates gain practical awareness of utility operations and learn how to implement self-reinforcing enterprise risk management systems that enhance organizational performance and community resilience. Candidates also learn how to effectively communicate risk management strategies with regulators, stakeholders, and external financial partners.

Registration is open for the 2025 CPRO-W2 Master Leadership Class. 

Sunrise over Appalachian State's campus tower in Boone, NC

Dr. Sandra Vannoy, App State University

In partnership with Appalachian State University and its Dean of the Walker College of Business, Dr. Sandra Vannoy, this designation is designed for water and wastewater professionals at all organizational levels, from executives to board members to specialized roles. Candidates include formal utility risk managers as well as leaders in high-risk areas such as human resources, operations, finance, capital planning, and other critical functions.  

The CPRO-W2 Course at a Glance

The CPRO-W2 designation includes three modules and encompasses 100 hours of learning over 6 months. Candidates select either the water or wastewater tract, which determines the focus of module 1, the operations module.

Module 1 provides necessary foundational knowledge of water or wastewater operations so that candidates can appreciate the context within which risk management and insurance decisions are made. Modules 2 and 3 focus on risk management and insurance fundamentals, providing detailed insights, interviews with risk management and insurance experts, and case applications. 

Click to download the Factsheet to learn more.

Module 1a —  Basics of Public Water System Operations (Water Tract) 

Section 1:
Public Water System Overview

Section 2:
Water Monitoring

Portrait of man with reflective vest on in front of a water truck

Section 3:
Water Hydraulics, Flow & Pumping

Section 4:
Drinking Water Conveyance & Distribution

Water tank next to a large lake or pond in Las Virgenes, California

Section 5:
Water Management, Infrastructure & Conservation

Coachella Canal Construction

Section 6:
Plant Safety

Tapia channel mixing 2015 bypass in Las Virgenes, California

Module 1b — Basics of Public Wastewater Treatment Operations (Wastewater Tract) 

Section 1:
Basics of Wastewater Operations & Wastewater

Man in an underground tunnel on a ladder

Section 2:
Basic Wastewater Ecology

looking into a water treatment AMS aeration pool with desert mountains and lake in the distance

Section 3:
Plant Security

Water takes at blue diamond placer county agency surrounded by fencing

Section 4:
Wastewater Treatment

Water treatment AMS pool

Module 2 — Enterprise Risk Management for Water & Wastewater Systems 

Section 1:
Risk, Risk Management & Critical Infrastructure

Olivenhain Dam Construction 2023© Photo Courtesy of San Diego County Water Authority.

Section 2:
Emergency Management, Business Continuity, & Sustainability

Pump System Las Virgenes- 2023© Photo Courtesy of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

Section 3:
Risk Management for Value Creation & Preservation

Aerial image of the a public water system

Section 4:
Risk Management Process - Part I

Section 5:
Risk Management Process - Part II

water intake structure being lowered into large water supply

Section 6:
Putting Accounting to Use for Enterprise Risk Management

6 men standing near a large reservoir pump that was just installed in Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

Module 3 — Insurance Essentials for Water & Wastewater Systems 

Section 1:
Property Coverage

Internal water pumping station in Las Vegas, NV

Section 2:
Commercial General Liability Coverage

Westlake Reservoir in Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

Section 3:
Public Officials and Management Liability Coverage

Williams Fork Dam lit up at night with a light snow on the ground
Large snow plow truck plowing snow with mountains in the background

Section 4:
Business Auto Coverage

Broken windows in a building in Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

Section 5:
Crime Coverage

Section 6:
Other Insurance Coverages

Gordon Graham, MS, JD, CPRO-W2

“The CPRO-W2 designation and learning series delivers an important knowledge platform and goes further than any other profession-specific risk management curriculum I’ve encountered.”

The CPRO-W2 Advisory Board

The Advisory Board informs the strategic direction of the CPRO-W2 designation. 

  • Gordon Graham, MS, JD, CPRO-W2 (Chair) 

  • Vladimir Bessarabov, East Bay Municipal Utility District  

  • Seth Cole, Alliant Insurance Services 

  • Benson Hua, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission  

  • Matthew Ries, PhD, DC Water 

  • Taylor Winchell, Denver Water 

  • Timothy Worley, PhD, Ortega Strategies Group 

  • Renée Willette, US Water Alliance  

Secure Your Spot Today 

Registration is open for the 2025 CPRO-W2 Master Leadership Class.