About WJTA


Formal Mission Statement

The WaterJet Technology Association (WJTA) was created in 1983 at the 2nd U.S. Water Jet Conference, held on the campus of the University of Missouri-Rolla (now called the Missouri University of Science and Technology), by members of the waterjet industry acting in concert with university and government officials. The major impetus to the creation of the Association was to provide a means of service and communication within the industry, as epitomized by the biennial waterjet conferences.

Formal objectives of the Association have been adopted as follows:

  1. To provide a means of cooperation between government, industry, university, and research institutions on all matters of fluid jets and industrial vacuuming, including applications in jet cutting, industrial cleaning, and other uses in the manufacturing, mining, construction, and process industries.
  2. To foster domestic and international trade of products and services relating to waterjet cutting, waterjet cleaning, and industrial vacuuming.
  3. To promote in general the interests of the waterjet application and industrial cleaning industries, including the establishment of recommended practices.
  4. To promote the mutual improvement of its members and the study and advancement of the arts and sciences connected with waterjet cutting and industrial cleaning.
  5. To further these stated purposes, the WaterJet Technology Association may promote and conduct demonstrations for the general public or private organizations; disseminate information on fluid jet technology through newsletters, booklets, clinics, meetings, lectures and educational programs; make awards; and engage in any other activities not enumerated herein that are designed to further the art and science of fluid jet technology and to promote its use.

In regard to the third objective, it should be noted that:

  1. At the 3rd U.S. Water Jet Conference held on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in May of 1985, the Association adopted the first Recommended Practices for the Use of Manually Operated High Pressure Water Jetting Equipment.  The waterjet Recommended Practices are reviewed and updated periodically. In 2011, the manual was retitled Recommended Practices for the Use of High Pressure Waterjetting Equipment, and in 2016 the manual was retitled Industry Best Practices for the Use of High Pressure Waterjetting Equipment. The last revision and update was done in 2021.
  2. Recognizing that many industrial cleaning contractors combine high-volume air-moving with waterjetting, the WJTA in August 2007, adopted the first Recommended Practices for the Use of Industrial Vacuum Equipment.  The Recommended Practices for the Use of Industrial Vacuum Equipment are reviewed and updated periodically. The last revision and update was done in 2018.