• Water Treatment Plant Operator Exam
• Water Treatment Plant Operator Salary

Please enable javascript to play this video. Quick Facts: Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators $46,150 per year $22.19 per hour High school diploma or equivalent None Long-term on-the-job training 119,200 -3% (Decline) -3,800 Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater. About 3 in 4 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators were employed by local government in 2016. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically work full time. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent and a license to work.

They also complete on-the-job training. The median annual wage for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators was $46,150 in May 2017.

Employment of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is projected to decline 3 percent from 2016 to 2026. As water and wastewater treatment plants become more advanced due to automation, fewer workers may be needed.

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators. Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators with similar occupations.

Learn more about water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators by visiting additional resources, including O.NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations. Water and wastewater treatment plant operators collect and test water and sewage samples. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater. Duties Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically do the following:. Add chemicals, such as ammonia or chlorine, to disinfect water or other liquids. Inspect equipment on a regular basis. Monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges.

Collect and test water and sewage samples. Record meter and gauge readings and operational data. Document and report test results to regulatory agencies. Operate equipment to purify and clarify water or to process or dispose of sewage. Clean and maintain equipment, tanks, filter beds, and other work areas. Follow U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Ensure safety standards are met It takes many steps to get water from natural sources—reservoirs, streams, and groundwater—into people’s houses. Similarly, it is a complicated process to convert the wastewater from drains and sewers into a form that is safe to release into the environment. The specific duties of plant operators depend on the type and size of the plant.

In a small plant, one operator may be responsible for maintaining all of the systems. In large plants, multiple operators work the same shifts and are more specialized in their duties, often relying on computerized systems to help them monitor plant processes. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must be able to manually operate the equipment if there is a plant malfunction due to power outages or electrical issues. Water treatment plant and system operators work in water treatment plants. Fresh water is pumped from wells, rivers, streams, or reservoirs to water treatment plants, where it is treated and distributed to customers. Water treatment plant and system operators run the equipment, control the processes, and monitor the plants that treat water to make it safe to drink. Wastewater treatment plant and system operators remove pollutants from domestic and industrial waste.

Used water, also known as wastewater, travels through sewer pipes to treatment plants where it is treated and either returned to streams, rivers, and oceans, or used for irrigation. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators often perform physically demanding tasks. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators held about 119,200 jobs in 2016. The largest employers of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators were as follows: Local government, excluding education and hospitals 77% Utilities 12 Manufacturing 4 Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work both indoors and outdoors. Their work is physically demanding and usually is performed in locations that are unclean or difficult to access.

Operators may be exposed to noise from machinery and are often exposed to unpleasant odors. Injuries and Illnesses Water and waste treatment plant and system operators have a higher rate of injuries and illnesses than the national average. They must pay close attention to safety procedures because of hazardous conditions, such as slippery walkways, the presence of dangerous gases, and malfunctioning equipment. Operators are trained in emergency management procedures and use safety equipment to protect their health, as well as that of the public.

Work Schedules Water and waste treatment plant and system operators typically work full time. Plants operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In small plants, operators are likely to work during the day and be on call nights and weekends. In medium- and large-size plants that require constant monitoring, operators work in shifts to control the plant at all hours. Occasionally, operators must work during emergencies.

For example, they may need to work during weather conditions that cause large amounts of storm water or wastewater to flow into sewers, exceeding a plant’s capacity. Emergencies also may be caused by malfunctions within a plant, such as chemical leaks or oxygen deficiencies. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators need long-term on-the-job training to become fully qualified. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent and a license to work.

They also complete on-the-job training. Education Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to become operators. Employers may prefer applicants who have completed a certificate, an associate’s, or a bachelor’s degree program in a related field such as environmental science or wastewater treatment technology. Training Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators need long-term on-the-job training to become fully qualified.

Water and wastewater treatment is a complex process. Trainees learn their skills on the job under the direction of an experienced operator. The trainees learn by observing and doing routine tasks, such as recording meter readings, taking samples of wastewater and sludge, and performing simple maintenance and repair work on plant equipment.

Water Treatment Plant Operator Exam

They also learn about industrial safety and how to use personal protective equipment. Larger treatment plants usually combine this on-the-job training with formal classroom or self-paced study programs. As plants get larger and more complicated, operators need more skills before they are allowed to work without supervision. Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must be licensed by the state in which they work.

Requirements and standards vary widely depending on the state. State licenses typically have multiple levels, which indicate the operator’s experience and training. Although some states will honor licenses from other states, operators who move from one state to another may need to take a new set of exams to become licensed in their new state. Advancement Most states have multiple levels of licenses for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators. Each increase in license level allows the operator to perform more complicated processes without supervision.

At the largest plants, operators who have the highest license level work as shift supervisors and may be in charge of large teams of operators. Important Qualities Analytical skills.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must conduct tests and inspections on water or wastewater and evaluate the results. Detail oriented. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must monitor machinery, gauges, dials, and controls to ensure everything is operating properly. Because tap water and wastewater are highly regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, operators must be careful and thorough in completing these tasks. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must have the ability to apply data to formulas that determine treatment requirements, flow levels, and concentration levels. Mechanical skills.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must know how to work with machines and use tools. They must be familiar with how to operate, repair, and maintain equipment. Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics The median annual wage for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators was $46,150 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,910, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $73,410. In May 2017, the median annual wages for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows: Local government, excluding education and hospitals $46,390 Utilities 44,520 Manufacturing 44,390 Water and waste treatment plant and system operators work full time. Plants operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In small plants, operators are likely to work during the day and be on call nights and weekends.

In medium- and large-size plants that require constant monitoring, operators work in shifts to control the plant at all hours. Occasionally, operators must work during emergencies. For example, they may need to work during weather conditions that cause large amounts of storm water or wastewater to flow into sewers, exceeding a plant’s capacity. Emergencies also may be caused by malfunctions within a plant, such as chemical leaks or oxygen deficiencies.

Union Membership Compared with workers in all occupations, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators had a higher percentage of workers who belonged to a union in 2016. Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program Employment of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is projected to decline 3 percent from 2016 to 2026 As water and wastewater treatment plants become more advanced with automated systems to manage treatment processes, fewer workers may be needed.

Although some work can be automated, plants will still need skilled workers to operate increasingly complex controls and water and wastewater systems. Job Prospects Numerous operators are expected to reach retirement age in the next decade.

As these operators retire, those positions will need to be filled. Job prospects will be best for those with training or higher education in water or wastewater systems and good mechanical skills. Employment projections data for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, 2016-26 Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2016 Projected Employment, 2026 Change, 2016-26 Employment by Industry Percent Numeric SOURCE: U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators 51-8031 119,200 115,400 -3 -3,800. State & Area Data Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) The (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. CareerOneStop CareerOneStop includes hundreds of with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area.

There is also a to search for wages by zip code. Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION 2017 MEDIAN PAY Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures. High school diploma or equivalent $46,080 General maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems, among other tasks.

High school diploma or equivalent $37,670 Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers control the systems that generate and distribute electric power. High school diploma or equivalent $80,440 Stationary engineers and boiler operators control stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or for industrial purposes. High school diploma or equivalent $59,890 Hydrologists study how water moves across and through the Earth’s crust.

They use their expertise to solve problems in the areas of water quality or availability. Bachelor's degree $79,990 Hazardous materials (hazmat) removal workers identify and dispose of asbestos, lead, radioactive waste, and other hazardous materials. They also neutralize and clean up materials that are flammable, corrosive, or toxic. High school diploma or equivalent $41,400.

Water Treatment Plant Operator Salary

Pay The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.