How to become a water or wastewater treatment plant operator?
How to Become a Water or Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator. 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.
What skills do you need to work in a water treatment plant?
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.
What are the working hours of a water treatment plant?
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.
What does a trainee do at a wastewater treatment plant?
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.
How do you get into water treatment?
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.
Is water treatment a good career?
Great Pay! Luckily for you, a career in Water Treatment or Distribution can offer you this type of financial freedom. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the 2010 median pay for a Water Treatment Plant Operator was $40,770 which works out to about $19.60 per hour.
How does a water plant work?
A waste water treatment plant cleans sewage and water so that they can be returned to the environment. These plants remove solids and pollutants, break down organic matter and restore the oxygen content of treated water.
What state pays wastewater operators the most?
Our research put California at no. 1 on the list of best paying states for Wastewater Plant Operators.
Why do you want to work in water treatment?
Working in industrial water treatment gives you the opportunity to directly impact the environment by reducing water pollution, energy usage, water consumption, and greenhouse gases. It also helps to prevent the spread of microbiological disease that can be found in some industrial waters.
Is plant operator a good career?
A career as a plant operator also provides more job security than some other job in a plan because plant operators have accrued specialized knowledge of how to safely and efficiently operate industrial machinery and equipment as well as control room panel boards.
Are water treatment plants noisy?
Wastewater treatment plants (sewer plants) contain several large pieces of mechanical equipment to clean used water and sewage so it can be returned safely to our environment. These pieces of equipment and processes create high noise levels.
Do wastewater treatment plants smell?
The very nature of wastewater makes it a smelly venture. While wastewater treatment plants do smell, it's important to reduce those smells for several reasons. First, you don't want people who live nearby to constantly complain to the town or city about the odors.
How long does water treatment take?
Any remaining solids bind to the granules as the water percolates down through the materials. Finally, a small amount of sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide are added to the water as it leaves the plant. The entire process takes about five hours.
What are the duties and responsibilities of water treatment plant operator?
Water Plant Operators are responsible for managing and monitoring the processes of a water treatment plant. Their duties include operating treatment plants and apparatus, cleaning screens and filters, adding chemicals, monitoring gas and water levels, taking reading as well as inspecting wastewater and water samples.
What is the national average of wastewater treatment?
While urban water access is high on average, significant gaps remain across the country, and wastewater treatment remains stuck at the national average of around 33%.
How much does a municipal wastewater operator make in Boston?
The average Wastewater Operator salary in Boston, MA is $59,659 as of , but the salary range typically falls between $50,967 and $72,705. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.
What education do you need to be a water treatment plant operator?
Water treatment plant operators need a high school diploma or equivalent to become operators. Employers may prefer applicants who have completed a certificate or an associate’s degree program in water quality management or wastewater treatment technology, because the education minimizes the training a worker will need.
How many levels of license do you need for a water treatment plant?
Requirements and standards vary widely depending on the region. Licenses typically have four levels, which depend on the operator's experience and training.
How many years of work experience is required for a water treatment technician?
Work Experience: three years of work experience required. Work Experience: two years of work experience required. Work Experience: one year of work experience required. Approved areas of work include installation and/or servicing water treatment appliances.
What is a class I plumbing license?
Class I: Individuals who have been issued this license must work under the supervision of an individual holding a higher class license, a local plumbing inspector, or a health official that has jurisdiction where the work is performed. Work is restricted to the following activities:
How long is an occupational license valid?
Occupational licenses are valid for three years then must be renewed with the TCEQ. Renewal applicants must have completed the required CE requirements, submit a renewal application and criminal history attestation, and pay the renewal fee. Detailed information can be found on the renewal webpage.
What are the duties of a water treatment plant?
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.
Why do water treatment plants have to pay attention to safety procedures?
They must pay close attention to safety procedures because of hazardous conditions, such as slippery walkways, the presence of dangerous gases, and malfunctioning equipment.
What is wastewater treatment?
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.
How do wastewater treatment plant operators work?
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.
What are the duties of water and wastewater treatment plant operators?
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.
How many hours a day do plant operators work?
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.
Where does fresh water come from?
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 ...
Water And Wastewater Treatment Plant And System Operators
Water And Wastewater Treatment Plant And System Operators operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
What degree do you need
We did a survey to ask other Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators what degree they had when they became a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator. Here are the results.
How hard is it
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator. For example, an electrician must complete three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
License and certifications
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.
Skills required
We asked other WWTP Operators if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.
Knowledge required
Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. WWTP Operators are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.
Water Treatment Plant Operator: Is it a good career?
A career as a water treatment plant operator is meaningful, engaging, and very rewarding. Water treatment plant operators play an important role in society. They are on the frontlines of protecting public health by ensuring that the water that is delivered to their customers is safe and wholesome.
What does a water treatment plant operator do?
As the job title says, they spend their time operating water treatment plants to produce drinking water! This means they may be physically operating different water treatment processes of the plant by turning valves to control the flow of water.
Where do water treatment operators work?
Water treatment operators often work for local public governments. This includes both big cities and small towns. Many other operators are employed by other public or private utilities that provide drinking water and wastewater services.
How much do water treatment operators get paid?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the median water operator salary in 2018 was $46,780. The average starting salary for a new operator with no experience was around $28,300, while the average for a very experienced operator was $76,200.
What is the difference between water operator treatment grades?
The different water operator treatment grades may be confusing when you are first learning about the career. Each state has slightly different ways that they breakdown the different operator grades. Most states have somewhere from four to five different grades.
What is required to become a certified water treatment operator?
As discussed above, there are anywhere from four to five different water treatment operator classifications, depending on your state. Water treatment operator I certification is the easiest to obtain and has the least amount of prerequisites.
How to find a job as a water treatment operator?
A google search with “water operator jobs” followed by your city or state should reveal a number of possibilities. There are services that aggregate verified water job postings, such as BC Water Jobs (which is nationwide) or California Water Jobs . Your state may have similar type of websites.
How to operate a water treatment plant?
Water treatment plant operators typically do the following: 1 Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect water or other liquids 2 Inspect equipment on a regular basis 3 Monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges 4 Collect and test water and sewage samples 5 Record meter and gauge readings, and operational data 6 Operate equipment to purify and clarify water, or to process or dispose of sewage 7 Clean and maintain equipment, tanks, filter beds, and other work areas 8 Stay current on environmental laws and regulations 9 Ensure safety standards are met
What do water treatment plants use?
Water treatment plant operators typically do the following: Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, 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.
What is wastewater operator?
Operators are trained in emergency management procedures and use safety equipment to protect their health, as well as that of the public. Wastewater treatment plant and system operators do similar work to remove pollutants from domestic and industrial waste. Used water, also known as wastewater, travels through sewage pipes to treatment plants ...
How many hours a day do plant operators work?
Plants operate 24 hours a day, seven 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 sized plants that require constant monitoring, operators work in shifts to control the plant at all hours.
What do sewage workers do?
Many others work for water, sewage, and other systems utilities and for waste treatment and disposal services. They work both indoors and outdoors. They may be exposed to noise from machinery and are often exposed to unpleasant odours.
Where does used water go?
Used water, also known as wastewater, travels through sewage pipes to treatment plants where it is treated and either returned to streams, rivers, and oceans, or used for irrigation. Are you suited to be a water treatment plant operator? Water treatment plant operators have distinct personalities. They tend to be realistic individuals, which means ...
What are the skills required to be a wastewater operator?
Wastewater treatment operator roles do vary from organization to organization, but most will have the following tasks as part of their scope: Strong mathematical, mechanical and science skills. Ability to engage in logical processes for troubleshooting. Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
What is wastewater treatment operator?
A Wastewater Treatment Operator maintains a variety of plant equipment in connection with the operation of a large wastewater treatment plants, directs lower level operators and performs related work as required.
What are the duties of a wastewater operator?
Senior wastewater treatment operators have a depth of experience and management skill that illustrate a ‘leader' mentality and skillset. In addition to the standard role, wastewater treatment managers may be required to perform the following as part of the scope of senior duties: 1 Evaluate and troubleshoot operations at various water and wastewater sites 2 Identify risks and opportunities for efficiencies and improvement 3 Support existing contract operations sites, including evaluations and troubleshooting 4 Implement new technical solutions or best operating practices 5 Periodic auditing of overseer and/or supervisor roles at contract operations sites 6 Develop and implement processes to meet customer needs. 7 Implement best operating practices 8 Train operations staff on new and innovative operational approaches 9 Support business development activities 10 Conduct due diligence checks amongst human resource and mechanical processes 11 Prepare operational plans and strategies 12 Develop operational budgets 13 Writing operational and/or technical sections for proposals and manuals 14 Managing transitions for new contract operations sites
What is the American Water Works Association?
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is the largest association dedicated to managing and treating water. The AWWA provides education to water professionals, advocates for safe and sustainable water, collects and shares journals and scientific reports and creates volunteering opportunities.
