Disposal operator vs water treatment operator

The differences between disposal operators and water treatment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a disposal operator and a water treatment operator. Additionally, a water treatment operator has an average salary of $48,112, which is higher than the $41,101 average annual salary of a disposal operator.

The top three skills for a disposal operator include DOT, EPA and equipment maintenance. The most important skills for a water treatment operator are water treatment plant, SCADA, and water samples.

Disposal operator vs water treatment operator overview

	Disposal Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$41,101	$48,112
Hourly rate	$19.76	$23.13
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	33,072	32,838
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Disposal operator vs water treatment operator salary

Disposal operators and water treatment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Disposal Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Average salary	$41,101	$48,112
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $63,000	Between $35,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Jacobs Engineering Group
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between disposal operator and water treatment operator education

There are a few differences between a disposal operator and a water treatment operator in terms of educational background:

	Disposal Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Business	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Duke University

Disposal operator vs water treatment operator demographics

Here are the differences between disposal operators' and water treatment operators' demographics:

	Disposal Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%	Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between disposal operator and water treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Disposal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Monitor combat missions through satellite and computer global positioning systems in order to prepare accurate reports for unit commanders.
Mobilize, and maintain specialize tools, equipment, supplies, and EOD publications.
Clean out disposal strainers and baskets on the pumps.
Conduct readings of H2o and H2s in daily processing of gas.
Conduct gas test, H2s, O2, LEL, benzene test and butadiene before issuing confine space permit.

Water treatment operator example responsibilities.

Manage chemical transfers and plant feed, abiding by OSHA regulations.
Monitor ground water treatment facility through SCADA computer system and data collection and analysis.
Handle blowers, thickeners, SBR's, effluent and influent pumps, and sludge blanket judges.
Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair all instrumentation.
Complete necessary math equations and paperwork for plant records.
Inventory on PPE supplies, solvents, and chemicals.

Disposal operator vs water treatment operator skills

Common disposal operator skills

DOT, 16%
EPA, 11%
Equipment Maintenance, 11%
Hazardous Materials, 10%
Salt Water Disposal, 10%
Safety Training, 7%

Common water treatment operator skills

Water Treatment Plant, 8%
SCADA, 6%
Water Samples, 5%
Plant Equipment, 4%
Process Control, 4%
Water Quality, 4%

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Disposal Operator
Disposal Operator vs Water Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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