Power system operator vs water treatment operator

The differences between power system 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 power system operator and a water treatment operator. Additionally, a power system operator has an average salary of $70,058, which is higher than the $48,112 average annual salary of a water treatment operator.

The top three skills for a power system operator include SCADA, and . The most important skills for a water treatment operator are water treatment plant, SCADA, and water samples.

Power system operator vs water treatment operator overview

	Power System Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$70,058	$48,112
Hourly rate	$33.68	$23.13
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	43,559	32,838
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Power system operator vs water treatment operator salary

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

	Power System Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Average salary	$70,058	$48,112
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $154,000	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 power system operator and water treatment operator education

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

	Power System Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common college	Stanford University	Duke University

Power system operator vs water treatment operator demographics

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

	Power System Operator	Water Treatment Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9%	Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	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 power system operator and water treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Power system operator example responsibilities.

Manage trouble ticketing systems and escalations to ensure VoIP service availability.
Gain on-hand experience establishing and maintaining LOS radio links with corresponding elements in tactical environments.
Provide excellent customer service and significantly improve the MSE equipment repair rate.

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.

Power system operator vs water treatment operator skills

Common power system operator skills

SCADA, 100%

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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Power System Operator vs Water Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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