Post job

Sewage plant operator vs water treatment operator

The differences between sewage plant 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 sewage plant operator and a water treatment operator. Additionally, a water treatment operator has an average salary of $48,112, which is higher than the $45,459 average annual salary of a sewage plant operator.

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

Sewage plant operator vs water treatment operator overview

Sewage Plant OperatorWater Treatment Operator
Yearly salary$45,459$48,112
Hourly rate$21.86$23.13
Growth rate-7%-7%
Number of jobs35,50532,838
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 33%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age4747
Years of experience1212

Sewage plant operator vs water treatment operator salary

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

Sewage Plant OperatorWater Treatment Operator
Average salary$45,459$48,112
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $63,000Between $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 sewage plant operator and water treatment operator education

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

Sewage Plant OperatorWater Treatment Operator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 33%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common majorBusinessEnvironmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common collegeRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteDuke University

Sewage plant operator vs water treatment operator demographics

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

Sewage Plant OperatorWater Treatment Operator
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 95.8% Female, 4.2%Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage5%5%

Differences between sewage plant operator and water treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Sewage plant operator example responsibilities.

  • Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
  • Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
  • Project s progress are communicated to all levels of the organization and Amgen sites stakeholders.

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.
  • Show more

Sewage plant operator vs water treatment operator skills

Common sewage plant operator skills
  • Treatment Plant, 35%
  • Water Treatment, 30%
  • SCADA, 14%
  • Federal Agencies, 10%
  • Plant Equipment, 8%
  • Pump Stations, 2%
Common water treatment operator skills
  • Water Treatment Plant, 8%
  • SCADA, 6%
  • Water Samples, 5%
  • Plant Equipment, 4%
  • Process Control, 4%
  • Water Quality, 4%

Browse production and manufacturing jobs