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The differences between wastewater treatment operators and water treatment technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a wastewater treatment operator and a water treatment technician. Additionally, a wastewater treatment operator has an average salary of $45,618, which is higher than the $44,399 average annual salary of a water treatment technician.
The top three skills for a wastewater treatment operator include plant equipment, process control and blowers. The most important skills for a water treatment technician are PPE, water samples, and waste water.
| Wastewater Treatment Operator | Water Treatment Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $45,618 | $44,399 |
| Hourly rate | $21.93 | $21.35 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 32,561 | 16,677 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A wastewater treatment operator is responsible for overseeing the daily operations in water treatment plans, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their duties include coordinating with different staff, operating controls and systems, gathering water samples, maintaining the cleanliness of all areas and equipment, and monitoring the progress of all operations. They must also keep accurate records of data, reporting progress to managers or supervisors. Furthermore, as a wastewater treatment operator, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Water treatment technicians work every day in observing agricultural plant functions, which includes obtaining the daily requirements and making suitable adjustments to satisfy those demands. They carefully implement process sampling to exactly gauge and keep track of levels. Also, they perform strictly with adjoining farming operations to form sure land implementation of treated wastewater is manageable. Additionally, they work with the operating management within the establishment and assist with the maintenance of environmental compliance procedures. Other duties include assisting them in transcribing and implementing technical regulatory obligations.
Wastewater treatment operators and water treatment technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Wastewater Treatment Operator | Water Treatment Technician | |
| Average salary | $45,618 | $44,399 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $64,000 | Between $29,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mercer Island, WA | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | Idaho | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | Vicor |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a wastewater treatment operator and a water treatment technician in terms of educational background:
| Wastewater Treatment Operator | Water Treatment Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between wastewater treatment operators' and water treatment technicians' demographics:
| Wastewater Treatment Operator | Water Treatment Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |