Wastewater treatment plant attendant vs utility plant operative

The differences between wastewater treatment plant attendants and utility plant operatives 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 plant attendant and a utility plant operative. Additionally, a wastewater treatment plant attendant has an average salary of $46,529, which is higher than the $42,253 average annual salary of a utility plant operative.

The top three skills for a wastewater treatment plant attendant include water treatment plant, and . The most important skills for a utility plant operative are plant equipment, auxiliary equipment, and HVAC.

Wastewater treatment plant attendant vs utility plant operative overview

	Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant	Utility Plant Operative
Yearly salary	$46,529	$42,253
Hourly rate	$22.37	$20.31
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	55,164	19,159
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Associate Degree, 41%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Wastewater treatment plant attendant vs utility plant operative salary

Wastewater treatment plant attendants and utility plant operatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant	Utility Plant Operative
Average salary	$46,529	$42,253
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $64,000	Between $29,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	Highland, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Yale University
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between wastewater treatment plant attendant and utility plant operative education

There are a few differences between a wastewater treatment plant attendant and a utility plant operative in terms of educational background:

	Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant	Utility Plant Operative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Associate Degree, 41%
Most common major	Civil Engineering	Business
Most common college	University of California, Berkeley	Duke University

Wastewater treatment plant attendant vs utility plant operative demographics

Here are the differences between wastewater treatment plant attendants' and utility plant operatives' demographics:

	Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant	Utility Plant Operative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9%	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%
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, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between wastewater treatment plant attendant and utility plant operative duties and responsibilities

Wastewater treatment plant attendant example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Measure oxygen levels in SBR and aeration tanks with dissolve oxygen meter.
Utilize a variety of piping plumbing equipment, maintain and operate electrical distribution systems and generator distribution stations.
Support third shift manufacturing initiatives with a team of 45 IUE skil tradesmen.

Utility plant operative example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Conduct work in an FDA regulate environment.
Enforce and comply with operational guidelines, OSHA and EPA regulations.
Maintain compliance with state regulators, cGMP, FDA and insurance company.
Last year of employment work include 20 hour each week doing plumbing work exclusively.
Perform some plumbing repairs, minor electrical work, some carpentry, plus general maintenance at plant and offices.

Wastewater treatment plant attendant vs utility plant operative skills

Common wastewater treatment plant attendant skills

Water Treatment Plant, 100%

Common utility plant operative skills

Plant Equipment, 9%
Auxiliary Equipment, 7%
HVAC, 7%
Plant Operations, 6%
Control Systems, 5%
Cooling Towers, 5%

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Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant
Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant vs Utility Plant Operative

Updated January 8, 2025

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