Water operator vs waste treatment operator

The differences between water operators and waste 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 water operator and a waste treatment operator. Additionally, a waste treatment operator has an average salary of $47,317, which is higher than the $43,748 average annual salary of a water operator.

The top three skills for a water operator include treatment facilities, water samples and CDL. The most important skills for a waste treatment operator are OSHA, water samples, and hazardous materials.

Water operator vs waste treatment operator overview

	Water Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$43,748	$47,317
Hourly rate	$21.03	$22.75
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	38,012	29,892
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Water operator vs waste treatment operator salary

Water operators and waste treatment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Water Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Average salary	$43,748	$47,317
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $58,000	Between $34,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Bellevue, WA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Continental Resources	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between water operator and waste treatment operator education

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

	Water Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Water operator vs waste treatment operator demographics

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

	Water Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5%	Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between water operator and waste treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Water operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Learned how to mig and tig weld before being promote.
Programme and run Omax water jet, as well as solicited new project opportunities.
Work with various metals including: aluminum, stainless steel, ballistic steel, mild steel, and titanium.
Project experience includes working with steel, aluminum, stainless steel, glass, granite, wood, plastics and laminate.
Operate Gerber laser cutting system.

Waste treatment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Position require license issue by Illinois EPA.
Perform basic repairs and maintenance using plumbing and mechanical skills.
Perform repairs on all waste treatment and plating machinery, including electrical, mechanical, and plumbing relate breakdowns.
Work directly with production, engineering and maintenance personnel in the electroplating department.
Monitor, maintain and improve the operations of the industrial laboratory associate with the in house electroplating operation.

Water operator vs waste treatment operator skills

Common water operator skills

Treatment Facilities, 8%
Water Samples, 6%
CDL, 6%
Water Treatment Plant, 4%
Pump Stations, 4%
Water Quality, 4%

Common waste treatment operator skills

OSHA, 9%
Water Samples, 8%
Hazardous Materials, 7%
Test Water, 6%
Plumbing, 6%
Safety Procedures, 5%

Water Operator vs. similar jobs

Water Operator related careers

Water Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Water Operator
Water Operator vs Waste Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs