What does a water operator do?
A water operator usually works at water treatment plants and establishments where they are primarily in charge of processing water according to guidelines and health protocols. Their responsibilities usually revolve around monitoring equipment and procedures, gathering and analyzing water samples, performing necessary adjustments, reading and recording meters, and maintaining the cleanliness of facilities while adhering to the standards and regulations. Moreover, a water operator must maintain an active communication line with co-workers, coordinating for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Water operator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real water operator resumes:
- 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.
- Set up and run production.
- Perform plumbing maintenance to all buildings.
- Train for mig welding and steel fabrication.
- Order supplies for laboratories, including PPE supplies.
- Maintain pumps to OSHA standard levels of safety for operations.
- Assist and instruct other CNC programmers in using CAD/CAM software.
- Work perform in radiological areas using various PPE including supply air suits and respirators.
- Staff owner's new fire/water franchise; implement all crew technical & OSHA safety training.
- Design and operate a computerize cutting machine to manufacture various parts for the aerospace industry.
Water operator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Water Operators are proficient in Treatment Facilities, Water Samples, and CDL. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Detail oriented, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Water Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Treatment Facilities, 8%
Operate and Maintain water treatment facilities.
- Water Samples, 6%
Deliver water samples to Environmental Monitoring Labs.
- CDL, 6%
Operate large equipment such as backhoes, excavators and CDL class vehicles.
- Water Treatment Plant, 4%
Conduct operations and maintenance of a 2.0 MGD surface water treatment plant supplying 10,000 customers with safe drinking water.
- Pump Stations, 4%
Perform routine inspections of water wells, pump stations, lift stations and storage tanks, recording operational data in logs.
- Water Quality, 4%
Performed water quality tests and maintained accurate documentation of test results.
Most water operators use their skills in "treatment facilities," "water samples," and "cdl" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential water operator responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a water operator to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must conduct tests and inspections on water or wastewater and evaluate the results." Water operators often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "operated and maintained equipment used in production of potable water; performs water quality analysis tests. "
Detail oriented. Many water operator duties rely on detail oriented. "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must monitor machinery, gauges, dials, and controls to ensure everything is operating properly," so a water operator will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways water operator responsibilities rely on detail oriented: "organized and resupplied store inventory analyzed water samples and provided salinity, ph, alkalinity, chlorine, calcium details to customers"
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of water operators is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday water operator duties, as "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must have the ability to apply data to formulas that determine treatment requirements, flow levels, and concentration levels." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "analyzed treatment data and statistics to predict necessary plant operations. "
Mechanical skills. A big part of what water operators do relies on "mechanical skills." You can see how essential it is to water operator responsibilities because "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must know how to work with machines and use tools." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical water operator tasks: "performed minor mechanical work and routine equipment maintenance monitored flows, pressures, chemical feeds levels and water quality indicators. "
The three companies that hire the most water operators are:
- Jacobs Engineering Group
9 water operators jobs
- Jacobs Enterprises9 water operators jobs
- Tetra Technologies7 water operators jobs
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Compare different water operators
Water operator vs. Water treatment technician
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.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between water operators and water treatment technician. For instance, water operator responsibilities require skills such as "treatment facilities," "cdl," "pump stations," and "process control." Whereas a water treatment technician is skilled in "ppe," "waste water," "plumbing," and "patients." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Water treatment technicians tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $43,873. In contrast, water operators make the biggest average salary, $47,306, in the manufacturing industry.water treatment technicians tend to reach similar levels of education than water operators. In fact, water treatment technicians are 1.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Water operator vs. Utility plant operative
A utility plant operator monitors, operates, repairs, and maintains utility equipment and systems. Utility plant operators work on the operation, maintenance, and repair of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. They operate and maintain a drainage and sewerage system as well as a neutralized acid waste system. The skills and knowledge they need include electronic control systems, underground cables, and the electrical generating system characteristics. Also, they are expected to know the basics of electrical practice.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that water operator responsibilities requires skills like "treatment facilities," "cdl," "water treatment plant," and "pump stations." But a utility plant operative might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "auxiliary equipment," "hvac," "control systems," and "cooling towers."
On average, utility plant operatives earn a lower salary than water operators. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, utility plant operatives earn the most pay in the energy industry with an average salary of $51,326. Whereas water operators have higher pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $47,306.In general, utility plant operatives achieve similar levels of education than water operators. They're 1.7% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Water operator vs. Water treatment specialist
A water treatment specialist is responsible for supervising and installing water treatment equipment and ensuring that neat water is available whenever it is needed. They must have a minimum of a high school diploma educational and a specialized water treatment certification. They need to pay attention to details and be organized to ensure that the safety and cleanliness of stored and available water are guaranteed.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from water operator resumes include skills like "treatment facilities," "cdl," "pump stations," and "water quality," whereas a water treatment specialist is more likely to list skills in "environmental health," "waste water," "food products," and "water treatment equipment. "
When it comes to education, water treatment specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to water operators. In fact, they're 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Water operator vs. Distribution system operator
Even though a few skill sets overlap between water operators and distribution system operators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a water operator might have more use for skills like "treatment facilities," "water samples," "cdl," and "water treatment plant." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of distribution system operators require skills like "safety procedures," "gauges," "preventive maintenance," and "api. "
In general, distribution system operators hold similar degree levels compared to water operators. Distribution system operators are 2.4% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of water operator
Updated January 8, 2025
