Water plant operator vs operator

The differences between water plant operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a water plant operator, becoming an operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a water plant operator has an average salary of $45,853, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.

The top three skills for a water plant operator include water treatment plant, plant equipment and water samples. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Water plant operator vs operator overview

	Water Plant Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$45,853	$37,928
Hourly rate	$22.04	$18.23
Growth rate	-7%	7%
Number of jobs	39,348	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	47	43
Years of experience	12	4

What does a water plant operator do?

Water Plant Operators are responsible for managing and monitoring the processes of a water treatment plant. Their duties include operating treatment plants and apparatus, cleaning screens and filters, adding chemicals, monitoring gas and water levels, taking reading as well as inspecting wastewater and water samples. They are responsible for interpreting sample analysis results, resolving technical faults from gathered data as well as organizing general maintenance and repair work. Water Plant Operators also assess chemical stock levels, hazardous conditions, and risks during their day to day work.

What does an operator do?

Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.

Water plant operator vs operator salary

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

	Water Plant Operator	Operator
Average salary	$45,853	$37,928
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $65,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Stockton, CA	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	North Dakota
Best paying company	Santa Clara Valley Water District	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between water plant operator and operator education

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

	Water Plant Operator	Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	-

Water plant operator vs operator demographics

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

	Water Plant Operator	Operator
Average age	47	43
Gender ratio	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%	Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	4%

Differences between water plant operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Water 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
Operate small rotating biological contractor plant that utilize activated sludge with sand filters and UV disinfection to process wastewater.

Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

Show more

Water plant operator vs operator skills

Common water plant operator skills

Water Treatment Plant, 10%
Plant Equipment, 6%
Water Samples, 6%
Lab Tests, 6%
SCADA, 6%
Water Quality, 5%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%

Water Plant Operator vs. similar jobs

Water Plant Operator related careers

Water Plant Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z