How to hire a water treatment operator

How to hire a water treatment operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step water treatment operator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a water treatment operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new water treatment operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a water treatment operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the water treatment operator you need to hire. Certain water treatment operator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a water treatment operator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a water treatment operator that fits the bill.

   This list presents water treatment operator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Water Treatment Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Water Treatment Operator	Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.	$16-31
   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... Show more	$13-28
   Operator	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... Show more	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Water Treatment Plant
   • SCADA
   • Water Samples
   • Plant Equipment
   • Process Control
   • Water Quality
   • Lab Analysis
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Water Treatment Equipment
   • Plant Operations
   • Water Treatment Facility
   • Turbidity
   • Water Systems
   • Water Treatment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage chemical transfers and plant feed, abiding by OSHA regulations.
   • Monitor ground water treatment facility through SCADA computer system and data collection and analysis.
   • Handle blowers, thickeners, SBR's, effluent and influent pumps, and sludge blanket judges.
   • Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair all instrumentation.
   • Complete necessary math equations and paperwork for plant records.
   • Inventory on PPE supplies, solvents, and chemicals.

   More water treatment operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the water treatment operator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A water treatment operator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a water treatment operator in Oklahoma may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level water treatment operator. Additionally, a water treatment operator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average water treatment operator salary

   $48,112yearly

   $23.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level water treatment operator salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

   Average water treatment operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$74,987	$36
   2	Oregon	$59,510	$29
   3	Colorado	$55,684	$27
   4	Minnesota	$54,993	$26
   5	Ohio	$53,594	$26
   6	Virginia	$53,297	$26
   7	Illinois	$52,517	$25
   8	Wyoming	$49,062	$24
   9	Michigan	$47,758	$23
   10	Arizona	$47,196	$23
   11	South Carolina	$45,679	$22
   12	Montana	$45,451	$22
   13	North Carolina	$45,385	$22
   14	Maryland	$44,778	$22
   15	Missouri	$44,395	$21
   16	Florida	$43,684	$21
   17	New Mexico	$43,178	$21
   18	Texas	$36,283	$17

   Average water treatment operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jacobs Engineering Group	$67,720	$32.56
   2	City of Los Angeles	$61,806	$29.71	2
   3	Loudoun Water	$61,476	$29.56
   4	Shiseido	$60,060	$28.88
   5	OMNOVA Solutions	$59,507	$28.61	1
   6	City of Seattle	$59,220	$28.47	3
   7	City of Palm Bay	$55,481	$26.67
   8	Johnson Controls	$55,215	$26.55	3
   9	City of Scottsdale	$54,443	$26.17	3
   10	CyberCoders	$53,662	$25.80
   11	City of Middletown	$53,524	$25.73
   12	Woodard & Curran	$53,316	$25.63	28
   13	Aqua	$53,086	$25.52	5
   14	Sycuan Casino Resort	$52,599	$25.29
   15	Clean Harbors	$52,491	$25.24	47
   16	Eaton	$51,776	$24.89	20
   17	American Water	$51,486	$24.75	16
   18	Bering Straits	$51,276	$24.65
   19	Crown Holdings	$51,213	$24.62	2
   20	Niagara Bottling	$50,524	$24.29	15

4. Writing a water treatment operator job description

   A water treatment operator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a water treatment operator job description:

   Water treatment operator job description example

   Perform operations and maintenance duties on the company's wastewater collection and treatment system, including monitoring, operating, and maintaining equipment in compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and regulatory requirements.
   Responsibility
   
   * Performs daily monitoring of the plant functions which includes accessing the daily demands and making appropriate adjustments to meet those demands
   * Meticulously execute process sampling to accurately gauge and monitor levels
   * Monitor wastewater operations
   * Analyze instantaneous and historical data to decide and act on needed process/operational adjustments (e.g. demand, chemical dosage, process adjustments)
   * Log all operational data and produce frequent reports
   * Promptly troubleshoot process, instrumentation, data, and mechanical problems
   * Perform basic maintenance, repair, and calibration
   * Document and report needed system improvements
   * Execute and track work orders for plant operations
   * Develop and continuously update operational SOPs and readiness plans
   * Respond to emergencies
   * Perform other duties as needed
   
   Qualifications
   
   * 1-2 years experience in the operations and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants associated ancillary and auxiliary equipment and distribution systems
   * Must possess or obtain within 12 months of employment a Wastewater Operator Certification
   * Must be able to read, write and comprehend the English language in order to communicate well.
   * Must have knowledge of maintenance/waste water language and terminology to effectively communicate within the department as well as to technical persons over the phone.
   * Show a comprehension of how to communicate effectively to individuals in a team setting.
   * Must be able to lift, push or carry up to 90lbs
   
   At Pilgrim's, Safety Is A Condition, which means the safety of our team members comes first - always. We have implemented safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are working to ensure social distancing within our facility. We have installed physical barriers throughout our facility such as plexi-glass or plastic barriers between team member work stations. Each day, temperature screens are performed for each employee and visitor before entering the facility. Face coverings are provided and required over the mouth and nose at all times when inside the facility, and enhanced cleaning and sanitation is regularly performed.
   
   EOE/Vets/Disability

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find water treatment operators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any water treatment operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level water treatment operators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your water treatment operator job on Zippia to find and recruit water treatment operator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with water treatment operator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new water treatment operator

   Once you've decided on a perfect water treatment operator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new water treatment operator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a water treatment operator?