How To Become A Water Treatment Plant Engineer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a water treatment plant engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Philipp Zerbe

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a water treatment plant engineer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $36.67 an hour? That's $76,284 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 1,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a water treatment plant engineer?

Philipp Zerbe

Associate Professor, University of California - Davis

While most career sectors have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, job opportunities in botany, plant biology and biology in general have been affected comparatively less. Therefore, do not be discouraged; explore the many career possibilities in plant biology and find something that truly speaks to your personality and your career dreams and pursue opportunities in this direction. At the same time be flexible and open-minded toward new opportunities. Botany/Plant Biology is a diverse and international field with many different career possibilities. Be open to exploring different fields and to relocate nationally or internationally for internships or job opportunities.

ScoreWater Treatment Plant EngineerUS Average

Salary

6.0

Avg. Salary $76,284

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 10.60%

Black or African American 1.87%

Hispanic or Latino 7.69%

Unknown 3.74%

White 75.68%

Gender

female 34.29%

male 65.71%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

6.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a water treatment plant engineer

Explore water treatment plant engineer education requirements

Most common water treatment plant engineer degrees

Bachelor's

68.2 %

High School Diploma

9.1 %

Master's

4.5 %

Start to develop specific water treatment plant engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Water Treatment Plant	40.82%
EPA	18.96%
Plant Operations	14.81%
Waste Water	10.99%
Equipment Installation	10.04%

Complete relevant water treatment plant engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New water treatment plant engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a water treatment plant engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real water treatment plant engineer resumes.

Research water treatment plant engineer duties and responsibilities

Manage and conduct various environmental engineering projects at DOD facilities.
Prepare and review project drawings/specifications to ensure compliance with OSHA environmental/quality standards, and federal, state and local environmental laws.
Oversee the NJDEP DPCC program (SPCC) for the facility by auditing above grind storage tanks for leaks.
Conduct spill prevention control and countermeasure plans (SPCC) site visits and plan updates for clients across the southeast.

Apply for water treatment plant engineer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a water treatment plant engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams