What You'll Do

  • Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.
  • Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power.
  • Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.
  • Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.
  • Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms.
  • Maintain, repair, and lubricate equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Direct and coordinate plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities.
  • Clean and maintain tanks, filter beds, and other work areas, using hand tools and power tools.

Essential Skills

Operation and Control 4.0/5
Operations Monitoring 3.88/5
Monitoring 3.62/5
Active Listening 3.12/5
Speaking 3.12/5
Equipment Maintenance 3.12/5
Troubleshooting 3.12/5
Repairing 3.12/5
Quality Control Analysis 3.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Cautiousness, Dependability, Integrity, Stress Tolerance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 3.75/5
Oral Expression 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.62/5
Written Comprehension 3.5/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.5/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.12/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.12/5
Information Ordering 3.12/5

Technologies & Tools

Compliance software Data logging software Database software Geographic information system GIS systems Human machine interface HMI software Material safety data sheet MSDS software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Operating system software Operational Data Store ODS software Records management software Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software Timekeeping software Wastewater expert control systems Word processing software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.28/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.07/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Basin Tender Biosolids Management Technician (Biosolids Management Tech) Clarifying Plant Operator Disposal Operator Disposal Plant Operator Drinking Water Technician (Drinking Water Tech) Filter Tender Filterer Filtration Operator Filtration Plant Operator Industrial Waste Treatment Technician (Industrial Waste Treatment Tech) Liquid Waste Treatment Plant Operator On-Site Wastewater Systems Technician (On-Site Wastewater Systems Tech) Plant Operator Process Operator (Process Op) Purification Operator Relief Operator SCADA Operator (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Operator) Sewage Plant Operator Sewage Treatment Plant Operator Sewer Operator Treatment Plant Operator Treatment Specialist Utility Operator Utility Worker Waste Disposal Plant Operator Waste Treatment Operator Waste Water Operator Waste Water Technician (Waste Water Tech) Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator (WWTP Operator) Wastewater Operator (WW Operator) Wastewater Plant Operator Wastewater Technician (Wastewater Tech) Wastewater Treatment Operator Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator (WWTP Operator) Water Control Dispatcher Water Distribution Operator Water Engineer Water Filterer Water Filtration Technician (Water Filtration Tech) Water Operator Water Plant Operator Water Pump Operator Water Pumper Water Purifier Operator Water Quality Technician (Water Quality Tech) Water Reclamation Systems Operator Water Supply Technician (Water Supply Tech) Water System Operator Water Technician (Water Tech) Water Treatment Operator Water Treatment Plant Operator Water Treatment Specialist Water Treatment Technician (Water Treatment Tech) Watershed Tender Waterworks Employee Waterworks Operator Waterworks Pump Station Operator

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.