Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator
Other Titles
Plant Operator, Process Operator, Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator, Wastewater Operator, Water Control Dispatcher, Water Plant Operator, Water Treatment Operator, Water Treatment Plant Operator
Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.
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.
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.
Maintain, repair, and lubricate equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
Clean and maintain tanks, filter beds, and other work areas, using hand tools and power tools.
Direct and coordinate plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities.
Operation Monitoring→ Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control→ Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Quality Control Analysis→ Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance→ Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing→ Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Troubleshooting→ Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Mathematics→ Using mathematics to solve problems.
Systems Evaluation→ Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Controlling Machines and Processes→ Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment→ Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic principles.
Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment→ Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical principles.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Handling and Moving Objects→ Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Performing General Physical Activities→ Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Assisting and Caring for Others→ Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment→ Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Operate chemical processing or water treatment systems or equipment.
Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
Record operational or production data.
Inspect production equipment.
Maintain production or processing equipment.
Lubricate production equipment.
Repair production equipment or tools.
Clean production equipment.
Clean work areas.
Direct operational or production activities.
Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Perceptual Speed→ The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Control Precision→ The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Far Vision→ The ability to see details at a distance.
Manual Dexterity→ The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Chemistry→ Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Biology→ Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Mechanical→ Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Mathematics→ Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing→ Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Public Safety and Security→ Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Engineering and Technology→ Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Clerical→ Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Compliance software -- Material safety data sheet software
Database user interface and query software -- Data logging software; Database software
Document management software -- Records management software
Electronic mail software -- e.g., Microsoft Outlook
Industrial control software -- Human machine interface HMI software; Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software; Wastewater expert control systems
Office suite software -- e.g., Microsoft Office
Presentation software -- e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint
Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Microsoft Excel
Time accounting software -- Timekeeping software
Word processing software -- e.g., Microsoft Word
Air samplers or collectors→ Air monitoring equipment; Emissions monitoring systems
Ammonia removal equipment→ Denitrification equipment
Atomic absorption AA spectrometers→ Atomic absorption AA spectrophotometers
Autosamplers
Bacterial removal equipment→ Air strippers; Fixed-film reactors
Blowers
Carbon filtration equipment→ Absorption equipment
Centrifugal pumps
Chemical pumps→ Chemical feed pumps; Chemical feeding equipment
Chlorine handling equipment→ Dechlorination equipment; Disinfection chlorinators; Sulphonators
Colorimeters
Conductivity meters
Conveyor screw→ Conveyor control equipment
Desktop computers
Digital camcorders or video cameras→ Pipe inspection video equipment
Dissolved oxygen meters→ Biochemical oxygen demand analyzers
Drain or pipe cleaning equipment→ Pipe cleaning equipment
Flow sensors→ Ultrasonic flowmeters
Furnaces
Grit chambers→ Grit separators
Heat exchangers
Hydraulic pumps
Hydrocarbons analyzers or detectors→ Hydrocarbon analyzers; Total petroleum hydrocarbon TPH analyzers
Incinerators
Lift stations
Microcontrollers→ Ion exchangers; Remote terminal unit pump control equipment
Mixers or agitators→ Aerators; Agitators; Flocculators
Nitrogen or nitrate or nitrite analyzer→ Ammonium analyzers; Nitrate analyzers
Notebook computers
Odor control equipment
Oil content monitors analyzers→ Oil-in-water monitors; Total oil and grease analyzers
Organic carbon analyzers→ Carbon analyzers; Total organic carbon TOC analyzers
Oxygen gas analyzers→ Chemical oxygen demand testing equipment
Oxygen generators→ Aeration compressors; Diffusors
Packaged water treatment systems→ Anaerobic treatment equipment; Sequential batch reactors
pH meters→ pH analyzers
Positive displacement pumps
Screw Pumps→ Incline screw pumps
Sedimentological analyzing unit→ Settleometers
Single gas monitors→ Chlorine analyzers
Sludge collectors→ Clarifiers; Incline plate clarifiers
Sludge disposal equipment→ Sludge injectors
Sludge or sewage digesters→ Aerobic digesters; Sludge digesters
Sludge or sewage removal equipment→ Scum ejectors
Sludge pelletizers→ Filter belt presses; Plate and frame presses
Sludge shredders→ Comminutors
Toxicology analyzers→ Toxic gas analyzers
Turbidimeters→ Suspended solid measurement equipment
Ultrafiltration equipment→ Backwash filters; Microstrainers; Trickling filter beds; Vacuum filters (see all 6 examples)
Ultraviolet disinfection equipment→ Ultraviolet UV disinfection systems
Valve actuators
Water conditioners→ Ammoniators
Water purification equipment→ Flotation equipment; Rotating biological contactors
Water samplers→ Composite samplers; Wastewater samplers
Water treatment dryers→ Water treatment evaporators
Wet scrubbers→ Scrubbers
Realistic→ Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative→ Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising→ Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Support→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.