Production
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
Median pay
$60,020
Growth to 2035
−6%
declining
Openings a year
10,000
Time to qualify*
12 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators: 33% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.
- Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power.
- Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms.
- Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.
- Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.
- 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.
- Maintain, repair, and lubricate equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
Also called: Plant Operator · Process Operator (Process Op) · Relief Operator · Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator (WWTP Operator) · Wastewater Operator (WW Operator) · Wastewater Technician (Wastewater Tech) · Water Control Dispatcher · Water Plant Operator
Outlook and AI
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators held 131,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 123,500 by 2035 (−6%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as improved equipment monitoring systems reduce the need to manually check plant equipment.
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