Careers · Explore one path
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.
Other titles employers use
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
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Equipment Maintenance
Subjects to know
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Administration and Management
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.7 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.4 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.5 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 50%
- A certificate or some college 46%
- A two-year degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Industrial control software
- Geographic information system
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 9,890
- Job openings each year
- 930
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 1.5%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 9,890 | 930 | 1.5% |
| California | 9,700 | 870 | −4.9% |
| Florida | 7,310 | 680 | −1.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,800 | 520 | −5.8% |
| New York | 4,870 | 20 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 4,830 | 430 | −5.8% |
| Ohio | 4,570 | 410 | −7.5% |
| North Carolina | 3,280 | 310 | 1.9% |
| Georgia | 3,150 | 300 | 4.0% |
| Tennessee | 3,140 | 300 | 4.7% |
| Arizona | 2,980 | 270 | −4.2% |
| Michigan | 2,980 | 260 | −10.8% |
| Virginia | 2,910 | 260 | −5.5% |
| Missouri | 2,780 | 250 | −3.5% |
| Washington | 2,780 | 300 | 9.0% |
| Oklahoma | 2,750 | 260 | — |
| Indiana | 2,710 | 240 | −6.6% |
| Colorado | 2,650 | 250 | 2.7% |
| South Carolina | 2,600 | 240 | — |
| Alabama | 2,390 | 220 | −5.2% |
| New Jersey | 2,380 | 220 | −5.2% |
| Kentucky | 2,220 | 200 | −4.7% |
| Minnesota | 2,200 | 200 | −4.8% |
| Arkansas | 2,120 | 200 | −2.3% |
| Iowa | 2,110 | 190 | −2.8% |
| Wisconsin | 1,940 | 170 | −6.3% |
| Louisiana | 1,930 | 180 | −3.5% |
| Utah | 1,830 | 180 | 8.3% |
| Maryland | 1,760 | 160 | — |
| Kansas | 1,570 | 140 | −4.8% |
| Mississippi | 1,550 | 140 | — |
| Idaho | 1,530 | 140 | 1.3% |
| New Mexico | 1,370 | 130 | −1.4% |
| Puerto Rico | 1,120 | 100 | −4.3% |
| Oregon | 1,100 | 110 | 3.8% |
| Massachusetts | 1,080 | 100 | −4.4% |
| West Virginia | 1,060 | 90 | −6.2% |
| Connecticut | 950 | 90 | — |
| South Dakota | 920 | 90 | 3.4% |
| Nebraska | 720 | 70 | −4.0% |
| North Dakota | 700 | 60 | −4.1% |
| Alaska | 560 | 50 | 7.7% |
| Montana | 560 | 50 | 3.7% |
| Nevada | 560 | 50 | −1.8% |
| Wyoming | 490 | 50 | −2.0% |
| New Hampshire | 400 | 40 | −2.4% |
| Maine | 350 | 30 | −5.4% |
| Rhode Island | 340 | 30 | −2.9% |
| Delaware | 310 | 30 | — |
| Vermont | 270 | 30 | 3.8% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Appalachian State University
- Degrees each year
- 55
- Admit rate
- 89%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Degrees each year
- 15
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Rochester Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 11
- Admit rate
- 71%
- Annual cost after aid
- $29,000
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
- Degrees each year
- 6
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
- Degrees each year
- 5
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
The Catholic University of America
- Degrees each year
- 1
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $25,000
Compare every college offering environmental control technologies/technicians