Occupation Profile

Industries Employing

Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant Workers

(SOC Code : 51-8031)

in California

Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or liquid waste.

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Long-term on-the-job training (> 12 months) .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2023	1st Qtr	$39.03	$30.49	$39.41	$47.45

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Total Job Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2018 - 2028	11,300	10,700	-600	-5.3	9,400

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

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Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Water Treatment Operator

State Water Resources Control Board
Division of Financial Assistance
Drinking Operator Certification Program
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/operator_certification/operator_certification.shtml

Distribution System Operator

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

State Water Resources Control Board
Division of Financial Assistance
Wastewater Operator Certification Unit
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/operator_certification/operator_certification.shtml

About Licenses

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Water Quality & Wastewater Treatment Management & Recycling

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

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.

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.

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.

More Tasks for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Top Skills used in this Job

Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

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.

Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

More Skills for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Data for Abilities not available.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

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.

Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

More Interests for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Alternate Titles

Process Operators; Wastewater Operators; Wastewater Treatment Operators; Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators; Water Plant Operators; Water Treatment Plant Operators