Water & Liquid Waste Treatment Plant & System Operator

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operator could...

Overview Listen to this section

Have you ever wondered what happens to that soapy water from your kitchen sink or laundry room washer, or the waste water from your bathroom? What about the water that factories discharge after making products? Or the water that runs off of roads and farmlands after a big storm? Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators run the amazing water treatment plants that remove pollutants and other harmful materials from waste water, so that it can be safely returned to the environment. These operators provide essential services that everyone in the community depends on every day to keep our water supply safe and clean.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Water & Liquid Waste Treatment Plant & System Operator?

1. Operation Monitoring: ? Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
2. Operation and Control: ? Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
3. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
4. Quality Control Analysis: ? Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
5. 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.

6. Troubleshooting: ? Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
7. Equipment Maintenance: ? Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
8. Repairing: ? Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
9. Speaking: ? Talking to others to convey information effectively.
10. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Water & Liquid Waste Treatment Plant & System Operator might do:

• 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.