Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators *
 
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
(O*NET 51-8031.00, SOC 51-8031)
What they do
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
 
Also called:
Plant Operator, Process Operator (Process Op), Relief Operator, SCADA Operator (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Operator), Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator (WWTP Operator), Wastewater Operator (WW Operator), Water Control Dispatcher, Water Plant Operator, Water Treatment Operator, Water Treatment Plant Operator
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2022
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 21.90   $45,550  
25% $ 23.70   $49,290  
Median $ 27.01   $56,190  
75% $ 29.97   $62,340  
90% $ 32.43   $67,460  
 
Average $ 27.08   $56,330  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals
74%
  • Utilities
13%
  • Waste management and remediation services
2%
  • Food manufacturing
2%
  • Self-employed workers
1%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • 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.
  • Public Safety and Security
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Operations 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.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • 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.
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 335
2030 employment 347
Annual percent change
(compounded)
0.4%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
32
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    High school diploma or equivalent
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Long-term on-the-job training
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
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 materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Important
  • Level of activity is Moderate
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require over 1 year up to and including 2 years of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  0%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  0%
Bachelor's degree   1%
Associate's degree   13%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  45%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  42%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Licensing
Vermont may require an occupational license:
Select a license for details
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • 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).
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Processing Information
    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
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This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor