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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wastewater Planner

💰 $75,000 - $110,000

EngineeringEnvironmentalPublic WorksPlanning

🎯 Role Definition

The Wastewater Planner develops strategic, technical, and financial plans for wastewater collection, conveyance, and treatment systems to ensure regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and long-term infrastructure sustainability. This role combines hydraulic and water-quality modeling, capital program development, permitting and regulatory navigation (NPDES/Clean Water Act), grant and funding strategy, asset management, and public/stakeholder engagement to translate policy and community goals into deliverable projects and budgets.

Primary SEO / LLM keywords: Wastewater Planner, wastewater planning, sewer master plan, hydraulic modeling, NPDES, capital improvement plan (CIP), collection system, I/I reduction, asset management, stormwater, green infrastructure, sewer rehabilitation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Civil Engineer (Wastewater emphasis)
  • Environmental Planner or Water Resources Technician
  • Collection System or Operations Technician with planning exposure

Advancement To:

  • Senior Wastewater Planner / Lead Planner
  • Utilities or Public Works Program Manager
  • Capital Program Manager, Asset Management Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Stormwater Planner / Stormwater Program Manager
  • Asset Management Specialist or GIS/Operations Integration Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead the development and update of comprehensive wastewater master plans and sewer system management plans that evaluate long-term capacity needs, regulatory drivers, growth forecasts, and capital investment priorities for municipal and regional wastewater systems.
  • Perform hydraulic and hydrologic modeling of collection systems and treatment plant processes using EPA SWMM, InfoWater, SewerGEMS, WaterGEMS, HEC-RAS (as applicable), and other modeling tools to identify bottlenecks, surcharge locations, and future capacity requirements.
  • Produce detailed Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) that prioritize sewer rehabilitation, conveyance upgrades, pump station improvements, and treatment expansions; prepare multi-year budgets, phasing strategies, and cost estimates using unit cost databases and historical project costs.
  • Prepare permit applications, regulatory reports, and compliance documentation for NPDES permits, pretreatment programs, biosolids management, and other federal, state, and local wastewater-related regulations; coordinate with regulatory agencies until permit issuance.
  • Develop and implement inflow and infiltration (I/I) reduction programs including prioritization of CCTV inspection, smoke testing, manhole inspection, sewer lining, and spot repairs to extend asset life and reduce treatment costs.
  • Lead sewer capacity analyses and scenario planning for new development, annexation, and master-planned growth; coordinate with planning departments and private developers to establish sewer service agreements and design conditions.
  • Oversee condition assessment programs for collection system assets and pump stations, including CCTV review, structural assessment, and development of risk-based rehabilitation or replacement strategies tied to an asset management plan.
  • Coordinate capital project design and delivery with internal engineering design teams, external consultants, contractors, and construction inspectors; review engineering plans, specifications, and cost estimates for consistency with master plan goals.
  • Manage and prepare grant applications, low-interest loan applications, and other funding strategies for wastewater projects (state revolving funds, FEMA, USDA, EPA grants), including grant writing, budgeting, and compliance reporting.
  • Establish and maintain GIS databases for sewer lines, manholes, pump stations, sewer basins, and asset attributes; create maps, spatial analyses, and data visualizations to support planning decisions and public communication.
  • Design and implement monitoring and sampling programs to support source tracking, inflow investigations, combined sewer overflow (CSO) studies, and regulatory compliance monitoring; coordinate laboratory testing and QA/QC procedures.
  • Lead public engagement, stakeholder coordination, and community outreach activities including public meetings, advisory committees, developer coordination, and interagency workshops to build consensus on sewer upgrades and rate impacts.
  • Prepare technical memoranda, environmental assessments, CEQA/NEPA support documentation, and public-facing reports that translate complex engineering analyses into clear recommendations, timelines, and cost implications.
  • Perform life-cycle cost analysis, cash-flow modeling, rate study support, and financial planning that align CIP priorities with sewer rate structures, connection fees, and municipal budget constraints.
  • Implement green infrastructure and low-impact development (LID) strategies as part of integrated watershed and sewer planning to reduce peak flows, improve water quality, and maximize grant opportunities tied to sustainability.
  • Develop emergency response planning and continuity-of-operations procedures for sewer overflows, pump station failures, and extreme weather events; coordinate with operations teams on contingency pumping, bypassing, and rapid repairs.
  • Coordinate pretreatment program enforcement, industrial user permitting, and source control efforts to protect treatment plant performance and comply with influent limits.
  • Support procurement, contract administration, and consultant selection processes including scopes of work, evaluation criteria, and contract oversight to ensure deliverables meet schedule and budget.
  • Maintain and apply current knowledge of federal, state, and local wastewater policies, funding programs, and regulatory trends (e.g., nutrient limits, emerging contaminants) to proactively plan capital and compliance projects.
  • Supervise or mentor junior planners, technicians, and interns; review technical work products, provide technical guidance on modeling and planning tasks, and foster cross-functional collaboration across engineering and operations.
  • Integrate SCADA, telemetry, and operational data into planning analyses to align capital projects with operational performance improvements and to inform pump station and force main design.
  • Conduct sewer overflow and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action planning to minimize environmental impacts and regulatory liability.
  • Develop procurement cost estimates, perform bid evaluations, and provide construction phase support including submittal reviews, RFIs, change order analysis, and final acceptance documentation.
  • Coordinate with land use planners, transportation engineers, and utility providers during roadway projects to ensure sewer infrastructure is protected, relocated, or upgraded in coordination with other capital programs.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Advise finance and billing teams on capital project cash flow impacts and recommended reserve policies.
  • Assist legal teams with easement acquisition language, right-of-way coordination, and encroachment agreements.
  • Represent the utility at regional technical committees, state working groups, and stakeholder coalitions on wastewater planning topics.
  • Maintain vendor and contractor relationships to ensure access to specialized inspection, modeling, and rehabilitation services.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced hydraulic and hydrologic modeling experience (EPA SWMM, InfoWater/InfoSWMM, SewerGEMS, WaterGEMS).
  • Strong knowledge of wastewater treatment processes and plant operations to translate treatment constraints into planning recommendations.
  • Experience preparing and managing NPDES permits, pretreatment permits, and related regulatory compliance documentation.
  • Capital improvement planning and life-cycle cost analysis; experience developing multi-year CIP budgets and prioritization frameworks.
  • Proficiency with GIS (ArcGIS, QGIS) for asset mapping, basin delineation, and spatial analysis.
  • Familiarity with condition assessment tools and CCTV data interpretation; knowledge of rehabilitation methods (CIPP, slip-lining, point repairs).
  • Experience with grant writing and funding programs (SRF, EPA grants, FEMA, USDA) and federal/state financing processes.
  • Strong technical writing skills to produce master plans, environmental documents (CEQA/NEPA coordination), technical memos, and public reports.
  • Competency with asset management systems and CMMS (CityWorks, Cartegraph, Infor EAM) for priority setting and performance monitoring.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Excel (advanced modeling, pivot tables), MS Project, and presentation tools; basic scripting (Python, R) or database (SQL) skills are a plus.
  • Familiarity with SCADA, telemetry data integration, and operational performance metrics.
  • Understanding of permitting and regulatory drivers for nutrients, pathogens, and emerging contaminants.
  • Experience conducting sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) investigations and corrective action planning.

Soft Skills

  • Clear, persuasive communication for technical and non-technical audiences; experience leading public meetings and stakeholder workshops.
  • Strong project management skills: schedule development, risk management, budget control, and deliverable tracking.
  • Analytical problem-solving with an aptitude for translating data into actionable plans and prioritized investments.
  • Collaboration and cross-functional leadership across engineering, operations, planning, finance, and legal teams.
  • Negotiation and consensus-building when balancing competing priorities among stakeholders and funding constraints.
  • Attention to detail coupled with the ability to synthesize complex information into executive summaries.
  • Adaptability and resilience when responding to emergency events, regulatory changes, or shifting project scopes.
  • Coaching and mentorship skills for developing junior staff and fostering a learning environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Water Resources, Urban Planning, or closely related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering, Water Resources, Urban/Environmental Planning, or MBA with infrastructure finance emphasis.
  • Professional licensure (PE) in Civil or Environmental Engineering is strongly preferred for design-review and stamp authority.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering (Water/Wastewater specialization)
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Urban / Environmental Planning
  • Public Administration (infrastructure finance emphasis)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8+ years of progressively responsible experience in wastewater planning, hydraulic modeling, or municipal/public works projects.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years experience in municipal wastewater master planning or consultant roles directly supporting sewer utilities.
  • Demonstrated experience delivering multi-million dollar CIPs, securing external funding, and coordinating complex permitting.
  • Prior experience working with collection systems operations teams, construction management, and public outreach.
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