Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Water Plant Technician

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a Water Plant Technician to operate, maintain, and optimize drinking water and/or process water treatment systems. The ideal candidate will perform daily plant operations, execute routine and preventive maintenance on pumps, motors, valves and chemical feed equipment, collect and analyze water samples in the laboratory to ensure compliance with federal, state/provincial and local regulations, and support plant improvements. This role requires technical troubleshooting skills, familiarity with SCADA and PLC systems, accurate recordkeeping, and a commitment to safety and environmental compliance.

Keywords: water plant technician, water treatment operator, wastewater, SCADA, PLC, EPA compliance, chemical dosing, laboratory testing, preventive maintenance, pump repair, water quality.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Maintenance Technician or Mechanical Technician
Laboratory Technician or Water Quality Technician
Operator Trainee / Junior Water Treatment Operator

Advancement To:

Senior Water Plant Technician / Lead Operator
Water Treatment Plant Supervisor / Shift Lead
Operations Manager or Plant Superintendent
Environmental Compliance Specialist or Process Engineer

Lateral Moves:

Wastewater Treatment Technician / Operator
Distribution System Operator / Water Distribution Technician
Instrumentation & Controls Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Operate and monitor water treatment processes including coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, chlorination, UV disinfection, and chemical feed systems to ensure continuous production of safe drinking water and/or process water that meets regulatory standards.
Perform daily start‑up, shutdown and shift changeover procedures, log operational parameters, and adjust process controls to maintain target flow rates, residual disinfectant levels, turbidity, pH and other critical water quality metrics.
Conduct routine and preventative maintenance on pumps, motors, blowers, compressors, valves, chemical feed systems, clarifiers, filters and associated mechanical equipment to minimize downtime and extend equipment life.
Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical and control system issues including motors, drives, instrumentation, transmitters and PLC/SCADA screens; initiate repairs or coordinate with vendors and maintenance teams for complex fixes.
Collect representative raw, process and finished water samples and perform laboratory analyses (e.g., chlorine residual, turbidity, pH, alkalinity, hardness, TDS, microbiological tests) using standard methods to verify compliance with SDWA/EPA and local regulations.
Maintain accurate, clear and timely process logs, laboratory records, chain‑of‑custody forms and regulatory reports; prepare operational reports for supervisors and regulatory agencies as required.
Monitor and operate SCADA systems and control panels to track plant performance, alarms and process trends; perform basic PLC parameter adjustments and escalate programming changes to instrumentation specialists.
Calibrate and maintain field instrumentation and sensors including flow meters, pressure transducers, level sensors, turbidity meters and ORP/DO probes to ensure reliable process control and data integrity.
Manage chemical inventory, order supplies, and safely handle, store and dispense coagulants, polymers, disinfectants (chlorine, chlorine compounds), acids/bases and other treatment chemicals following MSDS and facility SOPs.
Execute confined space entry, lockout/tagout, hot work, and work permit procedures; wear appropriate PPE and follow safe work practices for energized equipment, chemical handling and hazardous atmospheres.
Respond to plant alarms, emergency bypasses, equipment failures and unscheduled events 24/7 as needed; perform emergency repairs and coordinate response with plant leadership and external contractors.
Participate in plant start‑ups, shutdowns, seasonal changes, and commissioning/retrofit projects including equipment installation, testing and acceptance to ensure minimal operational disruption.
Perform valve exercising, pipe flushing, and preventive maintenance programs for distribution points and plant piping to prevent fouling, corrosion and mechanical failure.
Support cross‑functional teams during capital improvements, process optimization initiatives and regulatory inspections; provide operator insight to engineers and project managers.
Train and mentor less experienced operators and technicians on standard operating procedures, sampling protocols, equipment operation, safety practices and emergency response.
Maintain grounds, clear debris, lubricate mechanical systems, and perform basic carpentry, welding or fabrication tasks as required to keep the plant clean, safe and operational.
Implement and monitor corrosion control, fluoride, and specialty chemical feed systems where applicable; adjust dosing strategies to meet customer and regulatory requirements.
Assist with backflow prevention, meter testing, and distribution system troubleshooting when required by the organization.
Participate in occupational health and safety programs, incident investigations, near‑miss reporting and behavior‑based safety observations to continuously improve workplace safety.
Work with environmental compliance staff to prepare and submit monitoring and compliance reports, assist during inspections and follow corrective actions for permits and violations.
Maintain proficiency in standard operating procedures (SOPs), emergency response plans, and water quality best practices; recommend updates to operating manuals and process documentation.
Utilize computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) to schedule, track and document maintenance tasks, parts usage and equipment history.
Coordinate routine and emergency maintenance with outside contractors, electricians, welders, and instrumentation vendors, ensuring work conforms to plant safety and quality standards.
Participate in continuous improvement activities such as root cause analysis, process audits, and optimization projects to reduce costs, improve reliability and increase treatment efficiency.

Secondary Functions

Assist with community/customer communications for planned shutdowns, boil water advisories, and service disruptions; provide clear updates to supervisors and public information officers.
Support asset management and spare parts planning by identifying critical spare parts and recommending stocking levels.
Perform data entry and basic data analysis to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and support process optimization efforts.
Contribute to training materials and operational checklists to standardize best practices across shifts.
Participate in occasional after‑hours meetings, emergency response drills and cross‑training to maintain a resilient operations team.
Support grant or project documentation by providing operational data, cost estimates and on‑site verification during funding or compliance reviews.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Valid State/Provincial Water Treatment Operator Certification (Class I, II or III) or the ability to obtain within a specified period — familiar with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)/EPA regulations.
Hands‑on experience operating municipal or industrial water/wastewater treatment processes (filtration, disinfection, coagulation, clarification).
SCADA and PLC operation and basic troubleshooting (HMI navigation, alarm acknowledgement, trend analysis).
Instrumentation calibration and diagnostics: flow meters, level sensors, pressure transducers, turbidity and chlorine analyzers.
Mechanical skills for pump and motor maintenance, bearing replacement, alignment, seal replacement and scheduled lubrication.
Chemical handling and dosing system operation (metering pumps, chemical feed lines, bulk storage safety).
Laboratory sampling and water quality testing per Standard Methods (chlorine residual, pH, turbidity, microbiological sampling).
Familiar with OSHA regulations, confined space entry procedures, LOTO (Lockout/Tagout) and PPE requirements.
Experience with CMMS (e.g., Maximo, Cartegraph, or equivalent) and basic MS Office for reporting (Excel, Word).
Basic electrical troubleshooting and ability to read wiring diagrams, control schematics and P&IDs.
Competence with preventative maintenance programs, reliability practices and spare parts management.
Familiarity with environmental permitting, reporting requirements and incident response documentation.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate recordkeeping and compliance.
Excellent problem solving and troubleshooting mindset under pressure.
Clear verbal and written communication skills for reporting, logs and coordination with regulators or contractors.
Team player who can work independently and collaboratively across shifts and departments.
Time management and prioritization to balance routine tasks, emergencies and project work.
Safety-conscious with the ability to promote and model safe work behaviors.
Customer-focused orientation when interacting with internal and external stakeholders.
Adaptability to after‑hours work, callouts and changing process conditions.
Initiative to suggest process improvements and contribute to continuous improvement projects.
Teaching and mentoring skills for training junior staff and cross-training colleagues.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED (required).

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or technical diploma in Water Technology, Environmental Science, Mechanical Technology, Industrial Maintenance, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Water/Wastewater Technology
Environmental Science or Engineering Technology
Mechanical or Electrical Technology
Instrumentation & Control Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1 to 5 years of hands‑on experience in water treatment, plant operations or industrial utilities. Municipal experience preferred.

Preferred:

3+ years operating municipal water treatment plants or industrial water systems with demonstrated experience in SCADA, lab testing, preventive maintenance and regulatory reporting.
Experience working rotating shifts, standby/on‑call rotations and emergency response preferred.
Possession of or progress toward higher operator certification levels (Class II/III) and additional credentials such as HAZWOPER, confined space, CPR/First Aid, and Forklift/Crane certifications considered a plus.