Water Treatment Plant Operator

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing.
Our teams are committed to customer service, operational excellence and delivering high-quality, reliable drinking water and other water-related management services.
Our primary business involves the ownership of water and wastewater utilities that provide water and wastewater services to residential, commercial and industrial customers, treating and delivering more than 1 billion gallons of water per day.

Primary Role

• Operates and controls plant machinery and equipment to purify and clarify water for human consumption and commercial and industrial use.
• Remotely controls distribution pumps, tanks, and equipment to maintain water and fire service in the distribution system.
• Monitors and tests water quality to ensure safe water quality.Key Accountabilities
• ​​​​​​Monitors SCADA to operate and control electric motors, pumps, valves, and filters to regulate flow of water through the plant.
• Dumps specified amount of chemicals, such as polymer, salt, and potassium permanganate into chemical feeders.
• Makes adjustments to same devices to control the amount of chemical admitted into tanks, clearwells, and pipelines to disinfect, deodorize, clarify, and purify the water. (20%)
• Controls, operates, and monitors mixers, vacuum pumps, sludge blanket levels, sludge blanket concentrations and sludge removal to clarify the water.
• Monitors SCADA to remotely adjust and control pumps, motors, and chemical feed equipment, to regulate pressures, water elevations, flow of water, and quality of water in the distribution system. (10%)
• Monitors filter operation to maintain water quality and determine backwashing scheduling.
• Collects and tests water samples from various process points to determine acidity, color, turbidity, pH, bacteria content, treatment application, odor, and other impurities, using various laboratory equipment such as electrodes, colorimeters, mixers, turbidimeters, titrators, mixers and hot plates. (35%)
• Maintains and tests online analytical instruments monitoring water quality.
• Records data such as test results, chemical dosages, weights, and volumes, water quality information, operational problems, and compliance monitoring as required by various State and Federal regulations. (16%)
• Responds to consumer complaints, emergencies, answers telephone or makes notification to appropriate supervisors about same.
• Loads / unloads / receives chemicals and materials used to purify and operate the water treatment systems.
• Cleans and maintains work place. (12%)
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor. (7%)Work Environment
• Work is both inside and outside: a job is considered “both” if the activities occur inside or outside in approximately equal amounts.
• Wet and humid: Wet: Contact with water or other liquids. Humid:
• Atmospheric condition with moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.
• Noise and Vibration: Sufficient noise, either constant or intermittent, to cause marked distraction or possible injury to the sense of hearing, and/or sufficient vibration (production of an oscillating movement or strain on the body or its extremes from repeated motion or shock) to cause bodily harm if endured day after day.
• Hazards: Situations in which the individual is exposed to the definite risk of bodily injury.
• Exposure to: Odors, toxic conditions, chemical dust or dust or poor ventilation.Experience/Education
• High school graduate or equivalent required.
• Specific Vocational Preparation includes an occupationally significant combination of vocational education, apprentice training, in-plant training, on-the-job training, or essential experience in less responsible jobs.
• Company, state, federal, private, or county sponsored courses will be attended to improve job skills.
• Over one year of water treatment experience required.Shift/Schedule
• 24/7 operation
• Weekly rotation swing shift
• 1st shift: 7:00am - 3:00pm
• 2nd shift: 3:00pm - 11:00pm
• 3rd shift: 11:00pm - 7:00amLicenses/Certifications
• PA Class A Water Treatment License preferred or ability to obtain within 3-years.
• An active, state driver's license required and ability to pass motor vehicle background check.Competencies
• Champions safety
• Collaborates
• Cultivates innovation
• Customer obsessed
• Drives Results
• Nimble learning