Austin Water Treatment Operations & Maintenance Technician Associate – Water Treatment Plants

About This Position

For more than 100 years, Austin Water has provided safe, reliable, high‑quality and affordable water services to our customers. Today, we serve more than 1 million people across 544 square miles in the Austin metropolitan area. Austin Water has three water treatment plants:
Handcox, Davis, and Ullrich. These facilities draw water from the Colorado River, filter and treat it according to federal and state standards to provide safe drinking water for the community. Walnut Creek and South Austin Regional are Austin Water's two wastewater treatment plants. These sites can receive up to 150 million gallons per day of sewage to treat before it is returned to the Colorado River.

Austin Water's biosolids facility, Hornsby Bend, receives sludge generated by the treatment processes at the wastewater plants and uses it to create compost for land application and public sales. More than a billion gallons of this high‑quality effluent are reclaimed each year for outdoor irrigation, industrial cooling, manufacturing, and other uses. Austin Water consistently ranks among the best in the country when it comes to water quality.

We also treat, return, and recycle wastewater in ways that protect environmental resources. Austin Water exceeds federal and state requirements for clean water and environmental compliance at our water and wastewater treatment plants.

Under close supervision, this position performs routine tasks to provide operational and general maintenance support at a water or wastewater treatment plant, wastewater collection, water distribution systems facility, stormwater pump station, or remote stormwater facility, and work in teams to assist with more complex tasks. Performs in both operations and maintenance disciplines to develop competency in both disciplines.

• Assist with process control tasks such as basic flow control, sampling, basic laboratory testing, normal operations of pumps and blowers, and adjusting chemical feeds.
• Assist with preventative maintenance tasks such as lubrication; changing equipment oil/fluids; and installing packing, bearings, and seals.
• Assist with predictive and corrective maintenance on specialized equipment such as pumps, blowers, clarifiers, and valves.
• Assist with routine rounds of the facilities to monitor treatment process and identify process anomalies or mechanical problems with plant equipment.
• Monitor data from SCADA systems and computerized control systems, instrument panels, and gauges in order to make basic process changes as directed.
• Maintain plant operations and maintenance records using log books, databases, and spreadsheets.
• Act as member of Confined Space Entry Team and may serve as entrant or assistant.

• Knowledge of general maintenance processes and procedures.
• Knowledge of basic math including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, decimalized numbers, fractions, and percents.
• Skill in using computers and related software.
• Skill in using hand tools and power tools.
• Skill in operating a motor vehicle and motorized equipment.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to read and follow technical guidelines and standard operating procedures.
• Ability to take simple readings from meters, gauges, control panels, and testing and monitoring equipment.
• Ability to meet and maintain driver eligibility standards detailed in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program.

Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus one (1) year of experience in a similar work environment such as stormwater pump stations, process control, plant operations, construction, or in the operation, repair and maintenance of mechanical or industrial equipment. Thirty (30) semester hours of relevant formal education from an accredited institute may substitute for one (1) year of work experience.

• Must obtain appropriate TCEQ License as specified by position within one (1) year of employment:
  Water Treatment Plant: TCEQ Class D Water Operator License. Must obtain the appropriate…