Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

This is skilled technical work in the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant. The position involves operating, monitoring, sampling, and controlling a wastewater treatment plant and associated equipment on an assigned shift. Duties include adjusting treatment processes to ensure conformance with water quality standards, participating in equipment and facility maintenance, and preparing operating records and reports. Employees may be required to work rotating or nonstandard shifts.

Work is performed independently under general supervision of the Plant Superintendent, evaluated for adherence to O.E.P.A. standards and correct responses to situations requiring changes in treatment procedures, through observation, inspection of facilities, and review of daily reports. Any one position may not include all of the specific duties listed, nor do the examples cover all the duties that may be performed.

• Participates in and controls the operation of treatment facilities and equipment to control the flow and processing of water or wastewater, sludge, and effluent; monitors gauges, meters, and control panels; observes variations in demand and operating conditions and interprets gauge and meter readings and test results to determine processing adjustments.
• Operates gates, valves, pumps, chemical feed equipment, and other controls, either manually or by remote control; starts and stops pumps to control and adjust flow and treatment processes; inspects equipment to detect possible malfunctions and records and reports repair service requirements; maintains logs of operations and operating adjustments; collects all types of water samples from plant and distribution system for analysis;
  
  performs standardized tests and records results.
• Maintains various data logs indicating flow into plant and amount discharged from the plant, and other records of equipment operation and maintenance; enters data into data processing equipment.
• When not on an assigned shift, routinely performs duties of the Plant Maintenance Mechanic II classification in maintaining plant, well fields, lift stations, pump stations and elevated tank equipment; may operate dump trucks, sludge trucks or a loader to handle and dispose of sludge; may perform duties in the plant laboratories.
• Performs inspections of equipment operating status; examines equipment for noise, excessive heat, vibrations or other operating defects.
• Conveys plant operating conditions to relieving operator, Assistant Plant Superintendent and Plant Superintendent.
• Performs all related work as assigned.

Graduation from high school, vocation school, or a GED, and experience in treatment plant maintenance and operation or equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed.

Must possess and maintain a valid Ohio driver's license and meet and maintain insurability under the City’s insurance plan.

• Wastewater Plant Operators are required to obtain Class II Ohio EPA certification in wastewater operation within 3 years of appointment.
• Water Plant Operators are required to obtain Class I Ohio EPA certification in water supply within 3 years of appointment, and to obtain certification of all chemical analysis required by the Ohio EPA for plant operations.
• Relief shift Operators at the Wastewater Treatment Plant must possess a Class "B" Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with tanker and air brake endorsements; 180 calendar days are given to obtain it if needed.

Requires the ability to pass a written exam with a minimum score of 70%.

If a qualified applicant has a disability, please notify the Human Resources Department at least one week prior to testing if requesting a reasonable accommodation for the testing process.

• Considerable knowledge of the principles, practices, plant functions, and methods related to the operation of the plant to which assigned.
• Knowledge of the functions and servicing requirements of mechanical equipment and machinery.
• Ability to perform routine chemical analysis.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from written and oral instruction governing operating procedures.
• Ability to read meters and charts…