Wastewater treatment technician

Wastewater treatment technicians aid wastewater treatment operators in the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment equipment and the purification procedure of wastewater in sewage plants. They perform repair duties.

Excludes wastewater treatment operator.

The duties of a wastewater treatment technician typically include, but are not limited to:

• Performing routine maintenance on wastewater treatment systems
• Conducting regular tests on the treated wastewater to ensure it meets environmental standards
• Troubleshooting and repairing any issues with the wastewater treatment systems
• Monitoring the levels of chemicals used in the wastewater treatment process
• Ensuring the safe disposal of any hazardous materials used in the wastewater treatment process
• Maintaining accurate records of all maintenance and repairs performed on the wastewater treatment systems

The following job titles also refer to wastewater treatment technician:

wastewater treatment monitoring technician
water plant monitoring technician
water plant equipment maintenance technician
water plant maintenance technician
wastewater quality tester
wastewater treatment plant operator
waste water technician
water treatment system technician
wastewater treatment quality technician
sewage plant technician
sewage treatment plant technician
wastewater treatment plant worker
water plant measurement technician
wastewater safety technician
water plant quality technician
wastewater treatment plant technician
wastewater treatment sampling monitoring technician
wastewater safety tester
wastewater quality technician
water plant repair technician

Wastewater treatment technicians often work in industrial settings such as wastewater treatment plants, factories, or refineries. The job may require working in confined spaces or around hazardous chemicals, so following strict safety protocols is crucial. Wastewater treatment technicians may also need to work in shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to become a wastewater treatment technician. Many employers also require an associate degree in a related field, such as environmental science or chemistry. In addition to formal education, on-the-job training is also essential to become proficient in the job duties of a wastewater treatment technician.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Wastewater treatment technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to wastewater treatment technician.

wastewater treatment operator
water plant technician
water engineering technician
groundwater monitoring technician
heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration engineering technician

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of wastewater treatment technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of wastewater treatment technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

water quality analyst
geochemist
mud logger
steam engineer
water treatment plant manager

These skills are necessary for the role of wastewater treatment technician.

• Interpret scientific data to assess water quality: Analyse and interpret data like biological properties to know the quality of water.
• Maintain records of maintenance interventions: Keep written records of all repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, including information on the parts and materials used, etc.
• Resolve equipment malfunctions: Identify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions; communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.
• Maintain water treatment equipment: Perform repairs and routine maintenance tasks on equipment used in the purification and treatment processes of water and waste water.
• Report test findings: Report test results with a focus on findings and recommendations, differentiating results by levels of severity. Include relevant information from the test plan and outline the test methodologies, using metrics, tables, and visual methods to clarify where needed.
• Use testing equipment: Use equipment to test the performance and operation of machinery.
• Maintain specified water characteristics: Turn valves and place baffles in troughs to adjust the volume, depth, discharge, and temperature of water as specified.
• Ensure equipment maintenance: Ensure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or flaws.
• Replace machines: Evaluate when to invest in replacing machines or machine tools and take the necessary actions.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work, including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Maintain desalination control system: Maintain a system to obtain potable water from saline water.
• Monitor water quality: Measure water quality: temperature, oxygen, salinity, pH, N2, NO2, NH4, CO2, turbidity, and chlorophyll. Monitor microbiological water quality.
• Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of wastewater treatment technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Laboratory techniques: Techniques applied in the different fields of natural science to obtain experimental data, such as gravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, electronic or thermic methods.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of wastewater treatment technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
• Use water disinfection equipment: Operate equipment for water disinfection, using different methods and techniques, such as mechanical filtration, depending on needs.
• Operate pumping equipment: Operate pumping equipment; oversee gas and oil transport from wellheads to refineries or storage facilities.
• Perform water treatments: Perform regular water testing, ensuring that water management and filtration processes follow reasonable management practices, industry standards, or commonly accepted farming practices. Record previous water contaminations, the source of contamination, and the contamination remedied. Take mitigation measures to guard against further contamination.
• Operate water purifying equipment: Operate and adjust equipment controls to purify and clarify water, process and treat wastewater, air and solids, recycle or discharge treated water, and generate power.
• Maintain water storage equipment: Perform routine maintenance tasks, identify faults, and perform repairs on equipment that is used to store wastewater and water before treatment or distribution.
• Use personal protection equipment: Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.
• Operate sewage treatment plants on ships: Operate sewage treatment plants in ships, oversee plant maintenance, understand the mechanical functioning of the machine, and comply with regulatory mandates of materials discharge to the sea.
• Dispose of sewage sludge: Operate equipment to pump the sewage sludge and store it in containers to transform the gases it emits into energy. After this phase, dry the sludge and evaluate its potential reuse as fertilizer. Dispose of the sludge if it contains hazardous elements.
• Test samples for pollutants: Measure concentrations of pollutants within samples. Calculate air pollution or gas flow in industrial processes. Identify potential safety or health risks such as radiation.
• Ensure proper water storage: Ensure that correct procedures are followed and the required equipment is present and functional for water storage before treatment or distribution.
• Perform sample testing: Examine and perform tests on prepared samples; avoid any possibility of accidental or deliberate contamination during the testing phase. Operate sampling equipment in line with design parameters.
• Operate hydraulic machinery controls: Use the controls of specialized machinery correctly by turning valves, handwheels, or rheostats to move and control the flow of fuels, water, and dry or liquid binders to machines.
• Prepare samples for testing: Take and prepare samples for testing, verify their representability, avoid bias and any possibility of accidental or deliberate contamination. Provide clear numbering, labelling and recording of the sample details to make sure that the results can be accurately matched to the original material.
• Repair plumbing systems: Perform maintenance and repairs of pipes and drains designed for water distribution in public and private buildings.

3132 – Incinerator and water treatment plant operators

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References

1. Wastewater treatment technician – ESCO
2. How to Become a Wastewater Technician? | Indeed.com
3. Waste Water Treatment Technician | Job Description | Salary.com
4. Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Technicians – Firsthand.co