DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

51-8031 Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators

Occupational Description:

Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
Wages Updated to First Quarter, 2013
					Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	Mean SE*	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
EDR 10 - Southeast	200	26	$23.43/hr	$0.66/hr	$18.89/hr	$20.55/hr	$23.29/hr	$26.75/hr	$28.86/hr
Minnesota	2,710	179	$23.24/hr	$0.30/hr	$16.58/hr	$19.97/hr	$24.00/hr	$27.07/hr	$28.92/hr
U S	108,440	1,193	$21.74/hr	$0.09/hr	$12.59/hr	$16.12/hr	$20.83/hr	$26.62/hr	$33.03/hr
*SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate.

Leading Industries for Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators
Industry	OES Employment	OES Median Wage
Public Administration	230	$23.41/hr

Other Regional Data For Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators
Geography (click title for details)	OES		Projections
Geography (click title for details)	Employment	Median Wage	% Change -
EDR 11 - 7 County Twin Cities	1,020	$26.19/hr	N/A
EDR 3 - Arrowhead	260	$23.29/hr	N/A
EDR 9 - South Central	220	$22.39/hr	N/A
EDR 10 - Southeast	200	$23.29/hr	N/A
EDR 4 - West Central	170	$20.41/hr	N/A
EDR 7W- Central	150	$23.01/hr	N/A
EDR 5 - North Central	110	$22.33/hr	N/A
EDR 1 - Northwest	110	$20.69/hr	N/A
EDR 8 - Southwest	80	$17.58/hr	N/A
EDR 2 - Headwaters	70	$18.24/hr	N/A
EDR 6E- Southwest Central	60	$21.88/hr	N/A
EDR 6W- Upper Minnesota Valley	40	$18.83/hr	N/A
EDR 7E- East Central	40	$23.48/hr	N/A

Related Occupations
Occupation (click title for details)	OES		Projections
Occupation (click title for details)	Employment	Median Wage	% Change -
Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	170	$17.53/hr	N/A
Maintenance Workers, Machinery	120	$18.12/hr	N/A
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	50	$19.49/hr	N/A
Gas Plant Operators	N/A	$33.88/hr	N/A

Tasks for Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators

Operates and adjusts controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power.
Records operational data, personnel attendance, and meter and gauge readings on specified forms.
Maintains, repairs, and lubricates equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
Cleans and maintains tanks and filter beds, using hand tools and power tools.
Directs and coordinates plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities.
Collects and tests water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.
Inspects equipment and monitors operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.
Adds chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, and lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.