The specific duties of a systems operator in a water and wastewater treatment plant will vary according to the size of the plant. If you are hired to work in a small plant, you may have the sole responsibility for all the tasks of maintaining the equipment, obtaining samples and performing laboratory analysis and reporting the results. In larger plants, you may have responsibility of only one facet of the duties that come with this type of job. Some of the typical duties of a systems operator include overseeing that the pumps, valves, motors, mixers and chemical feeding devices are controlled and operate in the proper manner. The equipment controls may need adjustments to purify the water and to control the amounts of air and solids that pass through it.
Daily reading of meters and gauges on the machinery is a task of the position of systems operator in a water and wastewater treatment plant. Chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine and lime, have to be added to the water at regular intervals and all the tanks, basins and tools must be cleaned after each use. One of the supervisory duties that a systems operator in this setting performs is to supervise the work of other workers in the plant.
To become a systems operator in a water and waste treatment plant, you need either a Bachelor’s degree or an Associate’s degree. The coursework you take for this must include courses in biology, chemistry, physics and microbiology. You should be able to detect problems with little difficulty and good eyesight to be able to read the various meters and gauges. Proficiency in the use of the automated computer systems and software used in these facilities is also essential. In times when computer systems may not be operating, you should be able to operate the equipment manually.
The ability to read charts and graphs is another requirement for the position of a systems operator in a water and wastewater treatment plant. When machinery breaks down, the operator must be able to effect temporary or permanent repairs and therefore knowledge of the construction of the equipment is necessary. In keeping with the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, system operators must be licensed in this profession by passing an exam. The requirements for this certification vary from state to state, so you need to check the regulations for your state to make sure you have the proper credentials.
