Water Treatment Plant Operator
I-16I Other Semiconductor fab jobs · Start level · O*NET 51-8031.00
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $49,460
- work over
40 h a week - 33%
- load index
from O*NET data - 3.1/5
- Texas jobs
2024 to 2034 - +0.5%
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
Whole occupation: all Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000051803113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 10,520 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000051803101).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000051803113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 10,520 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000051803101).
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, not level-specific TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- +0.5% jobs · about 950 openings a year (10,480 jobs in 2024)
- United States
- -6.5% jobs · about 10,700 openings a year (132,400 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2025, n = 24 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2025, n = 24 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 57% · irregular 43% · seasonal 0%
Physical load 3.1 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.55, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.57, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.55, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.57, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing3.38
- Walking or running2.83
- Bending or twisting2.5
- Kneeling or crawling2.21
- Keeping balance2.21
- Climbing ladders2.17
Exposure
- Outdoors, all weather4.65
- Hazardous conditions4.17
- Hazardous equipment3.88
- Very hot or cold3.61
- Cramped space3.39
- High places2.71
- Protective gear2.58
Getting in
- License
- Texas: operators of public drinking water systems need a TCEQ Water Operator license (Class D: diploma, training, exam, $111; up to Class A). Wastewater plants use TCEQ wastewater licenses.
- Degree
- 0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Experience
- None of related experience is the most common answer (33% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior). Texas: Public Water System Operator license, Class D to Class A (TCEQ) (Class D: high school diploma or GED, Basic Water Operations and Resiliency Overview training, $111 application, exam (70 percent)).
Moves to the side 6
- E Biomass Plant Technician O*NET lists Biomass Plant Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86. License: depends on the work.
- E Hydroelectric Plant Operator O*NET lists Hydroelectric Plant Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.84. License: depends on the work.
- E Power Plant Operator O*NET lists Power Plant Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.81. License: depends on the work.
- R Stationary Engineer O*NET lists Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.84. License gate: not checked yet.
What the work is 6 core tasks
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
- Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.
- Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power.
- Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms.
- Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.
- Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.
- Direct and coordinate plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Equipment Maintenance
- Quality Control Analysis
- Repairing
- Speaking
Sources (4)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000051803113, read 2026-10-03
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 51-8031.00 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
