← Back to Careers
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
Production · SOC 51-8031
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$60,020
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
10,600
Proj. Annual Openings
128,490
Employment (OEWS 2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.8%
Top Skills
1.Operations Monitoring
2.Operation and Control
3.Monitoring
4.Active Listening
5.Quality Control Analysis
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
Common titles: Plant Operator, Process Operator (Process Op), Relief Operator, Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator (WWTP Operator), Wastewater Operator (WW Operator), Wastewater Technician (Wastewater Tech)
Representative Tasks
- •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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
- •Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
- •Operate chemical processing or water treatment systems or equipment.
- •Record operational or production data.
- •Inspect production equipment.
Tools & Technologies
Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft PowerPoint · hotData logging softwareDatabase softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsHuman machine interface HMI softwareOperational Data Store ODS softwareSupervisory control and data acquisition SCADA softwareWastewater expert control systems
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
15
Occupations Shown
0.5%
Avg AI Exposure
1
Bright Outlook
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $60,020 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |