NJ Civil Service Navigator

SENIOR WATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR

Code: 03647 Local Competitive

New Jersey treats Senior Water Treatment Plant Operator as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.

Eligibility comes down to 2 years of relevant experience.

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This title is filled by competitive examination.

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Where this title is used

Senior Water Treatment Plant Operator is a local service title. It is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, not by State departments. Those employers set pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule, which is why most local titles carry no salary range here.

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Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction, takes the lead over other operators and operates, adjusts, and regulates water treatment plant pumps, valves, and other equipment, maintains these as needed, takes periodic readings of relevant gauges, and may conduct routine standardized tests on water samples; does other related duties.

Examples of work

  • Coordinates activities of workers engaged in filtering, chemically treating, pumping, and testing fresh and processed water.
  • Plans work schedules, allocating tasks to workers based upon work priority and individual worker expertise.
  • Inspects equipment, such as filters, chlorine indicators, basins, filtered water basins, and pumps, to detect malfunctions.
  • Takes periodic readings of relevant gauges and records these readings.
  • Opens and closes appropriate valves.
  • Dumps specified amounts of chemicals, such as chlorine, ammonia, and lime into water or adjusts automatic devices that admit specified amounts of chemicals into water to disinfect, deodorize, and clarify it.
  • Starts agitators to mix chemicals or allows impurities to settle out of water as appropriate.
  • Operates pumping equipment to transfer raw water to treatment plant or purified water into water mains.
  • Monitors panelboard, adjusting controls to regulate flow rates, loss of head pressure and water elevation, and distribution of water.
  • Cleans tanks and filter beds, using backwashing.
  • Maintains the working area in a clean/sanitary condition.
  • Maintains machines and equipment.
  • Makes minor or emergency repairs or component replacement.
  • Tests water samples to determine acidity, color, and impurities, using colorimeter, turbidimeter, and conductivity meter.
  • Adds chemicals into tanks to coagulate impurities and reduce acidity.
  • Record data content of chemicals, water turbidity, and water pressure.
  • May operate portable water-purification plant to supply drinking water.
  • Maintains records and files with chemical usage and storage, equipment operation, and required water quality/quantity data.
  • Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Experience

Two (2) years of experience in operating, adjusting, regulating, repairing, and maintaining pumps, valves, electric motors, and other electrical and mechanical equipment of the type used in a water treatment plant, pumping station, or filtration plant.

License

Appointees may be required to possess a valid Public Water Treatment Operator license of the appropriate class, depending on the permit level of the facility, issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

  • Knowledge of procedures and methods of operating, adjusting, and regulating water treatment plant pumps, valves, gauges, chemical feed machines, filters, flowmeters, and other equipment
  • Knowledge of methods for regulating amounts of water and pumping it into a distribution system or storage tanks.
  • Knowledge of location and function of all equipment in the plant.
  • Knowledge of pump and valve packing replacement, motor and pump bearing replacement, and equipment lubrication.
  • Knowledge of techniques for collecting water samples and conducting and recording standard bacteriological analysis of water.
  • Knowledge of arithmetic operations for determining correct amounts of chemical agents.
  • Knowledge of techniques for conducting tests with colorimeter, turbidimeter, and conductivity meter.
  • Knowledge of precautions to be observed when handling chemical agents.
  • Knowledge of water treatment processes such as ammoniation, chlorination, water clarification, pH adjustment.
  • Ability to coordinate worker activities and work harmoniously with others.
  • Ability to understand, remember, and carry out oral and written directions.
  • Ability to plan and follow work schedules.
  • Ability to inspect equipment for malfunctions and do minor repairs.
  • Ability to do repetitive work that requires strict adherence to prescribed procedures.
  • Ability to check operations throughout a shift and record various data according to established format.
  • Ability to interpret readings on various gauges and meters.
  • Ability to maintain proper water levels and water pressures.
  • Ability to relay information regarding shift operation such as problems encountered and action taken.
  • Ability to do minor maintenance such as oiling, greasing, cleaning or replacing gaskets and piping, and replacing packing.
  • Ability to stand and walk for prolonged time periods.
  • Ability to climb.
  • Ability to turn valves and manipulates controls.
  • Ability to maintain records and files.
  • Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
  • Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
  • Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Appointees in Municipal Water Utilities Authority may be required to attend Incident Management training within a specified timeframe as determined by the appointing authority.

Such training may include but not be limited to: ICS-700 NIMS, An Introduction ICS-100 Introduction to ICS or equivalent ICS-200 Basic ICS or equivalent