WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES SUPERINTENDENT

Definition

Under direction, supervises the administration, management, and operation of a Sewage Disposal Plant and Water Treatment Purification Plant and systems; has charge of and directs varied activities involved in constructing, inspecting, maintaining, and repairing water service and sewer installations; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• Supervises the establishment, development, and execution of work plans and procedures for the construction, maintenance, repair, and inspection of water service and sewer installations.
• Gives assignments and instructions to workers and supervises their work.
• Maintain liaison with other municipal units.
• Takes the lead in developing the work program, internal organization, and operational procedures for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and construction of water and sewer installations.
• Plans work to be done and decides on the methods to use.
• Gives assignments to staff.
• Periodically inspects work being performed in the field.
• Plans the use of available funds, personnel, equipment, and materials.
• Prepares recommendations for the improvement of processes and techniques used.
• Helps to determine the factors that cause unnecessarily high costs and delays in making needed repairs.
• Supervises work to maintain the condition, operation, and effectiveness of the sewage treatment plant.
• Ensures the safeness or quality of effluents discharged from the sewage treatment plant.
• Meets with personnel from industries to ascertain methods and cost of handling various wastes.
• Supervises work involved in developing a work program for the operation, maintenance, and repair of a water treatment and purification plant including transmission mains, electric transmission lines, and other appurtenances.
• Helps prepare the annual budget estimates for the unit.
• Receives complaints and requests for repairs and takes proper remedial action.
• Prepares reports.
• Acknowledges and replies to correspondence.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of records and files.
• Performs field and office work involved in the design and preparation of specifications for engineering projects.
• Coordinates work of consultants on the more complex engineering projects.
• Represents the municipality in dealings with state and federal agencies with regard to water and sewage treatment requirements.
• 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

Five (5) years of experience involving the maintenance, repair, and installation of water and sewer distribution lines and the operation of water and sewage treatment plants, two (2) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointees may be required to possess a current and valid Public Wastewater Systems Operator License and/or a Public Water Treatment System Operator License of the appropriate class 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 essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of engineering problems involved in the design, maintenance, and construction of structures or systems.
• Knowledge of problems, procedures, and methods used in inspecting, analyzing, and determining the repair and maintenance work to be done and materials needed.
• Knowledge of problems involved in establishing, maintaining, and developing work procedures.
• Knowledge of procedures for obtaining and storing supplies.
• Knowledge of procedures for maintaining records and files.
• Knowledge of problems, procedures, and methods used in developing a work program and working procedures for a group of workers engaged in operating a water treatment and purification plant, pumping station operations, and a sewage treatment plant.
• Knowledge of problems and procedures involved in operating, adjusting, regulating, and maintaining chemical feed machines and chlorinators, sludge digestion pumps, flowmeters, and other related equipment.
• Ability to analyze maintenance problems.
• Ability to give assignments and instructions to subordinates.
• Ability to handle complaints tactfully and pleasantly and take needed remedial action.
• Ability to conduct periodic inspections to determine the condition of facilities and efficiency of subordinates.
• Ability to prepare reports 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 after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. 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.

In some positions, appointees may be required to possess a Bachelor's degree in Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering from an accredited college or university and/or a Professional Engineer's License issued by the NJ Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.