SEWAGE PLANT ATTENDANT

Definition

Under direction of a Sewage Plant Operator performs varied routine and unskilled tasks involved in the operation and maintenance of a sewage treatment plant; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• Tends pumps, conveyors, blowers, chlorinators, vacuum filters, and other equipment used to decontaminate waste water (sewage) by settling, aeration, and sludge digestion.
• Removes obstructions, such as coarse materials from bar screens, to accelerate influent through initial screening process.
• Adjusts pipe valves to regulate flow velocity through settling tanks to separate sludge by sedimentation.
• Turns air and steam valves to aerate effluent, and to control temperature in sludge digestion tanks.
• Observes temperature gauges to determine lubrication of equipment.
• Reads charts, flow meters, and gauges to detect equipment malfunctions and notifies the operator in charge.
• Under close supervision, collects sewage samples for laboratory analysis and may perform routine tests, complete process reports, and perform minor repairs on equipment as directed by a sewage plant operator.
• In larger plants the attendant may be assigned to one station or processing unit within the plant such as the grit station, activated sludge, pump and blower, sludge control, or sludge filtration processing units.
• As necessary, also performs a variety of cleaning and custodial duties both inside and outside the plant.
• Using hoses, brushes, chemicals and detergents, scrubs processing tanks, walkways and other areas and equipment.
• At times, may cut grass, rake leaves and shovel snow.

License

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

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Ability to read charts, flowmeters and gauges in order to detect equipment malfunctions.
• Ability to understand, remember and carry out oral and written directions and to learn quickly from explanations and demonstrations.
• Ability to perform routine and repititious tasks with equanimity.
• Ability to learn 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, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the 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 the 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.