Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
SOC 51-8031BLS OEWS May 2025
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
National median · BLS
$60,020
▲ +3.02%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$62,540
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
128,490
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$39,110
25th
$48,040
Median (50th)
$60,020
75th
$74,780
90th — top pay
$91,060
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
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Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
BLS projects employment of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators to decline 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 10,000 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
131,000 → 123,500
-7,500 jobs
Projected change
-5.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
10,000
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operation and Control4.0
Operations Monitoring3.9
Monitoring3.6
Active Listening3.1
Equipment Maintenance3.1
Quality Control Analysis3.1
Repairing3.1
Speaking3.1
Troubleshooting3.1
Complex Problem Solving3.0
Top knowledge areas
Public Safety and Security4.2
Mechanical3.6
English Language3.5
Chemistry3.4
Administration and Management3.4
Education and Training3.4
Mathematics3.4
Customer and Personal Service3.3
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordData logging softwareDatabase softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsHuman machine interface HMI softwareMaterial safety data sheet MSDS softwareOperational Data Store ODS softwareRecords management softwareSupervisory control and data acquisition SCADA softwareTimekeeping softwareWastewater expert control systems
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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.
About the job
What water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators do
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.
Clean and maintain tanks, filter beds, and other work areas, using hand tools and power tools.
Maintain, repair, and lubricate equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
Basin TenderBiosolids Management Technician (Biosolids Management Tech)Clarifying Plant OperatorDisposal OperatorDisposal Plant OperatorDrinking Water Technician (Drinking Water Tech)Filter TenderFiltererFiltration OperatorFiltration Plant OperatorIndustrial Waste Treatment Technician (Industrial Waste Treatment Tech)Liquid Waste Treatment Plant OperatorOn-Site Wastewater Systems Technician (On-Site Wastewater Systems Tech)Purification OperatorSCADA Operator (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Operator)Sewage Plant OperatorSewage Treatment Plant OperatorSewer OperatorTreatment Plant OperatorTreatment SpecialistUtility OperatorUtility WorkerWaste Disposal Plant OperatorWaste Treatment OperatorWaste Water OperatorWaste Water Technician (Waste Water Tech)Wastewater Plant OperatorWastewater Treatment OperatorWastewater Treatment Plant Operator (WWTP Operator)Water Distribution OperatorWater EngineerWater FiltererWater Filtration Technician (Water Filtration Tech)Water OperatorWater Pump OperatorWater PumperWater Purifier OperatorWater Quality Technician (Water Quality Tech)Water Reclamation Systems OperatorWater Supply Technician (Water Supply Tech)Water System OperatorWater Technician (Water Tech)Water Treatment SpecialistWater Treatment Technician (Water Treatment Tech)Watershed TenderWaterworks EmployeeWaterworks OperatorWaterworks Pump Station Operator
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $60,020.
