Mission-Critical Work in the

Water/Wastewater Industry

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Why am I (are we) here?

The water /wastewater industry wants to make sure we continue to have qualified employees

I (We) work in the water/wastewater industry and want to give you an idea of what the work is like

To give you an idea of options you might want to investigate if a career in this field appeals to you

Civil Engineer7.5 Million Bay Area Residents

525 MILLION GALLONS / DAY OF DRINKING

WATER PRODUCED

705 MILLION GALLONS / DAY OF WASTEWATER

TREATED

Critical water and wastewater jobs

In 2011, BAYWORK, a collaborative of water and wastewater utilities focused on workforce reliability, identified the following job categories as critical to getting their work done:

• Engineer• Mechanic/Machinist• Water Treatment Operator• Electronic Maintenance Technician/Instrument Technician• Electrician• Water Distribution Operator• Wastewater Treatment Operator

Average salary range for water and Wastewater jobs

Engineer

What does an engineer do?• Plans, designs, constructs,

operates and maintains water and wastewater utilities.

What are the types of engineers in the water/wastewater industry?• Civil engineer

• Environmental/process/water quality/sanitary engineer

• Structural engineer• Electrical engineer• Instrumentation and control/SCADA

engineer• Mechanical engineer

EMT/I&C technician

ETM and I&C technician responsibilities

• Install, Maintain, and Repair Electronic Equipment• Evaluate Performance Under Different Operating Conditions• Test, Calibrate, and Troubleshoot Electronic Systems

Install Maintain Repair

Evaluate Test

Wastewater treatment operator

What does a wastewater treatment operator do?• Under general supervision,

operates, inspects, and maintains a variety of plant equipment in connection with the continuous operation of a large metropolitan wastewater treatment plant

• Directs lower level operators • Performs related work as

required• Usually requires Grade 3

certification by Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Electrician

Operate Repair

Install Maintain

What does an electrician do?• Electricians, electrical workers, and electrical line workers

install, repair, operate and maintain the electrical and power systems for homes, businesses, factories, and infrastructure within the water, wastewater, and power industry.

Water distribution operator

What does a water distribution operator do?• Monitors and controls water system 

facilities and equipment manually and/or using information technology to regulate raw water supply and treated water distribution

• Controls hydroelectric power generation and monitors and controls water quality

• Operates water transmission and distribution systems (e.g., pumps and valves), often using a SCADA control system

• D-3 certification from Department of Health Services is generally where the journey level starts.

Mechanic/machinist

Maintain

Repair

Create

What does a machinist/mechanic do?• Create, maintain, and repair mechanical equipment

associated with water and wastewater transmission, distribution, storage, and treatment

Water treatment operator

What does a water treatment operator do?• Under general supervision,

operates, maintains and repairs a wide variety of complex machinery and equipment in a water treatment plant and/or pumping station or related facility.

Mission-critical careers video

BAYWORK website

baywork.org

For more information about BAYWORK or to contact someone from BAYWORK with questions, see the “About

Us” page on the baywork.org website.

BAYWORK training opportunity map

BAYWORK job opportunity map

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?

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baywork.org

Extra Slides

My position and the kind of work I do

My education and experience

My favorite project

What I like best about my job

Options for you to consider if you think you might be interested in the water/wastewater field

Coursework

• Course 1• Course 2

Experiences (e.g., internships or apprenticeships)

• Experience 1• Experience 2

Training Opportunities

• Training 1• Training 2

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