Water and Sewage Treatment Plant Operators
Background
Military bases operate their own water treatment plants when public facilities cannot be used. These plants provide drinking water and safely dispose of sewage. Water and sewage treatment plant operators maintain the systems that purify water and treat sewage.
What They Do
Water and sewage treatment plant operators in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Add chemicals and operate machinery that purifies water for drinking or cleans it for safe disposal
- Clean and maintain water treatment machinery
- Keep records of chemical treatments, water pressure, and maintenance
- Operate pumps to transfer water from reservoirs and storage tanks to treatment plants
- Regulate the flow of drinking water to meet demand
- Test water for chlorine content, acidity, oxygen demand, and impurities
Physical Demands
Normal color vision is needed to examine water for acidity and impurities.
Special Requirements
No information available.
Helpful Attributes
Helpful attributes include:
- Interest in chemistry and pollution control
- Interest in working with mechanical equipment
Helpful School Subjects
Helpful school subjects include:
- Chemistry
- Math
- Shop mechanics
Helpful Fields of Study
No information available.
Work Environment
Water and sewage treatment plant operators work indoors and outdoors. They may be exposed to strong odors.
Services offering this career:
- Air Force
- Army
- Marine Corps
- Navy
Hiring Practices
To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
This position is for enlisted personnel.
Wages
The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.
Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.
Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.
There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.
Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.
Training Provided
Job training consists of eight to ten weeks of classroom instruction, including practice operating water and sewage treatment equipment.
Course content typically includes:
- Maintenance and repair of pumps, compressors, and other equipment
- Operation of treatment systems
- Water testing and analysis
Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian water and sewage treatment plant operators work for municipal public works and industrial plants. Their work is similar to military water and sewage treatment plant operators. Civilian plant operators usually specialize as water treatment plant operators, waterworks pump station operators, or wastewater treatment plant operators.
Related Civilian Careers
Employment and Outlook
In peace time the services have about 3,000 water and sewage plant operators. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new plant operators due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, new operators work under close supervision in water or sewage treatment plants. With experience, they may supervise plant operations. Eventually, they may become base utilities superintendents.