Water Treatment Technician Day Operator

South West Water Limited; Highweek; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme

Discretionary bonus

Pennon Perks

Cycle to Work scheme

Employee share schemes

Employee Assistance Programme

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

South West Water Limited is hiring a Water Treatment Technician in the Tottiford area to operate and monitor treatment processes, ensuring water quality and supply. The role involves hands-on plant operation, safety compliance, and participating in an out-of-hours standby rota.

You will work across treatment sites, maintain equipment, collect samples, and keep accurate records while collaborating with a skilled team to meet stringent standards.

Qualifications

• GCSEs (Maths & English) required.
• Full UK Driving Licence required.
• Experience in water treatment, process operations, manufacturing, utilities, or similar operational environment.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Understanding of health and safety requirements including COSHH and lone working procedures.

Responsibilities

• Operate and monitor water treatment processes and assets.
• Liaise with Control Room per procedures.
• Safely store, handle, and use treatment chemicals.
• Carry out routine operational maintenance on plant and instrumentation.
• Collect water quality samples and conduct on-site testing and analysis.
• Complete operational records, log sheets and compliance documentation.
• Perform site inspections, reservoir checks, and cleaning activities.
• Respond to alarms, incidents, and abnormal events per procedures.
• Support automated maintenance schedules and planned works.
• Work safely at height and in confined spaces (training provided).
• Maintain a strong focus on safety, compliance and quality.

Skills

Full UK Driving Licence

Health and Safety awareness

COSHH understanding

Strong communication

Organisational skills

Time management

Decision making under pressure

Flexible working hours

Microsoft Office

Education

GCSEs (Maths & English)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK's most stunning landscapes.

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK's most stunning landscapes.

We're proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we're working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you're starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Location: Tottiford

Salary: £29,292 - £36,011 per annum

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

About The Role

As a Water Treatment Technician, you'll play a critical role in delivering safe, clean drinking water to customers every day. Working across water treatment sites, you'll operate, monitor, and maintain plant, equipment, and treatment processes to ensure water quality and supply consistently meet the highest standards.

This is a varied, hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys practical work, problem-solving, and working as part of a collaborative team. You'll also support operational resilience through participation in an out-of-hours standby rota.

What You'll Be Doing

• Operating and monitoring water treatment processes and assets.
• Liaising with the Control Room in accordance with operational procedures.
• Safely storing, handling, and using treatment chemicals.
• Carrying out routine operational maintenance on plant and instrumentation.
• Collecting water quality samples and undertaking on-site testing and analysis.
• Completing operational records, log sheets, and compliance documentation.
• Performing site inspections, security checks, reservoir inspections, and cleaning activities.
• Responding to alarms, incidents, and abnormal events in line with company procedures.
• Supporting automated maintenance schedules and planned works.
• Working safely at height and within confined spaces (training provided).
• Maintaining a strong focus on safety, compliance, and quality at all times.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English.
• Full UK Driving Licence.
• Experience within water treatment, process operations, manufacturing, utilities, or a similar operational environment.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Understanding of health and safety requirements including COSHH and lone working procedures.
• Strong communication skills and ability to build effective working relationships.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage changing priorities.
• Ability to make sound decisions in operational and time-critical situations.
• Flexible approach to working hours, including standby and emergency response requirements.

What's in it for You?

Benefits

• Generous annual leave - Plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell leave for added flexibility.
• Competitive pension scheme - Helping you plan for the future.
• Discretionary bonus - Rewarding your contribution and performance.
• Pennon Perks - Access thousands of retail discounts and everyday savings.
• Cycle to Work scheme - Supporting healthier and more sustainable travel.
• Employee share schemes - Invest in the future success of the business.
• Employee Assistance Programme - Free and confidential 24/7 support for you and your family.
• Training and development opportunities - Helping you build your career and reach your potential.

Closing Date: 12th October 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

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