Water Treatment Technician Day Operator

South West Water Limited; Okehampton; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme

Discretionary bonus

Cycle to Work

Employee share schemes

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

South West Water Limited is seeking a Water Treatment Technician to operate, monitor and maintain treatment processes across sites, ensuring safe, clean drinking water. You’ll carry out testing and routine maintenance, respond to alarms, and participate in standby duties; a full UK driving licence and GCSEs are required.

Join a team focused on safety, quality, and continuous improvement, with training and development opportunities.

Qualifications

• GCSEs including Maths and English required.
• Full UK driving licence required.
• Good IT skills including MS Office.
• Understanding of health and safety, COSHH and lone working.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Good organisational and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to make sound decisions in time-critical situations.
• Flexibility for standby and emergency response.

Responsibilities

• Operate and monitor water treatment processes, plant and equipment.
• Work with Control Room and follow procedures.
• Safely handle, store and use treatment chemicals.
• Carry out routine maintenance on plant and instrumentation.
• Collect water samples and conduct on-site testing.
• Maintain accurate operational records and compliance docs.
• Complete site, security and reservoir inspections and cleaning.
• Respond to alarms, incidents and abnormal conditions.
• Support planned and automated maintenance schedules.
• Work safely at height and in confined spaces (training provided).
• Perform reservoir safety and surveillance checks per Reservoirs Act 1975.

Skills

GCSEs including Maths & English

Full UK driving licence

IT skills (MS Office)

Health & safety awareness (COSHH, lone

Communication & relationship-building

Organisational & problem-solving

Time-critical decision making

Standby & emergency response readiness

Education

GCSEs or equivalent

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.

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.

About the role

As a Water Treatment Technician, you’ll play an important role in making sure customers receive safe, clean drinking water every day.

Working across water treatment sites, you’ll operate, monitor and maintain treatment processes, plant and equipment to ensure water quality and supply standards are consistently achieved.

This is a varied, practical role where you’ll be problem-solving, carrying out maintenance and testing, and working closely with colleagues across the operation. You’ll also take part in an out-of-hours standby rota, helping us respond when operational issues arise.

What you’ll be doing

• Operating and monitoring water treatment processes, plant and equipment.

• Working closely with the Control Room and following operational procedures.

• Safely handling, storing and using water treatment chemicals.

• Carrying out routine maintenance on plant and instrumentation.

• Collecting water samples and completing on-site water quality testing.

• Maintaining accurate operational records and compliance documentation.

• Completing site, security and reservoir inspections and cleaning activities.

• Responding to alarms, incidents and abnormal operating conditions.

• Supporting planned maintenance and automated maintenance schedules.

• Working safely at height and in confined spaces, with training provided.

• Carrying out reservoir safety and surveillance checks in accordance with the Reservoirs Act 1975.

• Maintaining high standards of safety, compliance and water quality.

What we’re looking for

You’ll be practical, organised and comfortable making decisions in an operational environment. You’ll enjoy working as part of a team while also being confident managing your own workload and changing priorities.

You’ll need:

• GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English.

• A full UK driving licence.

• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office.

• An understanding of health and safety requirements, including COSHH and lone working.

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.

• Good organisational and problem-solving abilities.

• The ability to make sound decisions in time-critical situations.

• Flexibility to participate in standby and emergency response arrangements.

What’s in it for you?

We want you to feel rewarded for the work you do while having the support and opportunities you need to build your career.

Our benefits include:

• Generous annual leave – Plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell leave for greater flexibility.

• Competitive pension scheme – Helping you plan for your future.

• Discretionary bonus – Rewarding your contribution and performance.

• Pennon Perks – Access to thousands of retail discounts and everyday savings.

• Cycle to Work scheme – Supporting healthier and more sustainable travel.

• Employee share schemes – Giving you the opportunity to 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 develop your skills, build your career and reach your potential.

Closing Date: 19th October 2026

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

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.