Wastewater Collection System Supervisor - Construction 26-128

Charleston Water System; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 57,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

Charleston Water System seeks a Wastewater Collection System Supervisor to oversee a team in maintaining the city’s wastewater collection network. You’ll supervise excavations, CCTV inspections, manhole work, and appurtenances, ensuring safe, compliant operations.

Requirements include a minimum of three years in collection systems or related fields, a high school diploma or GED, and SC CDL class A/B with tanker endorsements as applicable. Expect 6:30am–3:00pm shifts and on-call cycles.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Minimum of three (3) years experience in collection system operations or related utility environment.
• Knowledge of pipefitting practices and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Directs work crew in excavation and pipe removal/repair.
• Supervises use of cleaning equipment to clear sewer lines and prepare for CCTV.
• Operates excavation equipment and CCTV system.
• Coordinates flow monitoring, dye testing, and smoke testing to locate inflow sources.
• Maintains daily reports and work records.

Skills

Supervisory experience

CCTV operation

Pipefitting knowledge

Heavy equipment operation

Reading drawings

Documentation & reporting

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CCTV system

Excavation equipment

Standard construction drawings & maps

Heavy machinery operation

Job description

Job Description

Wastewater Collection System Supervisor

(Construction Section)

Job Announcement No: 26-128

Vacant Position(s): 2

Department: Wastewater Collection

Applications Accepted through Sunday, October 11, 2026.

Salary Range: $57,366.40 (27.58/hr.) – $88,940.80 ($42.76/hr.)

Hiring Range: $57,366.40 (27.58/hr.) – $71,718.40 ($34.48/hr.)

Grade: 108

Hours: 6:30am – 3:00pm

Position Summary

Supervises and coordinates activities of employees engaged in maintaining the wastewater collection system by cleaning, inspecting, installing, repairing, and replacing pipes and appurtenances associated with standard operational and maintenance practices of a wastewater collection system and acts as a working member of the crew. Responsible for various size excavations, inflow & infiltration investigation, closed-circuit television inspection, manhole inspection and repair, air release valve inspection and repair, smoke testing, dye testing and collection system problem investigation.

Essential Functions

• Directs work crew in the removal and/or replacement of soil and/or debris from excavations and coordinates the removal and repair or replacement of damaged or otherwise defective pipe.
• Supervises the use of mechanical cleaning equipment to clean sewer lines to relieve stoppages, prepare sewer lines for televising, clean sewer manholes, clean sewer pump station wet wells and clean sewer system vortex bar screens.
• Operates excavation equipment including track-hoes, backhoes, front-end loaders, bobcats, etc.
• Directs work crew in the operation closed-circuit television (CCTV) system consisting of remotely operated cameras, their monitors, recording systems, and associated equipment.
• Engages in the location and identification of inflow and infiltration sources (i.e. ground water entering into the collection system, storm water cross-connections, etc.).
• Supervises crew in the performance of flow monitoring, smoke testing, and dye testing to identify sources of inflow & infiltration into the wastewater collection system.
• Coordinates the removal and repair and/or replacement of defective pipe, valves, air release valves, and other appurtenances pertaining to the system.
• Repairs, replaces, and installs new wastewater collection system manholes and appurtenances.
• Operates motor vehicles and heavy equipment.
• Selects specified type and sizes of pipe used in daily assignments and oversees its measurement and placement on proper bedding.
• Uses standard construction drawings and maps to determine elevations, grade and locations of both main and lateral lines, and to determine proper approach to performing system maintenance.
• Establishes pipe grades utilizing surveying levels, pipe levels and other measuring devices.
• Completes work orders describing work completed, materials, equipment and manpower utilized, etc., and establishes follow-up work orders and schedules, if required.
• Maintains daily reports and work records of accomplished work.
• Inspects completed work to determine conformance to specifications
• Evaluates performance of associates.
• May be required to work in emergency conditions.
• Regular attendance is required.
• Job performance must conform to all CWS policies and procedures.
• Specific knowledge of CWS Environmental Management System policy and procedures.

Additional Duties

• Supervises the design, installation and operation of wet-point system.
• May be required to supervise and operate closed circuit television.
• May be required to perform inflow & infiltration investigations and sewer system evaluation surveys.
• May supervise the smoke testing of sewer lines.
• May supervise the installation, monitoring and retrieval of flow data utilizing electronic monitors.
• Occasionally supervises the building and installation of excavation shoring.
• May be required to operate a combination vacuum/jet rodder truck that requires a CDL operator license with a taker endorsement.
• Subject to 24-hour on-call.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Physical Requirements, Activities, and Working Conditions

• Ability to operate and maintain motor vehicles.
• Constantly positions self to move, traverse in the field as necessary to perform required work.
• Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine distinctions in sound, such as when making adjustments on equipment.
• Must be able to make visual observations in daylight and night.
• Considerable movement and traversing involved at work sites on unpaved streets, uneven ground and cluttered work areas.
• Routinely ascend/descend a ladder to climb in and out of excavations.
• Routinely ascend/descend into manhole to accesses approximately two feet in diameter and depths of up to twenty feet.
• Constantly works in internal / external environmental conditions.
• Subject to noise that cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level. Hearing Protection Required.
• Routinely positions self to use up to 50 lbs of force. Daily move and transport equipment and/or materials at job sites weighing up to 50 lbs. Objects greater than 50 lbs require a two-person operation.
• Subject to vibrations. Exposure to oscillating movements of the extremities of whole body.
• Routinely and safely operate computer to include desktop and tough notebook laptops in the field.
• Must be able to wear Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) as defined in the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) to perform the required essential functions.

Education And/or Experience

• A minimum of three (3) years experience as a collection system operator, or in pipefitting, construction, or a utility environment. High school diploma or GED required.
• Thorough knowledge of pipefitting practices and procedures.
• Prior work record indicating dependability and conscientiousness.

Licenses, Certifications, Registrations

• Ability to obtain a “C” wastewater collection systems operator’s license in the state of South Carolina within two years of hire.
• Valid South Carolina Commercial Driver’s License Class A (tanker endorsements must be obtained within the first six months of employment) required for Construction Section.
• Valid South Carolina Commercial Driver’s License Class B with tanker endorsement (Commercial Driver’s License Class A with tanker endorsements must be obtained within the first six months of employment) required for Maintenance Section.

Training Needs

• OSHA and Departmental safety training as required.
• Skills Based Training
• Standard Operating Instructions (SOIs) per department requirements
• ISO 14001 standards for department and company.
• Supervisory Training

Potential Career Path

ELIGIBILITY FOR PROMOTION TO VARIOUS POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMISSION DEPENDS UPON INDIVIDUAL QUALIFICATIONS, AND NOTED JOB PROGRESSIONS ARE NO GUARANTEE OF CAREER PATH TO THESE OR ANY OTHER JOB(S) AT THE COMMISSION.

• Senior Collection System Manager