Water Production Supervisor

Town of Cave Creek; Cave Creek (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Town of Cave Creek seeks a Water Treatment Plant Supervisor to lead operations for both Cave Creek and Desert Hills systems. You will ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, supervise operators, and coordinate maintenance, budgeting, and interconnect deliveries.

You will manage shift scheduling, train staff, calibrate lab equipment, and drive continuous improvements in water quality and plant efficiency. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strict safety adherence.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of operation and maintenance of a water treatment plant, including one (1) year of supervisory experience at plant level.
• Must possess and maintain a valid, unrestricted Arizona Driver’s license.
• Must possess and maintain a Grade 4 Water Operator certification from ADEQ in Water Treatment at time of hire.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily oversight, operations, and maintenance of a water treatment plant including regulatory compliance.
• Manage water deliveries from Phoenix and oversee interconnect operations.
• Plan and prioritize daily work assignments and monitor maintenance, repairs, and operations.
• Assist in budgeting, purchase approvals, and time/attendance records.
• Oversee sampling and laboratory analyses for in-house and off-site labs.
• Calibrate and repair water process laboratory equipment and monitor process chemistry.
• Maintain CMMS for plant assets and inventory; coordinate capital projects and vendor work.
• Supervise and train treatment staff; promote safe, efficient operations; explore new technologies.
• Coordinate with other divisions, contractors, and agencies to ensure project success.

Skills

Supervision

Regulatory compliance

Staff development

Budgeting

Operations planning

Process optimization

Lab analysis

Calibration of lab equipment

Education

Grade 4 Water Operator certification

Arizona Driver’s license

Tools

CMMS

GIS

Job description

POSITION PURPOSE

The Town of Cave Creek operates two separate water systems, Cave Creek and Desert Hills. The Cave Creek Water System consists of treated water from the City of Phoenix and a 3 million gallon per day (MGD) surface water facility that treats and delivers Central Arizona Project (CAP) water. The Desert Hills system is groundwater based that is supplemented with treated CAP water from the Cave Creek system to meet both demands and the need for arsenic blending.

Under the general direction of the Utilities Director, oversees the Town’s Water Treatment Operations to ensure compliance with Federal and State safe drinking water and clean water act regulations. This is accomplished through providing leadership, supervision, and training to all water treatment plant operators. Required to be listed as the Water Treatment Operator of Record for both the Cave Creek and Desert Hills water systems. The Plant Supervisor is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient staffing schedules that reflect the needs for production, hours of operation and manning based upon seasonal demands.

The water supply system consists of purchased water from the City of Phoenix through a local interconnect, as well as a surface water treatment facility with raw water delivery pipeline capable of operating seven days per week. Management of these two water sources is based on average day, peak day, and peak hour production system needs. The Production Supervisor is responsible for the management of the interconnect and for overseeing and scheduling routine plant maintenance activities to ensure optimal facility performance. The Production Supervisor will also oversee the operations of remote water sites in both water systems. In addition, the Production Supervisor participates in the facility’s operational shift schedule. This position requires shift work, weekend coverage, standby assignments, and call-back duty as needed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND ABILITIES

• Provide daily oversight, operations, and maintenance of a water treatment plant including all required regulatory compliance.
• Provide daily oversight and management of water deliveries from Phoenix
• Plans, prioritizes daily work assignments. Monitors all aspects of operations, maintenance, and repairs.
• Performs various administrative tasks including: established operational and maintenance procedures and standards; assists in writing bid specifications; assists in the development of budgets and monitoring expenditures; reviews expenditures of assigned staff; reviews and approves time sheets and maintain attendance records.
• Oversee collection for daily water samples for in-house and off-site laboratory analysis.
• Be proficient in the operation and documentation of daily process information using the in-house water process control laboratory. Able to calibrate and repair water process laboratory analytical equipment.
• Can diagnose and correct water process chemistry.
• Be capable and familiar with providing general periodic maintenance for all water process equipment including pumps, blowers, chemical feed equipment, solids, residuals, screens and dewatering equipment, filtration equipment, and other unit process equipment.
• Assures that buildings and grounds in a clean condition and inspection ready.
• Provides information required by management, local, state, and federal agencies.
• Coordinates projects and work activities with other divisions, departments, contractors, and outside agencies.
• Assures a comprehensive Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is maintained to tracks plant assets and maintenance activities. Manages inventory systems and fixed asset records.
• Supervises and trains all treatment staff with an emphasis on developing and promoting self-directed teams that operate safely and efficiently. Recommends new technologies and work methods to continuously improve operations and system efficiencies.
• Assists in preparing and implementing the Capital and Operating budgets, maintain records and reports, review, and track expenditures. Manages capital and operational improvement projects, including planning and implementing short- and long-term projects, coordinates activities with consultants and contractors.
• Performs other related duties as assigned; may be called upon to assist other divisions within the Town.

SUPERVISION - RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WORK OF OTHERS

• Supervise and coordinate assigned operators and technicians.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Town policies, procedures, and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, training, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints, resolving problems, and planning, assigning, and directing work.
• Personnel Management & Employee Development:Direct and oversee daily staff assignments, workflows, and team operations to ensure efficient, safe, and effective water treatment services. Provide leadership through clear performance expectations, ongoing training, constructive coaching, and professional development opportunities. Monitor and evaluate employee performance, address deficiencies promptly and objectively, and administer progressive discipline when warranted, consistent with Town personnel policies, established procedures, and applicable regulations. Foster a collaborative, accountable, and respectful work environment that promotes employee growth, operational excellence, and a commitment to public service.
• Provide oversight for the activities of skilled and semi-skilled workers in the planning, inspection, maintenance, and repair of the Towns water treatment systems.
• Coordinate and monitor contractors’ work and performance.
• Communicate with supervisors and clients as required.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE

• Any combination of training and experience equivalent to five (5) years of operation and maintenance of a water treatment plant, including one (1) year of supervisory experience at plant level.
• Must possess and maintain a valid, unrestricted Arizona Driver’s license.
• Must possess and maintain a Grade 4 Water Operator certification from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) in the discipline of Water Treatment at time of hire.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Work Type: Range from heavy manual labor (sometimes for extended periods of time) to desk work.

Work Environment: Exposure to dirt, noise, dust, pollen, odors, humidity, rain, temperature extremes, hazardous materials, confined spaces, machinery, electric currents, traffic hazards, bright/dim light, toxic agents, disease, pathogenic substances, or explosives.

Walking: Significant distances outside, on all types of surfaces flat and uneven, climbing in and out of trenches and confined spaces.

Standing/Sitting Majority of the work will be accomplished in a standing position.

Stooping/Bending/Reaching: Sufficient physical flexibility, stamina, and balance to safely perform the typical operation and maintenance tasks including bending, kneeling, reaching, climbing, working on ladders, walking over rough terrain, and frequent lifting or moving up to 75 pounds.

Hearing/Speech: Must be able to perceive and understand vocal communication and convey information verbally via the telephone and in person. Capability to understand verbal instructions, to discern audible warning or emergency alarms including vehicle backup warnings, and to discern color-coded alarms and equipment indicators.

Reading/Writing: Ability to comprehend equipment manuals, vendor information and permits. Ability to maintain daily logs and prepare general written reports and e-mails, etc.

Math: Ability to deal with a system of real numbers; and practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios/proportions, measurement, and unit conversions.

Vision: Adequate to perform essential functions.

Eye/Hand/Foot Coordination: Sufficient to operate a variety of equipment pertaining to the job.

Manual Dexterity: Sufficient to adjust equipment and operate hand tools.

Work Schedule: Currently the Water Treatment Plant Supervisor position is required to work seasonal shift schedules to accommodate the need for water production. The water treatment plant is operated 24 hours per day for six months of the year. The remaining six months of the year the plant is staffed up to 18 hours per day.

MACHINES, TOOLS EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE USED

Standard Office Equipment, Personal Computer, Microsoft Office software, Internet, Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS), Customer Service software, GIS. A variety of hand tools, power tools and equipment like forklift. Ability to operate lab equipment such as pH and turbidity meters, colorimeters, etc.

REMARKS

The above position description is intended to describe the duties of an employee in general terms and does not necessarily cover all the duties or potential assignments of the employee although all work will be consistent with the essential job functions.