Water Treatment Operator I — Hands-On Plant Experience

City of Johnson City; Johnson City (TN); On-site; USD 36,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Johnson City is seeking a Water Plant Operator I to operate water treatment plant equipment, take samples, and monitor systems on an assigned shift. This trainee role involves learning purification processes and maintaining logs and records under supervision.

Responsibilities include pumping, chemical dosing, reading gauges, and performing routine laboratory tests to ensure safe, compliant water quality. Pre-employment screenings apply, and a high school diploma is required.

Qualifications

• Completion of high school or trade school including or supplemented by courses in chemistry or related subjects.
• Some experience as a skilled laborer in maintenance work.
• Pre-employment physical, drug screening and background check required.

Responsibilities

• Periodically checks chemical feeders, pumps, filters and other equipment to ascertain it is operating properly.
• Operates, oils and adjusts pumps and machinery.
• Starts and stops pumps.
• Regulates valves and observes flow dials.
• Keeps daily log of shift operations, reads logs of previous shifts and makes reports.
• Reads gauges and transmits information to supervisor.
• Draws samples of water and makes routine laboratory tests and analysis.
• Adds chemicals to water system in accordance with prescribed standards.
• Determines the correct amounts of chemical to be added to the raw water to achieve the most efficient and economic type of treatment.
• Records amounts of chemicals used, and amounts of raw water and finished water pumped in last 24 hours.
• Washes filters periodically.
• Makes visual inspection of working apparatus and grounds.
• Keeps water plant building and grounds in clean condition.
• Takes telephone calls of complaints and reports nature of complaints to supervisor.
• Inspects reservoirs and records water levels.
• Performs facility and grounds maintenance.
• Performs related tasks as required.

Skills

Mechanical knowledge

Read meters/charts

Record-keeping

Learn purification processes

Follow instructions

Education

High school diploma or trade school

Job description

The City of Johnson City is seeking a Water Plant Operator I to operate water treatment plant equipment, take samples, and monitor systems on an assigned shift. This trainee role involves learning purification processes and maintaining logs and records under supervision.

Responsibilities include pumping, chemical dosing, reading gauges, and performing routine laboratory tests to ensure safe, compliant water quality. Pre-employment screenings apply, and a high school diploma is required.