Essential Skills for Modern Wastewater Operators April 25, 2025 By Laura Schultz Wastewater, Workforce wastewater, wastewater operators, wastewater skills, wastewater treatment, wastewater workforce 0 One of the greatest selling points of a career in wastewater treatment is the lack of requirement for a college degree in order to enter the field. However, that in no way means that working in a wastewater treatment plant is an unskilled occupation. There is a vast array of skills that are needed in the day to day operation of a plant. How many of them any individual operator needs varies on the size and other particularities of the plant and staff, interests of the operator, and desire to progress further up the career ladder. Here, for the benefit of those trying to determine if wastewater treatment is the field for them, we take a look at the broad categories of skills that operators must have and a couple more that are a great benefit in addition. We will also include example training resources and events for each category of skills that can be found on WaterOperator.org.* *Sample training events will likely have already occurred, and serve as examples as types of events to look for in the future. Operation & Maintenance of Machines and Other Equipment Wastewater treatment plants are composite mechanical networks of pipes, pumps, machines, and other equipment. In order to operate and maintain each essential piece of the network, a plant’s employees need to be able to work with and understand machines, tools, technology, and heavy equipment. While prior experience in this area is not generally required, it can certainly help new operators. Training resource: “Operator Certification: Mechanical Systems” Webinar from the Environmental Finance Center Network Training events: “Mechanical Maintenance and the Operator” from Maryland Center for Environmental Training, “Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants” from Pennsylvania Rural Water Association, “Wastewater Pump School” from Smith and Loveless Math & Science Math is one of the most important skills in wastewater treatment. Operators use mathematical formulas to determine flow levels, chemical concentration, and other treatment requirements. Understanding the chemistry and biology of the treatment process, and even the physics of water, is also a significant advantage for operators. Training resources: “Sidney's Big Book of Water and Wastewater Math” from the Indigo Water Group, “Problem Solved: Pump Discharge Rate” — or any other wastewater math video by the American Water College, “Microbiology of Wastewater Treatment” Webinar from the US EPA Training events: “Wastewater Math” from the Environmental Finance Center Network, “Disinfection in Water and Wastewater” from Enviro-Clear, “Wastewater Microbiology and Microscopy” from the Wisconsin Wastewater Operators Association Analysis Another prominent duty in wastewater treatment plants is sampling, testing, inspecting, evaluating, and analyzing water quality, machinery, and overall process control. Some plants may have their own labs for water quality testing, and even a dedicated lab staff, but even if not, the everyday job of an operator requires attention to detail and the ability to carefully analyze the treatment process in a number of different ways. Training resources: “A Look at the Wastewater Treatment Plant Laboratory” from the Tennessee Department of Utility Districts, “Biosolids and Sludge PFAS Sampling Guidance” from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Training events: “Wastewater Lab Series” from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, “Wastewater Sampling and Preservation” from the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership Safety Safety is of the utmost importance in a wastewater treatment plant. Staff must know and follow all safety rules and regulations, know how to administer first aid, and be able to handle chlorine and other hazardous substances. Training resources: See our recent “Learning About Safety in Wastewater Treatment Plants” blog post! Training events: “Water and Wastewater Workplace Safety” and “Operator Health & Safety Survival Guide” from the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association, “Confined Space Awareness” by Hardin Associates & Consulting, “OSHA Basics and Beyond” from Tighe and Bond Physical Capacity This last category is really a set of personal capacities that cannot generally be taught. First and foremost, a wastewater treatment operator must be willing to work with and around human waste — and all of the odors and mess that entails. An operator also needs the ability to work with their hands on physical tasks and to be willing and capable of working in unpleasant weather conditions. If these are unacceptable working conditions for you, wastewater treatment is not likely to be your path! ••••• Another technical skill that can be hugely beneficial in a treatment plant, but isn’t so much a requirement, is electrical handling. Electricity is an important component of plants, and while not everyone needs to be an electrician, basic knowledge and ability can only help you. Check out resources like “Combined Heat and Power Microturbines” and “Power Resilience Guide for Water and Wastewater Utilities” to get a sense of the importance of electricity in wastewater treatment, or look for events like “Basic Electricity for Water and Wastewater.” Finally, much like nearly any job, having good people skills (or “soft” skills) can go a long way in this field as well, especially if you’re interested in progressing up into management. Communication, networking, conflict resolution, leadership, problem-solving, time management: All skills to develop that make nearly any job easier to handle! Sources: “How to Become a Water or Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator” from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Water Resource Recovery (Wastewater Treatment) Operator from Work for Water Wastewater Operator Resume Skills and Keywords from ZipRecruiter Comments are closed.