ABSTRACT
New water and wastewater operators-in-training typically start out as attendants or assistants and learn the practical aspects of their job under the direction of an experienced operator. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators held about 94,000 jobs in 2004. Almost four in five operators worked for local governments. As mentioned, water and wastewater system operators increasingly rely on computers to help monitor equipment, store sampling results, make process-control decisions, schedule and record maintenance activities, and produce reports. When a system malfunction occurs, operators may use system computers to determine the cause and the solution to the problem. At many modern water/wastewater treatment plants, operators are required to perform skilled treatment plant operations work and to monitor, operate, adjust, and regulate a computer-based treatment process. During emergencies, operators may work under extreme pressure to correct problems as quickly as possible. These periods may create dangerous working conditions; operators must be extremely careful and cautious.
