How To Become A Water Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a water operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A water operator is in charge of managing a water cleaning system comprising of various machines treating or transferring water. He/She or she controls the operating conditions, tracks meters, and monitors control boards.

As a water operator, you will most likely be employed by local governments, so you'll handle water treatment for local communities. You might work in plants of various sizes disinfecting water with chemicals, inspecting equipment, and checking on meters and gauges. Documenting processes and creating reports using registered data will also be your job.

Collecting sewage and water samples will be part of your day-to-day job, as well as cleaning filters, tanks, and other devices used in the processes. You will have to work in rotating shift to cover for plants operating 24/7. You can apply with a GED and receive in-depth training on the job, but you will probably need to get licensed to take on unsupervised shifts.

ScoreWater OperatorUS Average

Salary

3.4

Avg. Salary $43,748

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.6

Growth Rate -7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.61%

Asian 1.83%

Black or African American 7.57%

Hispanic or Latino 12.30%

Unknown 4.57%

White 71.12%

Gender

female 10.54%

male 89.46%

Age - 47.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47.5

Stress Level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a water operator

Explore water operator education requirements

Most common water operator degrees

Bachelor's

33.9 %

High School Diploma

27.0 %

Associate

25.8 %

Start to develop specific water operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Treatment Facilities	7.59%
Water Samples	5.98%
CDL	5.73%
Water Treatment Plant	4.48%
Pump Stations	4.23%

Complete relevant water operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New water operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a water operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real water operator resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed water operator usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed water operator in most of states. 34 states require water operators to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	-	-	Certified Water Treatment Operator
Arkansas	Specific course required	State exam required	Water Treatment Operator
California	-	State exam required	Water Treatment Operator
Colorado	-	State exam required	Plant Operators Certification
Connecticut	-	State exam required	Water Treatment Plant Operator - Class II

Gain additional water operator certifications

Water operator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific water operator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for water operators include Wastewater Treatment Operator Class I and Water Distribution Operator Class I.

More About Certifications

Research water operator duties and responsibilities

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Learned how to mig and tig weld before being promote.
Programme and run Omax water jet, as well as solicited new project opportunities.
Work with various metals including: aluminum, stainless steel, ballistic steel, mild steel, and titanium.

Prepare your water operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your water operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a water operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Water Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Water Operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Water Operator resume.

Apply for water operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a water operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do water operators rate their job?