Meter Reader

About the role

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities. If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

Responsibilities

• Accurately reads and records water meters for billing purposes with hand-held meter reading devices on designated routes.
• Checks meters and reports inoperable, damaged or missing meter boxes.
• Replaces inoperable meters.
• Assists in completing service orders as needed.
• Performs minor renovations of meters and meter boxes, reports vandalism to supervisor and maintains records accordingly.
• Performs bench tests of meters at customer's requests.
• Initiates work orders for water leaks and meter replacements.
• Cleans meter boxes and surrounding areas.
• Ensures the cleanliness and maintenance of company-assigned vehicle, tools and/or equipment.
• Adheres to departmental safety and security operating processes, procedures, and standards.
• Always maintains a safe working environment and reports safety violations to supervisor.
• Documents all work activities, e.g. closes work orders in accordance with departmental guidelines.
• Represents the company in interactions with customers and the public following best practices and providing best-in-class customer service.
• Maintains and searches for new methods of increasing productivity and quality in the most cost-effective manner within the department.
• Makes recommendations to management as needed.
• Performs other duties or special projects as requested.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or GED equivalent.
• Experience in the water works field preferred but not required.
• A valid U.S. driver’s license.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Basic mathematical skills to enable computation of past/present meter readings to determine customer usage.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with the safe and practical use of simple equipment and/or hand tools including wrenches, shovels, etc.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and professionally) with customers.
• Position has direct customer contact and must deal effectively with others.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment.

Working Conditions / Physical Demands

• May be subject to extreme temperatures, noise, wet and/or humid conditions, mechanical, electrical, gas exposure hazards, fumes, dusts, mists, gases and/or poor ventilation atmospheric conditions.
• Stooping, kneeling, continuous walking and lifting of objects up to 50 lbs.
• See, hear, talk, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.
• Operate standard office equipment.
• Working conditions include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities and/or other customer homes and businesses along assigned routes.
• Must be available to work overtime and handle emergency on-call duties.