Wastewater Maintenance Operator I-III

Performs a variety of entry-level to advanced-level, complex skilled and technical duties related to the daily maintenance, repair, and fabrication of treatment plant facilities, mechanical, electronic, electrical, and motorized equipment. Operates heavy equipment.

Responsibilities

• Performs working-level to advanced mechanics and maintenance to ensure proper equipment operation, including bar screens, grit collectors, screw conveyors, raw sewage pumps, clarifiers, chlorine systems, activated sludge, sludge pumps, generators, trucks, lift stations, and other equipment.
• Uses hand, power, and air tools to replace or repair chains, sprockets, shafts, rakes, screws, sleeves, bearings, wear-rings, and other mechanical parts; tears down and rebuilds pumps; overhauls and replaces bearings, pistons, shafts, and eccentrics; pre-loads and aligns bearings and equipment; greases and lubricates moving parts; performs general plumbing and pipe fitting.
• Performs complex automotive and diesel maintenance, including repairs to transmissions, clutches, carburetors, brakes, U-joints, drive shafts, exhaust systems, shocks, springs, engines, and other vehicle parts; maintains heavy equipment such as sewer flush trucks, televising vans, loaders, backhoes, and dump trucks.
• Maintains accurate records of equipment, prepares maintenance schedules, and manages parts inventory; records all maintenance performed on equipment and city-owned vehicles.
• Operates heavy equipment, including front-end loaders, backhoes, and other machinery to dig trenches, transport materials, and unload bulk chlorine using an air padding system; operates compost turners and trommel screens.
• Records instrument readings, charts, and indicators.
• Performs daily operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment facility, including clarifiers, buildings, backup generators, blowers, and chlorine disinfection equipment; ensures proper application of effluent water and operation of rapid infiltration basins.
• Monitors and performs preventative maintenance, including greasing, adjusting belts and pulleys, changing pumps and motors, and unclogging pumps; operates machinery such as skid steers, backhoes, loaders, tractors, crane trucks, jet/vac trucks, forklifts, and trash pumps.
• Collects daily and monthly lab samples from various phases of the treatment process as required by the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) and for process control; gathers "grab" samples and composite samples; creates "chain of custody" reports and delivers samples to analytical laboratories.
• Performs daily and weekly tests to verify proper operation and control of wastewater treatment systems; evaluates concentrations of solids and bacteria for "flocking" and settling; adjusts process rates for activated sludge (RAS) and waste activated sludge (WAS) to prevent disruption of microbial colonies.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Public Utilities Director/Manager or Wastewater Systems Supervisor.

Requirements

• Graduation from high school or equivalent.
• For Maintenance Operator I: No experience necessary, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• For Maintenance Operator II: Two (2) years of experience performing the above or closely related duties, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Some knowledge of technical treatment plant equipment, machinery, and processes; hazards and precautions associated with plant operations; automotive, diesel mechanics, electrical works, plumbing, and mechanical equipment; laboratory procedures and chemical/physical processes in wastewater treatment.
• Skill in using hand and power tools, personal computers, calculators, radios, motorized vehicles, and equipment such as pickup trucks, dump trucks, man lifts, hydraulic presses, generators, and ladders.
• Ability to interpret blueprints, schematic drawings, and maintenance manuals; make accurate decisions in emergency situations; perform complex mechanical repairs; communicate effectively verbally and in writing; develop working relationships with supervisors and coworkers.

Qualifications

• Must possess a Class "A" Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
• Must work on a 24-hour stand-by or on-call basis (rotating with other operators for seven days at a time).
• Must work weekends and holidays on a rotating basis with other wastewater operators.
• Must become a certified Wastewater Plant Maintenance Technologist Systems Operator I within 12 months of hire.
• Must become a certified flagger.
• Must become confined space certified.
• Must become forklift certified.
• Must have basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and other wastewater-specific software.

Work Environment

Employees in this position typically work outdoors, subject to changing and seasonal weather conditions. Tasks involve physical activities such as walking, standing, stooping, sitting, reaching, and lifting. Daily exposure to hazards includes:

• Electrical shock.
• Industrial wastes and raw sewage (containing pathogens such as typhoid, paratyphoid, dysentery, polio, tetanus, etc.).
• Moving parts and equipment (e.g., pumps, motors, heavy machinery).
• Traffic hazards while working in public right-of-way.
• Confined space operations.

Essential functions require talking, hearing, and seeing. Common dexterity in eyes, hands, and fingers is necessary. Mental application includes memory for details, verbal instructions, emotional stability, discriminating thinking, and creative problem-solving.