Plant Operator

Water Production Operator

Position Reports To: Water Production Supervisor, Water Plant Operations Foreman

Positions Supervised: None

BLS Comparable: 51-8031, Water System Operators

Leadership: Provides co-worker leadership to others through motivation, team building, and providing feedback.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Subject to post offer, pre-employment drug screen.
• Subject to post offer, pre-employment physical examination/medical history check.
• Subject to a pre-employment criminal background check.
• As a position directly affecting the safety of others, the employee will be required to comply with all provisions of City of Enid's substance abuse policy, including random drug and alcohol testing.
• Possession of a valid Oklahoma driver's license with acceptable driving record.
• Must be available to take calls between shifts, as assigned by the supervisor, and respond within 30 minutes to a call out.

Position Purpose: Ensure quality water supply by efficient daily operations of the water treatment plants.

Essential Functions and Basic Duties:

• Operate control mechanisms/SCADA for water plant operations and adjust accordingly as needed.
• Operate and perform regular inspections of the water plant and related equipment to ensure that it is in proper operation at all times.
• Drive city vehicles between collection sites and collect and perform laboratory analysis on water samples at various stages of treatment to determine the water quality and adjust the equipment accordingly to maintain various plant guidelines.
• Maintain various records in accordance with guidelines from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency, including accurate records of all laboratory test results, varying flow and chemical usage records as required.
• Monitor water pressures, plant flows, storage tank levels and varying plant conditions as well as all working equipment.
• Perform minor maintenance and custodial duties to keep the plant in proper operation, sanitized, and presentable.
• Maintain treatment plant grounds by mowing and weed eating fields as needed.
• Check inventory and order chemicals and supplies as needed.
• Confer with the public pertaining to any and all inquiries in a professional manner.
• Compute daily averages on chemical usage, flow levels, laboratory results, and operational logs.
• Provide assistance to other departments as needed.
• Perform other duties as required.

Performance Measurements:

• The Water Production Department runs smoothly and efficiently.
• Effective working relations exist with City personnel.
• Established inspection program is followed and documented.
• Standard operating procedures are followed for start and stop of water wells.
• Premises are clean and well maintained.
• Employee understands and adheres to applicable safety policies.
• The City's professional reputation is maintained.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience: High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED); or six months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates/Licenses: D.E.Q. Class D Water License within 6 months. D.E.Q, Class C Water License within 18 months. Protective Respirator Equipment Qualification (within 3 months).

Required Knowledge:

Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Computer: Intermediate personal computer skills, including electronic mail, routine database activity, word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, etc.

Specialized: Knowledge of water lab testing processes. Understanding of water plant operations. Knowledge of D.E.Q. rules and regulations regarding treatment plant operations and testing procedures. Knowledge of SCADA system.

Skills/Abilities:

• Basic computer skills including e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, etc.
• Ability to understand basic operational procedures.
• Ability to prioritize tasks.
• Awareness of safety rules and regulations when handling hazardous chemicals.
• Use lab equipment such as pipettes and colorimeters
• Handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to assist and support others.

Physical & Mental Activities and Requirements of This Position:

Finger Dexterity: Manual dexterity sufficient to work with the fingers.

Visual Abilities: Normal vision, with or without corrective lenses. Color vision.

Physical Strength:

PDC Level: Very Heavy

Exerts up to 50 lbs. of force. Ability to push/pull 125 lbs of force. Ability to ascend/descend a 16" step. Ability to shovel material. Ability to perform job functions while kneeling, squatting, stooping, or bending.

Language/Comprehension: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few variables in standardized situations.

Mathematics Ability: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rates, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Work Schedule/Hours: Regular — 10 hour shifts 8 on 6 off rotation Must be available to work any shift either day or night, including all holidays. May require "on-call status" as authorized and scheduled by supervisor, and must be able to report to work within 30 minutes. Other-Variable lunch period and breaks in coordination with other personnel.

Work Conditions: Indoors and outdoors exposed to changing weather conditions (for instance, rain, sun, snow, wind, etc.) Noise Level: Quiet to very loud. Hearing protection required. Other Work Conditions: Involves contact with potentially hazardous materials. Work around high voltage motor control with possibility of electric shock. Frequent exposure to fumes, airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals.

Advancement Criteria:

Intermediate: 4-6 years related experience. Class C Water License. Advanced safety knowledge of hazardous chemicals and applicable safety standards. Proficient computer skills. Valid CPR Certification.

Advanced: 7+ years related experience. Class B Water License. Expert knowledge of hazardous chemicals and other applicable other safety requirements.