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Drinking Water Operator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

SANTEE COOPER

WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

Santee, SC · On-site

$33.35 - $41.65/hr

Is required to possess and maintain a valid South Carolina Drinking Water Treatment Plant Operator "A" license due to regulatory requirements. Essential Job Tasks: * Treats and distributes safe ...

New

Tyson Foods

Wastewater Operator B 6

Newbern, TN

$18 - $24.75/hr

Position Summary The 3rd Shift Wastewater & Drinking Water Operator is responsible for operating, monitoring, and maintaining wastewater treatment and drinking water systems during overnight hours.

Tyson Foods

Wastewater Operator B 6

Newbern, TN · On-site

$18 - $24.75/hr

Position Summary The 3rd Shift Wastewater & Drinking Water Operator is responsible for operating, monitoring, and maintaining wastewater treatment and drinking water systems during overnight hours.

Inframark

Water Operator

Winder, GA · On-site

Water Operator This position is responsible for the general operations of a municipal drinking water treatment plant. In addition to process control responsibilities, you may be asked to do basic ...

Provo

Water Sources & Plant Manager

Provo, UT · On-site

$97K - $144K/yr

Oversee operation of drinking water source facilities and treatment processes to maintain reliable ... Six (6) years of professional water operator experience, 2 years of which must have been in a ...

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Drinking Water Operator information

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$10

$31

$94

How much do drinking water operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 22, 2026, the average hourly pay for drinking water operator in the United States is $31.28, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.83 and $30.05 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Drinking Water Operator vs Water Treatment Plant Operator?

AspectDrinking Water OperatorWater Treatment Plant Operator
CertificationsState-specific water operator licensesSimilar water treatment certifications
Work EnvironmentMunicipal water systems, treatment facilitiesWater treatment plants, municipal or industrial
Job FocusEnsuring safe drinking water qualityOperating and maintaining water treatment equipment

Both roles involve operating water treatment systems and require similar certifications. The Drinking Water Operator primarily focuses on ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water, often working in municipal water systems. The Water Treatment Plant Operator may work in broader water treatment facilities, including industrial settings. While their duties overlap, the Drinking Water Operator emphasizes compliance with drinking water standards, making it a specialized role within the water treatment industry.

What are some common challenges faced by Drinking Water Operators, and how can they be addressed on the job?

Drinking Water Operators often encounter challenges such as maintaining compliance with strict water quality regulations, troubleshooting equipment malfunctions, and responding to unexpected system issues like line breaks or contamination events. Addressing these requires a strong understanding of water treatment processes, attention to detail, and quick problem-solving skills. Regular training, effective communication with team members, and proactive maintenance routines are critical for overcoming these challenges and ensuring safe, reliable water delivery to the community.

What is a Drinking Water Operator?

A Drinking Water Operator is a trained professional responsible for operating and maintaining systems that treat and deliver safe drinking water to the public. Their duties include monitoring water quality, managing treatment processes, conducting tests to ensure compliance with regulations, and maintaining equipment. They play a critical role in protecting public health by ensuring that water meets safety standards set by regulatory agencies. Drinking Water Operators may work for municipalities, private companies, or water utilities, and often require certification or licensing depending on local requirements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Drinking Water Operator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Drinking Water Operator, you need a solid understanding of water treatment processes, chemistry, and regulatory requirements, often supported by a high school diploma and state licensure or certification. Familiarity with SCADA systems, laboratory testing equipment, and water quality monitoring tools is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving, and effective communication are key soft skills for ensuring compliance and responding to operational issues. These skills are critical to maintaining safe, reliable drinking water supplies and meeting public health standards.
What cities are hiring for Drinking Water Operator jobs? Cities with the most Drinking Water Operator job openings:
What states have the most Drinking Water Operator jobs? States with the most job openings for Drinking Water Operator jobs include:
Drinking Water Operator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Drinking Water Operator job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $65,061 per year, or $31.3 per hour.
Drinking Water Treatment Operator

Drinking Water Treatment Operator

Woodard & Curran

Cohasset, MA • On-site

$27 - $37/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 22 days ago

Job description

Woodard & Curran is a national engineering, science and operations firm with a simple vision for clean water, a safe environment, healthy communities and happy people. As an employee-owned company, we strive to cultivate teams that encourage collaboration in an inclusive culture. We seek talented individuals from all backgrounds to help us address a broad range of water and environmental issues. We prioritize our people, offering opportunities for professional growth, ownership and flexibility. This commitment enables us to make a meaningful impact on our clients, communities and the planet. 


Woodard & Curran draws on the experience of hundreds of certified operators across the country, backed by the knowledge and skills of hundreds more engineers, scientists, and regulatory experts, to quickly tackle the most challenging operational issues and keep treatment plants running efficiently and in full compliance.  Woodard & Curran also aids employees in earning, upgrading, and keeping their certifications within the industry.
 
Woodard & Curran is seeking a full-time, year-round individual to join our Water Treatment staff at our facility in Cohasset, Massachusetts, with the potential to eventually cross over into Water Distribution work as well. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to jump start their career in the water treatment field!  Woodard & Curran will support you in starting your career path by providing on-the-job training and mentoring while you study for your water treatment exam and work towards obtaining your license. We provide bonuses for each level of license that you achieve!
 
Woodard & Curran is dedicated to our employee's growth and we want to help you on your career path. 
 
Our Operators are responsible for the full-time operation and the general maintenance of the facility's Water Treatment process & equipment, as well as returning treated water back to the environment. The position involves a variety of both physical and technical tasks such as testing and processing samples in our lab, inputting data into our plant databases, servicing the plant's equipment, snow removal, housekeeping, and grounds keeping.  Each day can present a different challenge and learning opportunity.  We take pride in caring for our facility, both inside and out!  If you enjoy working both indoors and outdoors protecting nature's most precious resource, water, then this position is for you.
 
This position comes with a $2,500.00 sign on bonus!
What You Will Be Doing at Woodard & Curran
  • Monitor water treatment plant processes and equipment both manually and via SCADA automation, making adjustments as necessary to control their operation.
  • Perform water quality sampling, testing, and analysis to determine compliance with federal, state, and EPA standards.
  • Monitor remote pump stations with inspections and daily sampling as required.
  • Operate, maintain, control, and perform routine repair of plant equipment, including preventive maintenance duties.
  • Utilize asset management software programs for maintenance work orders.
  • Perform general maintenance duties of plant and other assigned duties.
What You Will Need to Succeed
  • High School Degree or Equivalent.
  • Massachusetts Grade-3 Water Treatment preferred.
  • Massachusetts Grade 2 Water Treatment License holders encouraged. We will provide training and education to advance your Drinking Water credentials.
  • Ability to make independent judgements as well as follow instructions, operating guidelines, and especially safety procedures.
  • Successful candidates will be required to complete a background check, pre-placement physical and drug screen before employment.
  • Valid MA driver's license with a good driving record.
Schedule
  • Reliable and dependable attendance is an essential function of this position.
  • Minimum 40-hours per week year round. Seasonal overtime opportunities are anticipated.
  • Monday - Friday during training period, which could potentially last 12 months or more
  • Schedule will become Sunday - Thursday upon acquiring Drinking Water Treatment-3 License
  • 7am-3:30pm during Fall, Winter and Spring seasons
  • Extended shifts to meet the seasonal demands of the water system during summer months
  • Summer schedule may vary from 4am-noon or 1pm-9pm, potentially rotating on a monthly basis
  • Sundays during the summer may consist of additional work hours - we pay overtime!
$27 - $37 an hour
Pay range depends upon level of experience and certification. Hourly increases to follow as candidate advances licensing and training.

Mutual Dispute Resolution (MDR)

As part of our commitment to a fair and respectful workplace, Woodard & Curran uses a Mutual Dispute Resolution (MDR) to help resolve most employment-related concerns efficiently and consistently.

What this means:

  • MDR applies to both you and the Company
  • Most workplace-related disputes are resolved through binding arbitration, rather than court proceedings
  • Certain exceptions are outlined in the full agreement

If you are offered a position with Woodard & Curran, you will be asked to review and sign the MDR as part of your offer packet.

 Review the full agreement here: Mutual Dispute Resolution Agreement

Employee Support & Benefits

Retirement Savings:

  • 401(k) Pre-tax or Roth Contributions: The company matches 100% of the first 3% of salary contributed

Time away from work:

  • Observed holidays: Choose up to 8 holidays to observe annually
  • Vacation: Accrued based on years of experience and calculated on hours worked
  • Sick time: Paid sick time for non-work-related illness or injury.
  • Parental leave: Up to 80 hours of Paid Parental Leave for child bonding

Coverage and support for your needs and well-being:

  • Disability: Paid short- and long-term disability
  • Health: Medical plan options; plus dental and vision plans.
  • Life: Basic employee group life insurance and AD&D benefits; additional voluntary life insurance for employees and families is available through Sun Life.
  • Wellbeing: DarioMind assistance program combined with personalized mental health and wellbeing resources.

Workplace Information

E-Verify Participation

Woodard & Curran participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. As part of this process, we display the required Notice of E-Verify Participation and Right to Work posters. 

View required Right to Work and E-Verify posters here.

Equal Employment Opportunity & Accessibility

Woodard & Curran is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to non-discrimination and make employment decisions based on job-related factors. Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact Beth Sweitzer.

View our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
View the "Workplace Discrimination is Illegal" poster 

Inclusion & Belonging

We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and believe diverse perspectives strengthen our ability to serve clients and communities.

As an employee-owned company, we are committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment where employees can grow, contribute fully, and deliver meaningful impact.

Recruitment Agency Policy

We do not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Submissions without a signed agreement in place will be considered unsolicited and not eligible for referral fees.

 

Text Message Communication Notice:

To support an efficient hiring process, we may send brief SMS updates or reminders. You may opt out at any time by replying "STOP."

Terms, Privacy & Use of AI in Hiring 

Woodard & Curran Terms of Use

Woodard & Curran Privacy Statement

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of the hiring process (e.g., application review or resume screening). These tools assist our team but do not replace human decision-making. All final hiring decisions are made by people.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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