Water Treatment Plant Operator
Columbia Power & Water Systems (CPWS) is a public utility proudly serving the citizens of Columbia and Maury County Tennessee since 1939. CPWS is recruiting an entry-level Water Treatment Plant Operator (Level I or II) to control Water Treatment Plant machines and equipment to purify and clarify water for human consumption and for industrial use for over 25,000 customers in Maury County and the surrounding areas.
This is a safety-sensitive position subject to standby, afterhours, and/or emergency call out. Operators must meet residency requirements. The plant operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on three 8-hour shifts. Operators are assigned a shift upon hire but may be subject to emergency call out on other shifts. Weekend and holiday shifts are required. Initial training will take place on the day shift for the first few weeks to months before Operators transition to their regular shift.
The primary duties & responsibilities of this position include:
- Operates and controls electric motors, pumps, and valves to regulate flow of raw water into treating plant
- Adds specified amounts of chemicals, such as chlorine, alum, and lime into water or adjusts automatic devices that admit specified amounts of chemicals into tanks to disinfect, deodorize, and clarify water
- Pumps purified water into water mains
- Monitors plant equipment and adjusts controls to regulate flow rates, loss of head pressure, water elevation, and distribution of water
- Cleans tanks and filter beds using backwashing (reverse flow of water)
- Repairs and lubricates machines and equipment using hand tools and power tools
- Tests water samples to determine acidity, color, and impurities using colorimeter, turbidimeter, and conductivity meter
- Records data, such as residual content of chemicals, water turbidity, etc.
- Collect water samples from distribution system
- Answers telephone for both water and power system after office is closed
- Maintains cleanliness of water treatment plant
- Works day, evening, and midnight shifts as assigned
- Other duties as assigned
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to lift 0 – 100 pounds for 2 hours a day
- Ability to lift and carry 25 – 100 pounds for 2 hours a day
- Ability to walk and stand for 4 hours a day
- Ability to stoop, bend, climb, and twist
- Ability to use eyes, hands, and fingers to operate or adjust equipment
- Ability to talk, see, and hear
- Reaching, handling, fingering, and feeling
- Ability to work inside and outside and be exposed to noisy places, fumes, chemicals, toxic substances, and machinery
- Environmental Conditions: Ability to work both inside and outside, but mainly inside with some outside work. Wet and Humid: Wet: Contact with water or other liquids. Humid: Atmospheric conditions with moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort
Education, Experience, and Qualifications:
Water Treatment Plant Operator - Level I:
- High School Diploma or equivalent required
- Maintain a valid State of Tennessee Driver’s License
- 2+ years’ experience in water production and be fully proficient in the operation and maintenance of treatment plant machines and equipment (Operator II)
- State of Tennessee Grade III Filtration License (Operator III)
- 5+ years of experience and State of Tennessee Grade IV Filtration License (Operator IV)
Residency Requirements:
- Must reside within a CPWS service territory or Maury County due to the position being subject to stand-by, after-hours, and/or emergency call-out
Compensation Package:
CPWS offers competitive compensation and benefits package that includes health, dental, long-term disability and life insurance and a 401(k) contribution.
To apply, please visit our website: cpws.com/employment. This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that additional and/or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (i.e., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments). This job ad does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
