Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 51-8031

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

O*NET task statements lead this Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) , Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers ($65K) , Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-8031 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards
  2. 2. Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power
  3. 3. Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms
  4. 4. Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids
  5. 5. Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions
  6. 6. Direct and coordinate plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities
  7. 7. Clean and maintain tanks, filter beds, and other work areas, using hand tools and power tools
  8. 8. Maintain, repair, and lubricate equipment, using hand tools and power tools

O*NET skills and knowledge for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-8031 - entity-keyed; sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operation and Control 4.0
  2. 2. Operations Monitoring 3.9
  3. 3. Monitoring 3.6
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.1
  5. 5. Speaking 3.1
  6. 6. Equipment Maintenance 3.1
  7. 7. Troubleshooting 3.1
  8. 8. Repairing 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Public Safety and Security 4.2
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.6
  3. 3. English Language 3.5
  4. 4. Chemistry 3.4
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.4
  6. 6. Mathematics 3.4
National median after O*NET task lead
$60,020
/year · 8 published task lines above
Lead task: Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards
$60K
National median
↓ -7%
Growth 2024-2034
10,700
Annual openings
128,490
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

1. Minnesota $74,670
2. Massachusetts $68,550
3. California $81,770
4. New Jersey $78,760
5. Washington $80,800
6. Nevada $81,440
7. Illinois $67,810
8. Colorado $74,200
9. Connecticut $78,820
10. Oregon $69,720

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  2. 2. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  3. 3. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  4. 4. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  5. 5. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  6. 6. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120

O*NET publishes 8 leading task statements for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators (SOC 51-8031). The national OEWS median is $60,020 inside Production Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators. Lead published task: Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.

Employment Projections expect -7% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 10,700 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Minnesota at $74,670. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Share This Career Card

LinkedIn X / Twitter
Full Salary Details Browse All Cards

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034.

Dive into Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in more depth or explore nearby career data.

Full Salary Details

State, metro, and percentile breakdown

Jobs in Minnesota

Top-paying state for this role

Jobs in Massachusetts

Second-highest state pay

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer · $107K

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer · $63K

All Career Cards

Browse every occupation card

Highest-Paying Rankings

Top careers nationwide

Compare Side-by-Side

Head-to-head with another role
Compare Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

What do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators. Leading ones include: Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards; Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power; Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms; Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators? ▼
For SOC 51-8031, O*NET importance scores lead with Operation and Control (4.0), Operations Monitoring (3.9), Monitoring (3.6), Active Listening (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Public Safety and Security, Mechanical, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How does Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators sit next to other Production Occupations titles? ▼
On this card, neighboring same-major-group titles include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators. Among those peers, Power Distributors and Dispatchers holds the highest published national median ($106,730). Model Makers, Metal and Plastic sits lower at $63,340. Peer titles are hash-ordered per card so adjacent SOC pages do not share an identical ladder.
What is the median salary for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators? ▼
The median salary for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators is $60,020 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS data). This means half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. The full range is $39,110 (10th percentile) to $91,060 (90th percentile). For context beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this role's median is the OEWS national figure above.
Is Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators a growing occupation? ▼
The BLS projects -7% employment change for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators from 2024 to 2034. There are approximately 10,700 projected annual openings. This is declining relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%.
What education do you need to become a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators? ▼
BLS assigns Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. These occupation-level categories are not requirements for every employer or worker.
Which states pay water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators the most? ▼
The highest published state medians in this ranking for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators are Minnesota ($74,670), Massachusetts ($68,550), California ($81,770). The table does not identify why state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

All federal data sources used on this page
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - wage estimates by area + occupation. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - occupation task statements (importance-ranked). onetcenter.org
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - quarterly employment and wage totals by industry. bls.gov/cew
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for metro/state aggregates. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) - monthly nonfarm payroll baselines. bls.gov/ces
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context. irs.gov/statistics
  • BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - unemployment context for labor-market comparisons. bls.gov/lau