Water and Waste Treatment Operators
On this page
Job description
These individuals monitor and operate water treatment and distribution systems. They are also responsible for the disposal of sewage and liquid waste. This group includes composting facility staff. They work for:
- Municipal governments
- Water treatment and filtration plants
- Wastewater treatment plants
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Climatic conditions
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Hazardous chemical
- Biological agents
- Odours
- Noise
Main tasks
Water Treatment Facility Operators
- Monitor and inspect plant equipment and systems.
- Measure water flow.
- Take water samples and make chemical dosages to check the concentration of bacteria, chlorine, and fluoride.
- Analyze sample results and data and make the necessary adjustments.
- Conduct security checks.
- Respond to public inquiries regarding water quality and emergencies.
- Complete and maintain the plant’s activity log.
- Draft reports.
- Perform minor maintenance.
- Measure, mix, and transport chemicals.
Liquid Waste Treatment Facility Operators
- Patrol the factory to check equipment (pumps, motors, filters, etc.).
- Collect data to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Test and adjust chemical feed rates.
- Collect wastewater and sewage samples, test them, and analyze the results.
- Conduct safety checks.
- Complete and maintain the plant operations log.
- Draft reports.
- Carry out preventive maintenance of plant equipment.
- Help install and repair the plant machinery.
Advancement and mobility
- Experience leads to supervisory positions.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.- Minimum
- $21.00
- Median
- $30.00
- Maximum
- $48.00
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Very good
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
1,500
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 15.9% Female
- 84.1% Male
Not available.
- 15.9% Female
- 84.1% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
$72,500
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 2241% of jobs
-
NAICS 9133% of jobs
-
NAICS 55, 568% of jobs
-
NAICS 234% of jobs
-
NAICS 5413, 54142% of jobs
-
Others12% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 2241% of jobs
-
NAICS 9133% of jobs
-
NAICS 55, 568% of jobs
-
NAICS 234% of jobs
-
NAICS 5413, 54142% of jobs
-
Others12% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
Secondary
DVS in conduite de procédés de traitement de l'eau
Code : 5328
Placement rate: 94.1%
3% of graduates pursue further studies
College
ACS in techniques de gestion des eaux
Code : ERA0B
Placement rate: 87.5%
6.3% of graduates pursue further studies
DCS in technologie de l'eau
Code : 260A0
Placement rate: 100%
Also required
Water Treatment Plant Operator(s)
- Complete surface water/groundwater treatment and water distribution systems (OSTUD) certificate issued by the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.
Wastewater Treatment Facility Operators
- Wastewater collection and wastewater treatment certification (Level 1, 2, 3, or 4, depending on the certification level of the plant).
Sometimes required
- A Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) certificate is sometimes required.
- A Transportation of Dangerous Goods Certificate is sometimes required.
- Training on safe practices is sometimes required.
- Experience in water or wastewater treatment may be required.
Wastewater Treatment Facility Operators
- Certification as a Solid Waste, Landfill, or Composting Facility Operator may be required.
- Membership in the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec (OTPQ [Quebec Order of Professional Technologists]) and obtaining the title of Professional Technologist is an asset.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Information processing
- Data collection
- Monitoring operations
- Operations and control
- Result evaluation
- Quality control analysis
- Active listening
- Troubleshooting
- Equipment maintenance
- Oral expression
- Critical thought
- Repair
- Reading comprehension
- Judgment and decision-making
- Systems evaluation
- Time management
- Mathematics
- Solving complex problems
Abilities
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Written comprehension
- Near vision
- Deductive reasoning
- Perception speed
- Awareness of issues
- Inductive reasoning
- Selective attention
- Speech clarity
- Written expression
- Information organization
- Speech recognition
- Manual dexterity
- Control accuracy
- Distance vision
Knowledge and attributes
- Critical thinking
- Autonomy
- Capacity to work in a team
- Rigour
- Sense of initiative
- Attention to detail
- Respect standards and regulations
- Assiduity and punctuality
- Sense of observation
- Knowledge of chemistry
Interests
- Make, build, install
- Conduct tests and trials, control processes
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Official name of the NOC 92101
Water and waste treatment plant operators
Job titles
- Wastewater collection operator
- Water treatment operator
- Wastewater treatment operator
- Water treatment plant process technician
- Water and wastewater technician
- Filtration plant controller - water treatment
- Water gate operator
- Pumphouse operator - water treatment
- Water utility operator
- Water treatment plant operator
- Wastewater treatment plant operator
- Filter plant operator - water treatment
- Water filtration plant operator
- Water purification plant operator
- Sewage plant operator
- Industrial waste treatment plant operator
- Waste treatment plant operator
- Liquid waste processing plant operator
- Water plant pump operator
- Well-point pump operator
- Liquid waste process operator
- Wastewater collection systems operator
- Pump station operator - water treatment
- Waterworks pump house operator
- Water treatment systems operator
- Environmental systems operator - water treatment
- Sewage-processing equipment tender
- Wastewater treatment plant worker
- Water, fuels and environment technician - canadian armed forces
Skill type
Manufacturing and utilities
Last update: January 29, 2026
Page evaluation