There are many aspects to the work that water and wastewater treatment technicians perform, and depending on what their job entails they may go by different names. For instance, civil engineering technicians and technologists provide technical support to the water resource engineers who build municipal and industrial water facilities. The workers who monitor and operate computerized control systems and related equipment in wastewater treatment plants are called wastewater plant operators . Similar duties are carried out by water plant operators , who monitor and operate the control systems in plants that treat water before it is distributed to homes and businesses. Waterworks maintenance workers maintain and repair waterworks equipment and facilities and may also read water meters.
Clean water is essential to public health.
To ensure that our water supplies do not carry harmful bacteria and other health-threatening substances, some water treatment technicians inspect water systems to ensure compliance with government regulations regarding sanitation, pollution control, handling and storage of hazardous substances and workplace safety. They may also investigate health and safety-related complaints. In all these ways, water and wastewater treatment technicians help to make sure that there is enough clean water for all our needs. These programs can lead to a specialization in site remediation, water and wastewater treatment, waste management, pollution control, etc. Chemical technologies programs provide training in chemistry, analytical and laboratory techniques, biochemistry and chemical engineering principles.