Water treatment technician
Make water clean for people to drink, and safely deal with sewage, chemicals and other waste.
Also known as: water treatment worker, water treatment operator, water treatment operative, water quality technician, process operator, process controller
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£327
Entry level
£615
Experienced
Monthly
£1,417
Entry level
£2,667
Experienced
Yearly
£17,000
Entry level
£32,000
Experienced
1,200
people are currently employed
Low growth
100 fewer jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would use the equipment in a water treatment plant to make water clean and safe for people to drink.
You could also process sewage, chemicals and other waste to make it safe.
You would:
Use equipment such as sludge processing and pumping stations
Clean and look after septic tanks, filters and other equipment
Make small repairs and report major problems to engineers
Add chemicals to treat the water
Check and record water and gas levels
You would need to be willing to work difficult hours, and to follow strict health and safety rules at all times.
Hours
Environment
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- analysing
- taking initiative
- implementing ideas
- attention to detail
- observation
- resourceful
- reading
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Environmental Science
Practical Craft Skills
Practical Electronics
Science
Skills for Work: Engineering Skills
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role, however a good general education may be useful.
You may undertake a Modern Apprenticeship leading to a relevant Scottish Vocational Qualification Water Industry Operations (SCQF level 3). Entry requirements for a Modern Apprenticeship vary but employers may ask for qualifications at SCQF level 4/5.
A driving licence.
If you are to operate machinery as part of your role, you will need to be at least 18 years old.
You should be physically fit.
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