Water treatment technician
Make water clean for people to drink! You'll also use sustainable practices to deal with sewage, chemicals and other waste.
Also known as: process controller, process operator, water quality technician, water treatment operative, water treatment operator, water treatment worker
About the job
Check out a career in water treatment
What it's like
Isn't it amazing that homes and businesses across Scotland have access to clean water from the tap? Well, this is possible thanks to water treatment technicians.
In this role, you'll work with the equipment in a water treatment plant to make water clean and safe for people to drink.
Water treatment technicians focus on monitoring, operating and maintaining the equipment that treats water and removes contaminants. You'll monitor water quality and adjust treatment processes to meet regulations. You'll often work with advanced technology and use chemical processes to make sure water meets strict safety standards.
It’s rewarding to know your work directly protects public health and the environment!
Your tasks might include:
using equipment such as sludge processors and pumping stations
maintaining septic tanks, filters and other equipment
making small repairs and reporting major problems to engineers
applying sustainable methods to treat water – limiting the use of harmful chemicals
checking and recording water and gas levels
promoting water conservation by optimising recycling processes and encouraging responsible use of water
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Scottish Water – explore their interactive careers map to look behind the scenes and find out who works in the business
Supply Chain Sustainability School – free learning resources for anyone who wants to work in the built environment sector
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Energy Construction and built environment
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.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta 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 each section to find more information about getting into this career.
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 several routes into a career as a water treatment technician.
Work
You can become a water treatment technician through applying directly with an employer or getting an entry-level job and working your way up. Use the My World of Work job search to look for job vacancies.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you secure a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Water Operations (if available)
Applied Sciences
Environmental Science
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in Water Operations.
A driving licence is useful.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a water treatment technician. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
If you need to operate machinery as part of your role, you'll need to be at least 18 years old.
You should be physically fit.
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