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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Florida

Thinking about a career as a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Florida? Here’s what you need to know. Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

$58,630 Median Annual Wage (Florida)

$48,896 National Median Annual Wage

7,560 Florida Employment

Some Preparation Needed Typical Preparation

What do Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Make in Florida?

For water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators working in Florida, the median annual wage is $58,630 per year (or about $28.19/hour).Earnings range from $39,640 at the 10th percentile to $89,620 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$39,640	$19.06
25th percentile	$47,310	$22.74
Median (50th)	$58,630	$28.19
75th percentile	$68,630	$32.99
90th percentile	$89,620	$43.09

Salary ranges for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Florida

The job concentration index in Florida nationwide is 0.94.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn a median of $48,896 per year ($23.51/hour), exceeding the Florida median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 614,799 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators nationwide. In Florida alone, approximately 7,560 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 2,110 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators.

Forecasted number of jobs for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Top Florida Metros for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

These are the Florida metros with the most water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Florida.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	1,760	$62,850
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	1,430	$59,360
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	600	$56,030
Jacksonville, FL	480	$64,510
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	400	$56,390
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	350	$50,250
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	290	$59,090
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	260	$48,020
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	240	$50,240
Port St. Lucie, FL	220	$62,100
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	200	$50,840
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	150	$58,940
Naples-Marco Island, FL	150	$60,660
Tallahassee, FL	130	$55,880
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL	110	$44,560
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL	90	$58,970
Wildwood-The Villages, FL	90	$47,430
Gainesville, FL	80	$58,980
Ocala, FL	60	$51,010
Sebring, FL	30	$47,090

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

These states have the highest employment of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work.

State	Number Employed
California	11,260
Texas	10,340
Florida	7,560
Ohio	5,550
New York	5,270
Pennsylvania	5,190
Illinois	3,870
Arizona	3,470
North Carolina	3,420
Virginia	3,390
Indiana	3,300
Kentucky	3,150
Tennessee	3,090
Alabama	2,950
Georgia	2,880
South Carolina	2,800
Oklahoma	2,750
Michigan	2,720
Missouri	2,700
Massachusetts	2,480

Highest-Paying States for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Where water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn the most: water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators.

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$82,100
Nevada	$79,140
Washington	$78,810
Alaska	$76,910
New Jersey	$75,200
Connecticut	$74,450
Minnesota	$70,470
Colorado	$68,220
New Hampshire	$66,240
Hawaii	$65,800

Skills

Key water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Operation and Control 4.0 / 5

Operations Monitoring 3.9 / 5

Monitoring 3.6 / 5

Repairing 3.1 / 5

Speaking 3.1 / 5

Active Listening 3.1 / 5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Public Safety and Security 4.2 / 5

Mechanical 3.6 / 5

English Language 3.5 / 5

Chemistry 3.4 / 5

Mathematics 3.4 / 5

Education and Training 3.4 / 5

Abilities

Key abilities for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Expression 3.8 / 5

Oral Comprehension 3.8 / 5

Near Vision 3.6 / 5

Written Comprehension 3.5 / 5

Deductive Reasoning 3.5 / 5

Information Ordering 3.1 / 5

Daily Tasks

Common tasks 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.
Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.
Direct and coordinate plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities.
Clean and maintain tanks, filter beds, and other work areas, using hand tools and power tools.
Maintain, repair, and lubricate equipment, using hand tools and power tools.

Work Activities

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Documenting/Recording Information
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Processing Information
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Analyzing Data or Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Getting Information
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

Environmental Control Technology

Careers similar to water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators include:

Also Known As

Basin Tender, Biosolids Management Technician (Biosolids Management Tech), Clarifying Plant Operator, Disposal Operator, Disposal Plant Operator, Drinking Water Technician (Drinking Water Tech), Filter Tender, Filterer, Filtration Operator, Filtration Plant Operator, Industrial Waste Treatment Technician (Industrial Waste Treatment Tech), Liquid Waste Treatment Plant Operator, On-Site Wastewater Systems Technician (On-Site Wastewater Systems Tech), Plant Operator, Process Operator (Process Op).

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
O*NET-SOC code: 51-8031.00

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