Floating Plant Operator F473N

Primary Role

To operate and control plant machinery and equipment to purify and clarify water for human consumption and commercial and industrial use. To remotely control distribution pumps, tanks, and equipment to maintain water and fire service in the distribution system. Monitor and test water quality to assure safe water quality. To have active involvement in and make process control decisions associated with the operation and maintenance of water purification systems and related wastewater processes.

Key Accountabilities

• Monitors SCADA to operate and control electric motors, pumps, valves, and filters to regulate flow of water through the plant.
• Administers specified amount of chemicals in the correct amounts, such as but not limited to, polymer, salt, and potassium permanganate into chemical feeders.
•  Adjust same devices to control the amount of chemical admitted into tanks, clear wells, and pipelines to disinfect, deodorize, clarify, and purify the water.
• Control, operate, and monitor mixers, vacuum pumps, sludge blanket levels, sludge blanket concentrations and sludge removal to clarify the water.
• Operate and maintain raw water facilities including reservoir supply, transmission, and pumping facilities.
• Monitors SCADA to remotely adjust and control pumps, motors, and chemical feed equipment, to regulate pressures, water elevations, flow of water, and quality of water in the distribution system.
• Monitors filter operation to maintain water quality and determine backwashing scheduling.
• Collect and test water samples water from various process points to determine acidity, color, turbidity, pH, bacteria content, treatment application, odor, and other impurities using various laboratory equipment such as electrodes, colorimeters, mixers, turbidimeters, titrators, mixers and hot plates.
• Maintain and test online analytical instruments monitoring water quality.
• Perform lab work and record data such as test results, chemical dosages, weights, and volumes, water quality information, operational problems, and compliance monitoring as required by various State and Federal regulations.
• Monitor, operate, and control water facilities and equipment.
• Respond to consumer complaints, emergencies, answer telephone and/or make notification to appropriate supervisors about same.
• Load/unload/receive chemicals and materials used to purify and operate the water treatment systems.
• Clean and maintain workplace.
• Use company technology to perform assigned duties.
• Responsible for environmental compliance with DEP and other government agencies and company regulations.
• Adhere to all safety regulations and company policies, practices and procedures.
• Maintain all necessary records.
• Any other duties which are assigned.

Knowledge/Skills

• Learn the functioning of the overall system.
• Use judgment to make decisions to keep the system operating and in compliance.
• Remain calm during emergencies.
• Use arithmetic to figure amounts of material needed or applied to function.
• Direct the work of others.
• Use eyes, hands, and fingers to operate or adjust equipment.
• Differentiate between colors.
• Physical Demands: Lifting 100 lbs. maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 pounds. Stooping. Kneeling. Crouching. Crawling. Reaching. Handling. Fingering. Feeling. Seeing. Walking up and down flights of stairs. Working in confined areas. Climbing up and down ladders. Work on a ladder.
• Regularly travel between the Norristown and Yardley locations to operate and maintain the Plant and associated facilities.
• Report any deviations in operation to AW management as soon as practical with required explanation and details.
• Math Skills: Requires mathematical development sufficient to be able to: Calculate surface, volume, weights and measures. Calculate square roots, variable formulas.
• Calculate plane and solid figures circumference, area and volume.
• Understand kind of angles, and properties of pairs and angles.
• Language Skills: Must have developed language skills to the point to be able to: Read and understand instructions, safety rules, state/federal regulations, etc. Write reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech. Speak with poise, voice control and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice.
• Relationships to Data, People and Things: Data: Compiling: Gathering, collating or classifying information about date, people or things. Reporting and/or carrying out a prescribed action in relation to information is frequently involved.

Knowledge/Skills Cont'd

• People: Taking instructions – Helping: Helping applies to “non-learning” helpers. No variety of implicit wishes of people is involved in this function.
• Things: Operating – Controlling: Starting, stopping, controlling, and adjusting the progress of machines or equipment.
• Operating machines involves setting up and adjusting the machines or materials as the works progresses.
• Controlling involves observing progress of operations and tuning devices to regulate reactions of materials.
• Read, understand and follow instructions, safety rules, maps, diagrams, etc.

Experience/Education

• Specific Vocational Preparation includes an occupationally significant combination of: vocational education, apprentice training, in-plant training, on-the-job training, or essential experience in less responsible jobs.
• Over 1 year Company, state, federal, private, or county sponsored courses will be attended to improve job skills.
• Applicant will obtain Pennsylvania Operator Certification within allotted time frames set forth in the bargaining agreement.
• High School graduate or state recognized education equivalency certificate.
• Must possess and maintain a valid PA drivers’ license.
• A valid Water Works Operator certificate (Class A, Type 1) or ability to obtain in the time required by the PAWC.

Work Environment

Environmental Conditions: Both: inside and outside: a job is considered “both” if the activities occur inside or outside in approximately equal amounts. Wet and humid: Wet: Contact with water or other liquids. Humid: Atmospheric condition with moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort. Noise and Vibration: Sufficient noise, either constant or intermittent, to cause marked distraction or possible injury to the sense of hearing, and/or sufficient vibration (production of an oscillating movement or strain on the body or its extremes from repeated motion or shock) to cause bodily harm if endured day after day. Hazards: Situations in which the individual is exposed to the definite risk of bodily injury. Exposure to: Odors, toxic conditions, chemical dust or dust or poor ventilation. Ability to wear a respirator and work in confined spaces.

Competencies