Source

Question I get asked...

• What do you do for a living?
  • Answer I give...
    • I make water...
  • Sometimes if I'm feeling a bit silly, the answer I give...
    • I make dihydrogen monoxide...
  • The look I get for either answer...

Source

The complete answer to what do I do...

• I am the Chief Water Plant operator in our small town.
  Of course, I don't make water.
  ...people don't see the dot dot dot inferred after I say that...
  The dot dot dot means it's only a partial answer.

I am a water plant operator.

• I make water safe to drink
  • and pleasing to the eye and nose
    • and non-corrosive to pipes and tanks
  • in quantities required by the customers I provide
    • including for use in emergencies like when there is a fire
  • at a reasonable price.

About Water

About 71 percent of the Earth's surface is water-covered

• and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth's water.
  
  Source

I happen to work at a water plant that draws water from the ground.

• I have also worked at a water plant that draws water from lakes.
  • I know people who work at a water plant that draws water from a river.

The average person in the United States uses 100-150 gallons of water a day.

How do we do all that other stuff?

We remove things from the water such as:

• suspended solids
• bacteria
• algae
• viruses
• fungi
• minerals such as iron, manganese and sulfur,
• other chemical pollutants such as fertilizers

Specifically, how do you do that?

This video is a good overview...

Water Plant Operators:

• Add chemicals, such as ammonia or chlorine, to disinfect water or other liquids
• Inspect equipment on a regular basis
• Monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges
• Collect and test water samples
• Record meter and gauge readings and operational data
• Document and report test results to regulatory agencies
• Operate equipment to purify and clarify water
• Clean and maintain equipment, tanks, filter beds, and other work areas
• Follow U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations
• Ensure safety standards are met

Source of this list: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/water-and-wastewater-treatment-plant-and-system-operators.htm

Tell me more...

I (@WizarDave) might add:

• We run a series of chemical tests on water
  • before and after each process used in the water treatment plant.
• using the results to calculate adjustments to things like
  • flow rates by turning on or off pumps
  • chemical doses by adjusting chemical injection controls

Licensing in the United States

Workers at water treatment plants must be licensed by their State under the supervision of the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

• OK, not all workers.
  Only workers who make decisions to adjust things affecting any process in the plant.

There are various levels of licenses.

• In Missouri, they are A, B, C & D (entry level).
  • You must pass a written test of 100 multiple choice questions.
    • Then you must accumulate continuing hours of education every 3 years before you can renew your license.
  • To advance up to C, B and then A
    • You must accumulate additional years working at a water treatment plant

Can I become a water treatment plant operator?

Quick Answer = Probably.

• Each little part of being a water plant operator is fairly straightforward and easy to learn.
  • It can be a bit overwhelming when you look everything we do.
    • New people usually attend a 8 week course (meeting 2 days / week for 8 weeks)
  • We are given 2 large books to study out of.
• And you are required to attend, take notes and study!
  • You have to be able learn some chemistry and math.
    • You do have to pass the test.
  • Usually the plant you will be working at will help you by going over information you are struggling with.
• There are even a lot of great YouTubes to help you learn the math, chemistry and other things.

Would I want to become a water plant operator?

When I attend a water conference, I look around and there are mostly older people.

• If you are younger, that gives you the advantage that a lot of us will be retiring before long.
  • You might want to consider making this your career.
• If you are older, it's not a real physical job.
  • You might want to consider making this your career until you retire.

There are water plants all around the country and even the world.

• You can pretty much pick where you want to live.
  • It may take awhile for a position to come open in the exact location you want,
    • but you can usually get close.

Things I personally like about being a water plant operator.

• I usually work alone.
  • It's challenging enough to keep me from being bored.
    • I have multi-tasking brain, so I as am doing my duties, I am thinking about my next post on Steemit...

Some things to consider:

• You might be asked to work any shift during the day.
  • You might have to work at least some weekends.
    • In small towns, you might have to also be the wastewater operator.
      Or work with the distribution crew maintaining and repairing the pipes connecting to customers.
• Benefits are pretty good.
  • I get paid health insurance and a retirement plan.
    • I get to attend a conference once a year at a Lake of the Ozarks resort.
      And attend 1 or 2 additional classes around the area each year.

How's the pay?
In the US,

• average pay in 2016 was $45,760 per year or $22.00 per hour
  • There were 119,200 jobs in 2016
    • Source

Random thoughts

Drinking bottled water is NOT necessarily better than tap water.

• It is unregulated.
  • A lot of bottlers use tap water.

Perhaps the biggest gain the world has made regarding health was installing sewer systems.

• Perhaps the next biggest gain was building water treatment plants to disinfect water.
  • I've seen many different studies and these 2 are always at or near the top.

You should be concerned if your local plant adds fluoride to the water.

• Here's a pretty thorough post about why.
  • Scroll and you can read my comment.
• Fluoride is especially dangerous for those < 2 years old!!!
• The main problem is they are giving a medicine to everyone without being able to establish the dose everyone gets.
  • The biggest organ of your body is your skin.
    • When you shower you are absorbing fluoride.

I get to ask the last question of you...

Did you find this article informative?

• If so, please upvote and resteem if you would like...

OK here's the real last question...

If the earth is
71 percent water
and only 29 percent land
doesn't that mean
we should spend WAY MORE time fishing
than mowing the yard!?!?!?

Oops I almost forgot!

• dihydrogen monoxide = H2O
  • LOL