Utilities Maintenance Worker

General Statement of Duties

An employee in this class performs varied semi-skilled, unskilled and occasionally skilled duties in the construction, maintenance, and repair of water and sewer lines, related appurtenances, lift stations, water booster stations, elevated water tanks, and equipment at the wastewater and water treatment plant. Work involves operating a variety of tools and light, medium, and heavy equipment to build, repair and replace sections of water and sewer lines. Employees are subject to working in both inside and outside environments, in extreme hot and cold weather, and exposure to various hazards such as loud noises, vibration, moving mechanical parts, electrical current, chemicals, fumes, odors, dusts, mists, gases, poor ventilation, and oils. Employees are also subject to working in confined spaces. Work around raw sewage is also subject to the final standards of OSHA on blood-borne pathogens. Employees are also subject to callback work and being on-call on a weekly rotation. Work is performed under close supervision and is evaluated through observation and inspection for adherence to instructions and standard trade and safety practices.

Duties and Responsibilities/Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Assists in laying, repairing and replacing water and sewer pipe and maintaining wastewater lines and manholes in the system; may check manhole outfall lines for leaks and cleans.
Assists in maintenance and making repairs to equipment at water and wastewater treatment plants, pump stations and lift stations including pulling pumps, assisting in replacing drives, blowers, meters and other equipment.  
Assists in preventive maintenance on water booster stations, sewage lift stations and treatment plants including pumps, filters, electric motors, aeration basins, re-circulation and sludge pumps and other treatment plant equipment; maintains perimeter of wastewater plant, water and wastewater lift stations including cutting grass and cleaning the areas.
Makes water and sewer taps into water line for individual customers; digs up lines, cleans and bores holes in running lines for meter and box; repairs breaks/leaks in main lines, taps and meter boxes.
Assists with flushing fire hydrants and dead-end lines.
Reads water meters for billing using handheld computers for assigned route; takes rereads as assigned in response to customer complaints; cuts water on and off based on work orders.
May perform electrical, carpentry, welding or other basic to journey level trades’ 
work on occasion as needed by the department.
Uses shovels to finish grading trenches for construction of water and sewer lines; fits pipe; and uses variety of hand tools.
Operates construction equipment such as dump trucks, backhoe, tractor, basic hand tools; performs preventive maintenance and minor repairs to equipment.
Assists in maintenance of equipment and vehicles; cleans, changes oil and greases.
Serves on-call and call-back duties on a weekly rotation.

Additional Job Duties
Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Working knowledge of the use of common tools, materials and equipment used in construction and maintenance of collection and distribution lines and water and wastewater lift stations, pumps, etc.
Working knowledge of a variety of maintenance and manual methods and tasks involved in the installation, maintenance, repair and replacement of utility lines and appurtenances and repair of lift stations, booster stations and treatment plant pumps and equipment.
Working knowledge of the occupational hazards and safety precautions of the work.
Knowledge at the basic to journey level in a trades area such as welding, carpentry, or electrical trades.
Working knowledge of the safe use and operation and preventive maintenance of common automotive and mechanical equipment.
Knowledge of the municipal water and sewer services policies, practices and procedures.
Knowledge of traffic laws, ordinances and regulations pertaining to operations of motorized equipment.
Skill in operating light to medium heavy equipment with skill and safety.
Ability to exert heavy physical effort.
Ability to understand oral instructions and to read line maps and operation and service manuals.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with citizens, supervisors, and other employees.

Desirable Education and Experience

High school diploma with some experience in semi-skilled maintenance or construction work, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 

Other Information

Must possess an appropriate valid North Carolina driver’s license upon hire.
Must complete Competent Person Trenching and Excavation, Competent Person Confined Spaces, DOT Flagger certification, and Defensive Driving training within first year of employment.
Preferred certifications, but not required:

• North Carolina C-Distribution or higher
• North Carolina Collections 1 or higher
• NC CDL "B”