Utilities Maintenance Technician - Wastewater

General Statement of Duties

 

An employee in this class performs a variety of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled duties in the construction, maintenance, and repair of water lines, sewer lines, appurtenances, sewage pump stations, water booster stations, elevated water tanks, water treatment plant(s), and wastewater treatment plant(s). Employee may serve as Backup Operator in Charge of Collection System or Distribution System. Work involves operating a variety of tools and light, medium, and heavy equipment to build, repair and replace sections of water and sewer lines. Work includes reading and repairing water meters. 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/on water or sewer pipes and manholes. Work around raw sewage is also subject to the final standards of OSHA on blood borne pathogens. Employees are also subject to callback work. Work is performed under regular supervision and is evaluated through observation and inspection for adherence to instructions and standard trade and safety practices.

 

Duties and Responsibilities/Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

 

Lays water and sewer pipe; repairs and replaces sewer and water lines and related facilities; maintains water and wastewater lines; maintains manholes and vaults checks outfall lines for leaks and cleans.

Locates water and sewer lines from 811 requests.

May alternate and serve as crew leader on site.

Monitors and adds proper amounts of chlorine at chlorine stations; checks pumps for proper working conditions; checks, maintains and repairs pumps; cleans stations.

Performs preventive maintenance on sewage lift stations and treatment plant(s) including pumps, filters, electric motors, aeration basins, re-circulation and sludge pumps and other treatment plant equipment; 

Makes water and sewer taps; digs up lines with trencher or backhoe, cleans and bores holes in running lines for meter and box; repairs breaks/leaks in main lines, taps and meter boxes.

Flushes fire hydrants and dead-end lines and checks chlorine residual.

Reads water meters for billing using handheld computers for assigned route; takes rereads as assigned in response to customer complaints; turns water on and off based on work orders.

May perform electrical, carpentry, welding or other 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, trencher, tractors, power saw, tampers, air compressor with boring machine, and other related light and medium equipment; performs preventive maintenance and minor repairs to equipment.

Serves on-call and call-back duties on a weekly rotation.

 

Additional Job Duties

Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of the use of common tools, materials and equipment used in construction and maintenance of water and sewer lines, water and wastewater lift stations, pumps, etc.

Considerable 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, water booster stations and water/wastewater treatment plant pumps and equipment.

Considerable knowledge of the occupational hazards and safety precautions of the work.

Knowledge at the journey-level in trade areas such as welding, carpentry, 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 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 and moderate experience in semi-skilled maintenance or construction work involving water and sewer infrastructure, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 

 

Other Information

 

Must possess an appropriate valid North Carolina Driver’s license upon hire.

Must possess upon hire:

• Competent Person Trenching and Excavation certification;  
• Confined Space certification;  
• DOT Flagger certification; 
• Intermediate Work Zone certification; 
• Must obtain a valid North Carolina Class A CDL within the first six (6) months of employment.

 

Must possess the following depending on the division assigned to:

• North Carolina Distribution Grade C certification;
• North Carolina C Well certification;
• North Carolina Collection Grade I;
• AWA Maintenance Technician certification.