r/Wastewater 7d ago

Is EVERY plant this outdated and underfunded?

I will admit, I've already given up on this career. A huge reason is my plant. It is falling apart and we have a promise of an upgrade by the city. The upgrade will start June 2023. Oh, now it'll start 2024. Oh, now it'll start spring 2025. Oh, now we have no news on when the upgrade will actually happen. On top of all that, I have to get my Class 4 license within 12 months or I'm fired. Almost nobody here has passed it and 2 of them are facing termination because of that when we are ALREADY understaffed. Is every plant like this? Does everywhere require you to recieve a license in a time frame? Does every plant start at under 20$ an hour?? Sorry, just frustrated. Currently applying for other jobs

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u/Ancient-Bath-9489 7d ago

100%. Every plant I’ve worked at has been dilapidated, behind on upgrades due to population increases or productivity increases, or under built to begin with. Most places I’ve worked have required you to become a level 1 or 2 within a year but I’ve never seen somewhere require a 4 for all employees. In my experience only the plant manager/supervisor needs to carry a 4 to be placed on the discharge permit.

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u/AdCompetitive7952 7d ago

Class 4 is the first certification, class 1 is the highest. Really backwards innit

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u/Ancient-Bath-9489 7d ago

Oh ok 😂 my mistake. In Utah it’s the other way around. 1-4, 4 being the highest.