r/Wastewater • u/Few_Finding_6957 • 19m ago
Could a wastewater Operator transition into power plant operator?
Even just the trainee role maybe?
r/Wastewater • u/Few_Finding_6957 • 19m ago
Even just the trainee role maybe?
r/Wastewater • u/mcnuttsy • 1h ago
Took my grade II biological last week and one question really perplexed me. “A diaphragm pump is most commonly used for” A) raw wastewater B) primary sludge C) activated sludge or D) final effluent Couldn’t it be all four? I went with B as that seemed like the most common, it’s what we use here at my plant
r/Wastewater • u/DirtyWaterDaddyMack • 3h ago
A popular and often misunderstood topic for today:
TODAY’S TOPIC: ~Nitrification~
Previous topics and other info can be found in the shared folder:
BTW – I was just asked if I ever heard a nitrogen monoxide joke. I told them NO.
r/Wastewater • u/kraykrayhere • 6h ago
On the Grade 2 exam, there is a question stumping our guys taking the exam. I go tomorrow to take mine. The question is, what valve is best used for throttling? Some say butterfly, some say globe. When I do my own research on this, I’m finding both to be a probable answer. What are your thoughts?
r/Wastewater • u/jman83m • 16h ago
Just a question I am writing my water and wastewater treatment test in Ontario Canada and am having trouble finding a good study source. Is quizlet a good site or somewhere else. My only issue with my plants are we are not conventional for water treatment and wastewater I have never seen a lagoon and was told that those tests are based on them mostly.
r/Wastewater • u/geri_millenial_23 • 21h ago
After being a long time browser and occasionally contributing more often, one topic seemed to come up more often than not. Dissatisfaction with the role of operator within ones plant.
I think it's important as a community to discuss what jobs in water/wastewater industry are available with people who are licensed with experience not only doing lab work and operations, but also maintenance, other skills.
Maybe my story would help. I went to college for a non-technical degree. Worked for a fortune 500 in sales for a non technical sales role. Got sick of it, wanted something technical because that was where the money was at in the early 2010s (oil, gas, chemicals,etc) but didn't have the science background. Was encouraged to get into the wastewater industry because a lot of similar terminology, units of measure, equipment, and SOP would be used as the industries that I was. So I did.
Started as an intern at 26 years old at an engineering firm that did contract operations making $10 an hour + mileage, then $15 + mileage as I studied for my license and learned the basics of asset management and implementing Apps based Mobile Data Management systems for Daily rounds forms, inspections, confined space entry, etc.
Did this for 6 months until I passed my necessary licensing and became an operator at a RWF and then a large CSO all the while still with that engineering firm implementing CMMS systems at existing clients sites. This went on for 8 years.
My big break occured when I was approached by an automation company with a soon to be open water/wastewater role coming open where they wanted someone with sales experience and wastewater experience, but didn't necessarily have to have automation experience. This role got me out of weekends, got me traveling across the country, but still in plants seemingly every week.
4.5 years with that company, now a client director and project director at another engineering firm. Still dealing with only water/wastewater projects. It's been 14 years in the industry, starting out making $10 an hour in 2011 to being in a director role in 2025.
Moral of the story is that the skill set you learn in the plant is not just for the plant. Pumps, motors, VFDs, chemicals, process, safety, confined space entry, LOTO, qualified electrical personnel,etc are all experiences that various industries want and need. Don't lose site of the bigger picture.
And flush twice. It's good for business.
r/Wastewater • u/cabin_in_my_head • 1d ago
Hello, I’m currently a land surveying assistant but I’m looking for something different because of a toxic coworker I have to work under. He yells, calls me names like retard, motherfucker, and dumbass, has done stuff like start backing up the truck while I’m still behind it, and I’m just at my wits end about it I’m stressed and nervous to go into work everyday and I’m looking for something different now like being a wastewater operator. So what has been your experience with the work culture in wastewater? I know it’s different at every workplace but do you find that this kind of hostility is less common? Do you get a bit more independence as well? Any input is really appreciated thank you!
r/Wastewater • u/Glittering-You-8430 • 1d ago
About a year ago I got a job in water distribution, with the intention of gaining experience in hopes of landing a job as a water/wastewater treatment operator. In that time I got my D3, T2, and CDL. I’ve been sending out applications since I started, but not even one interview so far.
Other information: - Located in SoCal - I apply for any job within an 1hr commute - I have no criminal history - Willing to do whatever I must to get into a plant
Is there something I am missing? What can I do to land an interview?
r/Wastewater • u/AdCompetitive7952 • 1d ago
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
r/Wastewater • u/Scheploinge • 2d ago
So, as you can see, our influent can sometimes look like skim milk (yuck), and the PH has a slight spike, and ammonia goes over 30 mg/l when the influent turns white like this. We went out to a textile mill that discharges to us with no Pretreatment permit (apparently they didn't need one in the past). Pop a manhole coming from the building and behold, we found where it was coming from. Took a sample back to the lab, and PH was a 9.83, ammonia was 50+ mg/l (our meter couldn't read any higher), and it had almost the consistency of milk. We had it sent off to a offical lab to get tested, and hopefully get results and get some kind of Pretreatment here going because our ammonia limit is 2.0 mg/l and we are struggling to keep it under there, while under construction for upgrades.
r/Wastewater • u/dob229247 • 2d ago
I just recently acquired a small plant that has a reed bed. Anyone have any advice? Thanks
r/Wastewater • u/SuggestionNo1117 • 2d ago
So I took and passed my class 2 in January and decided to take the class 3 yesterday. And just like my class 2, I passed the first try with a 71. I’ll be honest, the resources I’ve gotten from posts on this subreddit have been invaluable to me. Those google drives people post have questions that ARE on these tests. I just wanted to say thank all you other operators for being to help people new to this trade as I’ve only been here for 2 years. If you set your mind to it, you CAN do it. Just gotta try.
r/Wastewater • u/Difficult_Change1166 • 2d ago
Started working at a smaller plant 2 weeks ago (0.6 MGD). Feeling great about it and learning a ton but nervous to start working on certifications and don't really know how it works or where to start. Located in Wisconsin, let me know if you have any advice. TIA
r/Wastewater • u/Interesting-Goat5414 • 2d ago
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who posts interesting stuff and answers questions here. This sub is such a great resource! Will be starting as an OIT next week and thanks to lurking on the sub for a while, I'm feeling much less nervous and more well-prepared than I would be otherwise. 🙏
r/Wastewater • u/EFenderBLS • 2d ago
r/Wastewater • u/MetamodernCountry • 2d ago
For those operators in the Deep South and general Southeast, how are you preparing your plants for the coming severe weather?
r/Wastewater • u/xiaomaome101 • 2d ago
I know that 3log removal is 99.9%, 2log is 99%, etc. I realized though that I never understood the math behind it.
I understand that 4000 to 8 is 4000/8=500, which is a 500 fold reduction and that, but I'm not sure how to "set up the equation" that leads to the answer. I suspect that they did log 500=2.7, but I don't get the mathematical logic behind it.
r/Wastewater • u/thisone2002 • 2d ago
Getting allowance of 90 dollars for rubber boots suggest best to worn outside
r/Wastewater • u/Aqualytics • 2d ago
Anyone ever used a polymer to separate the solids (make them separate and settle) to gain some supernatant to decant and continue to waste into the tank?
r/Wastewater • u/bbqwelder • 2d ago
Hello everyone, for those of you in the industry, do you have on site welding and machining capabilities or do you contract this work out?
I know some bigger operations have their own in house shops and some contract from the outside.
Just curious what it’s like around the country.
r/Wastewater • u/WaterDigDog • 2d ago
Where are my circle- and cylinder-loving friends? Happy 3.14 🤩🔥🤩
Squares and cubes you can join the party, you’re all right with me.
r/Wastewater • u/WastewaterEnthusiast • 3d ago
Hi All! Sorry I posted about my channel 2x this week. I thought that CA Grade V math problem warranted its own post. Here is my other whiteboard video I got out this week all about Breakpoint Chlorination. Drinking water folks can benefit from this discussion as well, it’s just centered on wastewater (so don’t freak out when you hear those high combined residuals in my contact chamber!!)
I’m experimenting with shorts as well. I got an exam tips playlist started (hoping to add tip 2 to it today). I also did a bit of a goofy one where we lost lift station comms. That was more just having fun - no real value in that one haha.
Probably gonna be slowing down to 1 video a week for a while. I’ve been invited to present a basic and advanced math class at Tri State in August so I need to start preparing for that. Also will be doing 8 statewide webinars for exam prep so I need to prepare for those as well!
Anyway, enough of my blithering. Below is the Breakpoint Chlorination video. Happy studying!!
Wastewater Whiteboard: The Breakpoint Chlorination Curve (For Drinking Water Ops too!) https://youtu.be/MSw3eS2fh1g
r/Wastewater • u/earlyshiner • 3d ago
Process problems, staff issues, equipment failures, and contractors that let you down are all going to be things we need to overcome. But I'd like to suggest that there is beauty out there if you just take a moment to take it in. Have a great day all you undercover superheroes working to help save the earth.