Equipment Operator - Water & Sewer

About us

The East Burlington WWTP was put into service in 1959 and upgraded in 1993. It has the capacity to treat 12 million gallons per day (MGD) of domestic and industrial sewage. The treatment facility uses a biological process to separate organic matter from the water. Water is disinfected by the addition of chlorine and dechlorinated before being discharged into the Haw River.

Organic matter (biosolids) removed by the process is treated and used as a soil conditioner on area farmland.

This position involves performing routine equipment operator duties to maintain and repair City structures, facilities, and grounds. The employee operates various motorized equipment such as trucks, tractors, mowers, loaders, backhoes, and forklifts. Responsibilities include landscaping, digging, equipment maintenance, truck driving, loading and unloading water and wastewater pipes, resurfacing street cuts, and maintaining ditches. The employee works independently while traveling between assigned worksites and completing tasks as directed.

• Operates mowing equipment and weed eaters to maintain City facilities, ensuring clean and well‑kept grounds.
• Uses loaders, forklifts, and backhoes to unload supplies delivered to the supply yard, ensuring proper handling of materials.
• Drives dump trucks to haul asphalt, stone, and muck to and from work sites.

• Operates various street maintenance equipment including asphalt rollers, gasoline‑powered tamps, street sweepers, and air compressors.
• Performs general cleanup tasks at City facilities, such as emptying garbage, picking up litter, and disposing of yard waste.

• Monitors and reports equipment repair needs to supervisor, ensuring that maintenance is timely and efficient.
• Cleans heavy equipment according to schedule and as required to maintain operational readiness.

• Performs additional related duties as required to support the department's operations and goals.

• Proficient in Operating a Range of Equipment
  :
  Skilled in using backhoes, forklifts, loaders, mowers, tractors, dump trucks, leaf blowers, weed eaters, tampers, jackhammers, and other maintenance tools.
• Mechanical Aptitude
  :
  Knowledgeable in the operation and general maintenance of automotive and mechanical equipment typical of municipal work.

• Effective Grounds Management
  :
  Capable of applying grass seed, straw, and fertilizer; mowing grass; shoveling, raking, and performing other landscaping tasks.
• Safety & Signage Awareness
  :
  Able to properly erect signage to ensure safety and indicate work zones for maintenance crews.

• Instruction Follow‑Through
  :
  Demonstrates the ability to effectively receive and carry out instructions from supervisors.
• Maintenance Awareness
  :
  Recognizes and reports maintenance needs for structures, grounds, and facilities, ensuring timely communication with supervisory staff.

• High School or GED equivalency and 6 months of work experience operating a municipal wastewater treatment plant, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

• Work in this class is described as medium and frequently requires physical exertion to complete tasks and move objects.
• This employee must have the visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned.
• Work typically involves the ability to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, and repetitive motions.
• The worker is required to have the visual acuity to be the operator of trucks, forklifts, cranes, and other equipment.
• Employee is subject to hazards, including mechanical equipment and atmospheric conditions due to exposure to fumes, odors, and dusts.
• This employee may work in close quarters, crawl space, shafts, manholes, small enclosures, small sewage and water line pipes, and other areas which could case claustrophobia.
• Working conditions include both inside and outside environmental conditions.

Non‑Exempt

Essential