Water Treatment Operator II - Quality Water; HQW

What You Can Expect

As a Water Treatment Operator II, High Quality Water at the University of Iowa, you will monitor, operate, and maintain water treatment systems that deliver specialized finished water to meet campus operational and research needs. High Quality Water supports the Oakdale Water Plant, the Mac Bride Nature Recreation Area Public Water System, and multiple high quality water and pool and spa systems across campus.

Your work ensures water quality, regulatory compliance, and reliable system performance across a wide range of treatment processes.

You will operate and maintain systems using chlorination, pH adjustment, chemical injection, water softening, filtration, reverse osmosis, deionization, distillation, and ultraviolet disinfection. You will perform flushing and disinfection to place new piping and systems into service, conduct water quality sampling, record operational data, and identify maintenance needs to keep systems operating efficiently. You will also support meter reading, data entry for billing and compliance reporting, and general facility cleanliness.

Reporting to the Operations Supervisor, High Quality Water, your roles and responsibilities include:

• Collects and prepares water samples for testing by external agencies as required by law, including the State Hygienic Laboratory, Iowa Department of Environmental Quality, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
• Operates, maintains, and monitors water treatment systems to ensure required water quality standards are met
• Performs and coordinates maintenance and calibration of water treatment equipment to support reliable system performance
• Records operational data in computer based systems to track water quantity, water quality, and maintenance needs
• Supports development and execution of preventive maintenance schedules
• Completes assigned work using the company work order management system while maintaining accurate records of labor and materials
• Performs flushing and disinfection of piping and systems to support new construction and system modifications
• Conducts meter readings and enters data for billing and regulatory compliance reporting
• Maintains cleanliness of plants, equipment, and surrounding grounds

• Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor

• A minimum of a High School Diploma or GED equivalent with two (2) years of formal education in Water Treatment, Chemistry, Environmental Science, or equivalent field of study
• A minimum of five (5) years experience serving water treatment systems that may include, but are not limited to:
  Public Water Systems, pool operations, water softening, filtration, reverse osmosis, deionization, distillation, ultraviolet disinfection, chlorination
• Ability to obtain Iowa Department of Natural Resources Grade 2 Water Treatment certification, Grade 2 Water Distribution certification, and State of Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Certified Pool Operator certification
• A comparable combination of relevant training, education, and or experience may be considered in lieu of the required certifications
• Basic electrical, mechanical, and plumbing skills and experience required
• Knowledge of laboratory procedures including tests for alkalinity, water hardness, stability index, free and total chlorine, total dissolved solids, pH, corrosion rates, phosphate, lead, copper, coliform bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria plate counts, and other water testing procedures
• Knowledge of mathematics including English/Metric system conversion factors and formulas for area, volume, density, dosage, pressure, flow, detention time, chemical feed rates, and solution strength
• Knowledge of chemistry including softening reactions, neutralization reactions, disinfection reactions, corrosion reactions, and other water treatment related processes
• Knowledge of biology, microbiology, and human health including the life cycles, pathogenic characteristics, and water treatment disinfection strategies for algae, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and other organisms
• Knowledge of computers, instrumentation, and software systems for process analysis, supervisory control and data acquisition, data processing, and report generation
• Knowledge of safety programs including confined space entry, falls, forklift, lockout, process safety and risk management, respirator, and chemical right to know
• Knowledge of Iowa Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations for water treatment, water distribution, wastewater treatment, recreational water use, backflow prevention, and related water systems
• Skill with interpersonal relationships and the ability to work well with others in a professional manner
• Ability to adapt to changes in the work environment and the ability to acquire new skills as needed
• Ability to read gages, charts, computer monitors, operations manuals, and colorimetric test results

• This role requires…