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Begin a career with a secure future
   
 
Get low-cost training and get started on a lifetime career
Looking for a great career? Nearly 50% of water and wastewater treat-
ment plant operators across the country are expected to retire over
the next 10 years, opening up positions that pay as much as $50,000
per year at entry level.
Treatment plant operators protect public health and the environment
by ensuring that clean water standards are met 24 hours a day, 365
days a year. They do essential, recession-proof jobs in every commu-
nity, earning excellent pay, benefits, and opportunities for promotion.
To attract new men and women to the field, Dublin San Ramon
Services District and other Bay Area agencies offer hands-on training
and classroom instruction for prospective treatment plant operators.
These programs can lead to a great entry level job right after high
school. They also provide pathways from other fields and to advance
in the water industry.
Wastewater treatment personnel inspect an ultra violet disinfection system
Wastewater operators inspect the ultraviolet disinfection system at recyled water plant.
 

water / wastewater technician
Bay Area Consortium of Water and Wastewater Education (BACWWE) and
Solano Community College
   
 
For: High school graduates and adults
Location: Wastewater treatment plants throughout the East Bay
Cost: Tuition and books paid by participating water/wastewater agencies
…BACWWE was the essential factor in building my career… Because of the wide range of classes, my knowledge on subjects beyond the scope of my plant tends to exceed those who have not taken many courses.
—
Matthew Trevett, a BACWWE graduate who landed a job as a wastewater treatment plant operator
Bay Area Consortium of Water and Wastewater Education (BACWWE) has teamed up with Solano Community College to offer college-level training in water and wastewater operations. The evening courses are taught at treatment plants throughout the East Bay, including DSRSD’s facility in Pleasanton. In addition to bringing the training to satellite locations, the 18-agency partnership pays for students’tuition and books and provides working professionals as instructors. Eight courses (28.5 units) offered through the program prepare students to take state certification exams. Students can take additional general education classes at the college to earn an associate of science degree.
   
 
Water Pollution Control Program
Tri-Valley Regional Occupational Programs (ROP)
   
 
 
For: High school juniors/seniors and adults
Location: DSRSD Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility in Pleasanton
Cost: $500
 
Students learn how a wastewater treatment plant operates through 150 hours of classroom instruction and 390 hours of hands-on experience. They become familiar with the biological, chemical, and physical processes that remove harmful contaminants from wastewater before it is recycled or returned to the environment. During the nine-month program, students attend class one evening per week and complete an unpaid internship of an additional 12 hours per week. Graduates are equipped to seek entry level employment as a Water/Wastewater Operator Trainee and to take certification exams administered by the State Water Resources Control Board.
 

OTHER RESOURCES
   
 
   
 
California Department of Public Health
   
 
 
  Core competencies required for field staff and operators in the water industry
   
 
H2Opportunity
  • Career Path for Water Protection from GED to PhD
  • Water and wastewater blog
   
 
California EDD Labor Market Division, Water and Wastewater Treatment Workers
   
 
   
 
 
Scholarships Available! The Association of California Water Agencies offers several scholarships for college education in fields related to water resources. Visit the ACWA website for more information or call (916) 441-4545.
 
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