WATER TREATMENT OPERATOR B (Revised 05-05-26)

Water Treatment Operator

A Water Treatment Operator does skilled work in the operation, regulation, maintenance and repair of equipment used in the treatment of potable water.

Annual salary ranges from $81,703 to $142,025.

Entry-level positions are trainee positions. A Water Treatment Operator in a training position must obtain a T3 (or higher) Water Treatment Operator license and be assigned to a permanent position within three years. A Water Treatment Operator in a trainee position receives extensive on-the-job training, which must be completed prior to assignment to a permanent position. Assignment to the highest pay grade may require higher-grade certification.

Conditions of employment include night shifts or continuous shifts requiring 10 consecutive days on shift and 4 days off. Routine assignments will be made to either the Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant or the field operations section of the Water Operations Division. Work locations include the greater Los Angeles and Owens Valley areas.

Water Treatment Operators will be required to work with hazardous chemicals. Cal/OSHA Regulations require that all employees engaged in such work must wear a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Therefore, all Water Treatment Operators will be medically evaluated to certify that they are physically able to wear the SCBA and must be free of any facial hair that would impair a good SCBA mask-to-face seal.

A valid T2 (or higher) Water Treatment Operator license and a D1 (or higher) Water Distribution Operator License issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board are required at the time of filing.

A copy of the current Water Treatment Operator and Water Distribution Operator licenses must be submitted with the application and maintained during the course of employment. Applicants must attach a copy of their Water Treatment Operator and Water Distribution Operator License to the on-line application before the application is submitted. If the Licenses are attached after the on-line application has been submitted, they will not be available to the City and the applicants will not be credited with having submitted the Licenses. Applicants who fail to submit the Licenses at the time of filing by attaching it to the on-line application will not be considered further in this examination.

As a condition of employment, a valid Class C driver's license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is required at the time of appointment. Applicants will be disqualified or deemed ineligible for hire if their DMV record reflects three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents, or a conviction of a major moving violation within the last 36 months in any state or jurisdiction. The City of Los Angeles reserves the right to issue a notice of disqualification or ineligibility at any time before a final job offer is extended.

Applications will only be accepted on-line. When you are viewing the on-line job bulletin of your choice, simply scroll to the top of the page and select the "Apply" icon. On-line job bulletins are also available at

Applications will only be accepted on-line on the dates listed below:

From FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2026 to THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

The examination will consist entirely of a multiple-choice test administered and proctored on-line. In the on-line multiple-choice test, candidates may be tested for knowledge of: the function and operation of water treatment materials and equipment sufficient to note abnormalities and or malfunctions, make repairs, replace equipment, and/or to report need for repair; variations in process flow; basic chemistry and biology associated with water treatment; basic water treatment terms, methods, and practices; procedures used for chemical testing, "jar tests" and water samples for residual chlorine, ozone, and pH; appropriate residual and treatment levels of chlorine and other chemicals used in water treatment; arithmetic and algebra sufficient to calculate unit conversions and perform calculations such as flow rates, weights, and volumes; scales, instruments, and units for measurements related to water treatment such as pressure, temperature, weight, volume, oxygen, ozone and nitrogen purity, and concentration of solutions; OSHA and other general safety regulations, procedures, and practices related to water treatment, including Federal, State, and local laws and regulations; and the ability to: read and interpret material sufficient to apply the information to specific situations; read line graphs, bar charts, and other types of graphs and in adjusting rapidly to changes in scale; use gauges and other standardized equipment to adjust equipment used in water treatment; use and care for hand tools and powered hand tools; use computer terminals sufficient to retrieve and enter data or control processes of water treatment; relate to the public pleasantly and courteously; mechanical aptitude sufficient to perform safely and correctly such tasks as using tools based on levers and working with or near equipment with moving parts; and other necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities.