Water Treatment Technician - Water Utility at Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Are you looking for a fantastic career at Aqua?  We have a great opportunity for a Water Treatment Technician at our water treatment plant in Kankakee reporting into the Plant Manager. The duties of the Water Treatment Technician provides the operation and preventative maintenance of pumping and purification equipment, instruments, buildings and grounds, and facilities as are or may be in use throughout the Aqua Illinois Kankakee/Will County Division for the treatment and pumping of water.  The position involves shift work and the incumbent should anticipate working various shifts.  The Water Treatment Technician position performs all tasks related to the installation, testing, operation, maintenance, emergency repair, relocation, and retirements of all facilities related to the water system and the water pumping and treatment facilities located in Kankakee/Will Counties.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Operate and maintain the facilities and equipment related to the water treatment plant, well facilities, pumping and storage facilities, and water distribution system including but not limited to chemical feed equipment, sludge pumps, high and low service pumps, water pumps and clarifiers.
• Operate valves, electrical switchgear, electrical disconnects and switches.
• Operate and maintain the vehicles and equipment used in the water facilities.
• Perform and record inspections, tests, and data on the systems’ and facilities’ operations. 
• Operate, read, interpret, and record as directed all instruments at Company’s facilities.
• Backwash intakes and exercise individual judgment in changing intakes when conditions indicate the desirability of a change.
• Record measurements, verify drawings, and record data for proper record keeping and reporting on the Company’s facilities.
• Monitor bulk chemical inventories, complete inventory reports and order bulk chemicals.
• Prepare reports required by the Company, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Commerce Commission, or other jurisdictional entities.
• Operation of laboratory equipment and perform water quality testing, raw, in-process, finished, and distribution water. 
• Collects, analyze, and record water samples for regulatory compliance and process control monitoring for proper operation of the systems.
• Perform preventative maintenance, emergency repairs and trouble shoot operational problems on all equipment and facilities.
• As necessary, care for the office and grounds in and around the Company facilities.
• Perform a wide variety of operating, maintenance and custodial duties. 
• Demonstrates a conscientious in respect for the responsibility to safeguard the public water supply and prevent pollution of area surface waters.
• Available for overtime work and available for emergency call-out duty to maintain water service continuously to the public.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must possess a high school diploma or the equivalent, with technical school advanced study in mechanical and/or instrumentation control preferred. 
• Must have a valid U.S. Driver’s License.
• Must be capable to lift at least 50 (fifty) pounds.
• One-year experience at a water utility company preferred.
• Must obtain a Class A Public Water Supply Operator license issued by the IL Environmental Protection Agency within six (6) months of employment or eligibility to take examination.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook Email, etc.).
• Preferred candidates will have the technical, academic and physical ability to perform the duties of the position. 
• Must be able to readily read, understand and accurately follow operating instructions both written and verbal. 
• Preferred candidates will possess mathematical ability to perform calculations to determine various ratios, dosages, volumetric calculations that are required for the operation of the Water Treatment Plants and Water Systems. 
• Preferred candidates will have excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate in writing with ability to accurately prepare technical reports. 

This is a union position based out of the Kankakee Water Treatment Plant. Rate of pay is $28.91 per hour.

The schedule for this position will be Friday-Tuesday 10:30pm-6:30am.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.