Water Treatment Foreperson

Job Title: Water Treatment Foreperson

Posting Start Date: 4/16/26

Job Information:

Posted Range: $26.78 to $43.39 hourly

This position may be eligible for annual incentive pay and contracted increases as determined by the collective bargaining agreement, and you will have the opportunity for continued salary growth.

In addition to compensation, you will be offered a comprehensive benefits package including 401(k), Defined Contribution Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage, plus disability, paid time off, life insurance, voluntary benefits, health and wellness programs and much more!

American Water is also proud to offer employees learning opportunities and work experiences to grow professionally!

Primary Role

Under the supervision of the Operations Supervisor, the Water Treatment Foreperson is responsible for the production and treatment of drinking water to customers. To lead and participate in a variety of technical duties relative to assigned areas of responsibility.

Key Accountabilities

• Check-in with crew/operators on status of assigned tasks.
• Visit sites with critical operations to confirm tasks are on track and direct adjustments to tasks if needed.
• Order, track, and coordinate with office staff delivery of chemical, parts, and other site inventory.
• Ensures facility start-up and shut-down and continuous monitoring of water quality and treatment systems, including but not limited to wells, pumps, motors, analyzers/ instrumentation, filters, chemical feed systems, auxiliary equipment such as generators, measuring and control systems.
• Inspects and maintains all grounds around pumping plants, tanks, and water treatment plants. Performs corrective maintenance and basic troubleshooting of pumping and treatment systems. Maintains and repairs regulating stations valves and pilot controls. Performs routine preventive maintenance, such as lubrication, operating adjustments, cleaning, and painting equipment at various water facility locations, including but not limited to wells, pumping plants, tank sites, regulating stations, and water treatment facilities
• Monitor the status of plant operating guidelines, such as flows, pressures, chemical feeds, levels, and water quality indicators. Load and unload chemicals either by hand or using chemical-handling equipment, i.e. hand trucks, hoists and/or chemical transfer pumps.
• Maintains recordkeeping, including operating logs, daily diaries, chemical inventories, data logs, reports, and SCADA data/trends. Make arithmetic calculations to determine chemical feed rates, flow quantities, detention and contact times, and hydraulic loadings as required for plant operations.
• Performs routine water sampling for water quality, including but not limited to bacteriological, organic, and inorganic, point of entry, and process sampling (turbidity, chlorine residuals, pH, etc.) as needed and field lab testing as required.
• Conducts safety inspections and participates in safety tailgate meetings. Follows safety rules as they pertain to equipment, facility operations, employees, and calibration of equipment.
• Leads and trains new employees on key accountabilities and communicates effectively with other operators and supervisors on the technical level expected for the position.
• Performs other similar work which he/she may be called upon, and any other work as necessary to satisfactorily complete the job which he/she has been assigned.

Knowledge/Skills

• Knows how to plan and schedule, write reports, and has a strong customer service skills, presentation skills, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge to lead and train other operators on key functions of responsibility
• Order chemicals, parts, and tools.
• Drives a company vehicle and operates equipment according to established safety procedures and policies.
• Advanced functional, technical, and mechanical abilities and experience required.
• Knowledge of operating standard small hand tools.
• Knowledge to operate equipment, including but not limited to lifting winch, air compressor, grinder, power saw, chain saw, calibration, electronic recording equipment, chlorine testing equipment, and any other special tools necessary to complete duties assigned.
• Requires ability to communicate verbally and in writing with internal and external customers as well as the ability to accurately read and record meter readings and other related information and perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Must be adaptable and flexible

Experience/Education

• High School Diploma or GED is required.
• 1-3 years of water treatment experience is preferred
• 1-3 years in construction, plumbing, or building trades is preferred
• T2 Water license is required
• Must have a valid driver's license
• Basic computer skills required
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking skills is required
• Effective communication skills is required

Work Environment:

• Position is onsite Monday through Friday 7:30am to 4pm in our Oakhurst, CA location with local travel
• Weekends, holidays, and on-call assignments may be required depending on operational needs
• Physical demands include, but are not limited to standing, climbing, walking, lifting, bending, pulling, pushing, grasping, reaching, stooping, crouching, sitting, etc.
• Must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move over 100 pounds.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, etc. May require working in trenches tanks and/or elevated areas.
• Work performed in both indoor and outdoor environments, including exposure to chemicals, odors, noise, and varying weather conditions
• The position works near moving mechanical parts and in high or precarious places and is exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, vibrations, fumes, or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and the risk of electrical shock.
• Has potential exposure to hazardous chemicals and requires use of appropriate safety equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus.

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning