CITY OF COLVILLE JOB DESCRIPTION WATER/SEWER DEPARTMENT JOB TITLE: Water/Sewer Specialist FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The primary function of the Water/Sewer Specialist is a dual function: to operate, maintain, and repair both the City’s water system and the City’s sanitary sewer system; and to insure an adequate and safe public water supply, while preventing health hazards and degradation of river water quality from the sanitary sewer system. This position requires the performance of all duties related to maintenance, contractual and non-contractual construction, and customer service by means of routine to complex procedures, installations, and problem solving techniques. REPORTS TO: SUPERVISES: Water/Sewer Supervisor None
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 50%…Water Distribution System: ♦ Performs replacement, cleaning, installations, and repairs on the City’s potable water distribution system which includes: reservoirs, wells, pumps, main and service lines, fire hydrants, valves, and pressure booster stations. A knowledge of various techniques, equipment and supplies is required, such as: pipe pusher, pipe moles, various pipe styles, and numerous plumbing fittings. ♦ Responsible for diagnosing and repairing the City’s water level monitoring system, which includes: line repair, electronic components, valve adjustments, and control panels. ♦ Trouble-shoots main and service line leaks with the use of a leak detection device. ♦ Cleans, adjusts and operates chemical feed pumps, used for polyphosphate injection. ♦ Responds to City and customer water related emergencies on a daily basis and is required to make quick judgment calls and resolve problems. ♦ Trouble-shoots and maintains City wells and water pressure booster stations using basic plumbing, electrical and pump repair principals. Adjusts anticipator valves and pressure switches on water booster stations. ♦ Walking and driving meter routes to accurately read and record customer’s water usage on a hand-held microprocessor.
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♦ Performs periodic flushing of the water distribution mains, which includes inspection of fire hydrants and valves, for the purpose of maintenance, fire protection and City insurance ratings. ♦ Sample, test, and record water quality on a daily and weekly schedule. Monthly/quarterly record and send water quality samples to a State accredited laboratory. 30%…Wastewater Collection System: ♦ Operates, repairs and maintains a van-mounted camera and video recording equipment for inspection of wastewater collection system. Uses video articulating camera to record footage pipe lengths, pipe conditions, mains, service connections and infiltration rates, for sewer evaluation. ♦ Performs maintenance on City’s gravity and pressure sewer mains, using a sewer rodding machine. ♦ Responds to customer sewer related emergencies, analyzes problems and resolves problems. ♦ Cleans, repairs, and raises manholes while entering confined area using gas monitor, air pump, or self-contained breathing apparatus. ♦ Maintains lift stations using a fire hose, degreasing and caustic chemicals on a monthly schedule. ♦ Trouble-shoots, repairs and replaces lift station pumps and control panel components. 20%…Water and Wastewater Systems: ♦ Performs daily monitoring of seven City wells, three high capacity reservoirs, four wastewater lift stations and two water pressure booster stations; while using data analysis techniques to detect malfunctions. Accountable for daily record keeping of hours, quantities and time. ♦ Responsible for accurately recording daily material and labor usage and assists in year-end physical inventory count. ♦ Works with contractors and engineering firms on public works projects requiring short notices for main line turn-offs, close customer contacts, water outages, repairs of main and service lines and daily record keeping of inventory. ♦ Operates stationary and mobile generators for emergency potable water and wastewater pump operation.
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♦ Repairs streets, curbs, and sidewalks associated with water/wastewater emergency repairs and new installations. These repairs include cement work and cold asphalt patches. ♦ Accountable for accurate and timely underground location of water distribution lines and sewer collection lines for the City, construction projects, other utilities, government agencies, customers and engineering firms; while using an inductive/conductive locator. ♦ Monitors, records, installs, operates and maintains gas chlorination systems at the wellheads, and wastewater treatment facility; which includes changing 150-pound cylinders that require proficient knowledge and use of a self-contained breathing apparatus. ♦ During winter months, plows snow from fire hydrants, buildings, well sites, reservoirs and lagoon roads. Also checks fire hydrants for leakage or freezing and repair as needed. ♦ Responsible for adherence of local, state, and federal regulatory changes; as pertains to maintenance, confined space entries, fall protection, and air quality monitoring. ♦ Performs other inter-departmental duties as needed, such as chlorine and swimming pool maintenance, street department snow removal and sanding, and dog pound water/sewer maintenance. ♦ Performs other duties as assigned. EDUCATION AND/OR WORK EXPERIENCE: ♦ High school diploma or general education degree (GED). ♦ One-year water and sewer operation and maintenance experience required. ♦ Must have the ability to pass the Water Specialist Certification exam within two (2) years. ♦ Must continue earning mandatory credits for maintaining Water/Sewer Specialist Certification. ♦ Must possess high level of competency in performing mathematical calculations using units of weight, measurement, volume, and distance, and calculating flow rates. ♦ Working knowledge of blueprints and utility maps. ♦ Must have knowledge of all municipal types of inventory: its uses, applications, and installations; for example, brass fittings, couplings, hydrants, valves, pipe, etc.
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♦ Trained in the proper use of the air quality monitoring device and the fall protection apparatus such as: the safety harness, safety lines and winches. Demonstrates abilities, knowledge and experience in the following: ♦ Possess a good public relations attitude. ♦ Installation, operation and troubleshooting ability on various vacuum operated chlorine injection systems; and safety practices relating to it. ♦ Operate in a professional and safe manner: pickups, front-end loader, back hoe, vanmounted camera and equipment, dump truck, snowplow, mowing tractor, underground pipe pusher, pipe installation mole, wastewater collection system rodder, chain saw, portable chop saw, welder and torch, jack hammer, compressor, ground compactor, air quality monitor, fall protection apparatus, and a variety of other power and hand tools. ♦ Knowledge of above and below ground utilities. REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES: ♦ Valid Washington State Motor Vehicle Operator’s License and a driving record free from serious or frequent traffic violations. ♦ Required to pass a first-aid training class in the first year and keep the first-aid certification current. ♦ Washington State Commercial Drivers License, Class A Certification within one (1) year. ♦ Required to attend classes and training on safe work practices for confined spaces, trenching, shoring, and hazardous material handling. ♦ Required to take a Traffic Flagging class and to keep the flagging card current. ♦ Required to have a series of vaccines as protection against typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, and hepatitis A and B. WORK ENVIRONMENT: Person must be able to function in a very high service on demand environment, where expectations and demands can change at a moment’s notice. The Water/Sewer Specialist must be available for mandatory participation in an on-call rotation, requiring constant monitoring of pager/cell phone, and be able to respond to an emergency in a fifteen minute response time.
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While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and talk and be able to hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, twist or lift. When not on call, this position is expected to accept; when available, any Water/Sewer overtime work, at all off-hour times of the day and night. This position is often expected to work varying break schedules for the convenience of the customer. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, with proper safety techniques, the employee is regularly exposed to toxic and/or caustic chemicals, fumes, and/or airborne particles. The employee also works in unseen hazards such as blood borne pathogens in the maintenance of City sewer lines. The employee must be able to work in confined spaces, such as sewer manholes or meter vaults; where workers are required to operate and maintain safety equipment for monitoring oxygen and hazardous gases. Work is regularly performed, with safety equipment, in potentially stressful and hazardous locations such as: collapsing trenches, unstable soil conditions, asbestos fibers, AC pipe, manholes, meter vaults, and lift stations up to thirty feet deep. The employee frequently works in the vicinity of streets with heavy traffic, and near moving equipment. Also, the employee is required to work in extreme outside weather conditions. Other hazards include: hazardous chemical/materials, paints, thinners, and gasoline. Workers must also contend with a large number of citizen problems and dangerous dogs. The noise level in the work environment is moderate with occasional exposure to loud noise. REVIEWED BY:
Mayor Richard Nichols
Date
Holly Pannell, CMC City Clerk/Human Resources Manager
Date
Revised 03/22/2004
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