W/WW Apprentice – Water Plant Operator Mechanic

Make a difference in the community you live in! As a Community Builder—an employee with the City of Gainesville— you will have a direct hand in building and improving your community and making a visible impact on the lives of your neighbors. Working for local government is more than a job, it’s a chance to contribute to community success and to help enhance the Gainesville way of life.

Job Description:

Skilled technical work in the operation and maintenance of the Water Treatment Plant equipment and facilities.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS

Positions allocated to this classification report to a designated supervisor and work under general supervision. Work in this class is distinguished from higher classes by its lack of supervisory responsibility and from lower classes by its advanced technical skills.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Attends and successfully completes the Water/Wastewater System Orientation.

Attends and successfully completes an 8-hour Hazardous Materials Awareness training course.

Attends and successfully completes a 3-day Chlorine Safety and Emergency Response training course.

Reports to Employee Health Services to be checked and cleared to wear proper SCBA protective equipment. Attends and successfully completes a 3-day Respiratory Protection (SCBA & airline) training course.

Performs chlorine container receiving functions including proper operation of chlorine cylinder hoists, proper recording of serial numbers, inspection of cylinders for defects and proper weight and labeling of cylinders with correct and color-coded labels.

Attends and successfully completes a Fire Extinguisher, Eye Wash/Safety Shower Use and Inspection class. Performs monthly inspection of fire extinguishers and eye wash/shower stations for defects and records inspection data on proper forms.

Attends and successfully completes Confined Space Attendant and Entrant training classes. Follows detailed procedures on notification and completion of proper forms. Understand and uses air monitoring devices.

Learns and becomes proficient in performing basic plant operations by observation, on the job training, consultations, and formal classroom training. Follows detailed procedure to shut down water treatment while properly maintaining system pressure and to start water treatment by calculating well flow and chemical usage. Changes wells and other equipment while continuously monitoring chemical treatment. Routinely climbs stairs and walks in the performance of job duties.

Completes all 11 objectives in the Drinking Water Plant Operator Sacramento Correspondence Course (SAC), Volume. I.

Completes all 12 objectives in the Drinking Water Plant Operator Sacramento Correspondence Course (SAC), Volume. II.

Follows detailed procedures and wears a SCBA and Hazmat “B” protective suit to use a series of manual valves to perform chlorine bank change over.

Follows detailed procedures and wears a SCBA and Hazmat “B” protective suit to manually turn on the scrubber and perform basic chlorine scrubber operation.

Follows detailed equipment and safety procedures to perform annual oil changes on equipment and machinery, including large electric motors, turbines, rakes and right angle gear boxes. Determines when equipment can be worked on and proper oil or lubricant for each piece of machinery. Routinely climbs on and off of equipment and lifts and places oil drums in the performance of job duties.

Understands the operation of the lime machines, their digital control panels and the proper placement of the color-coded hoses on the pumps and machine discharge lines.

Follows all lockout/tag out and safety procedures to properly isolate machines using valves. Uses the appropriate tools to disassemble the rotary valve.

Performs plant security procedures, including driving to various remote locations, closing or opening gates, securing areas and announcing entry and exit locations.

Performs compliance testing of auxiliary equipment. Using proper tools, cranks diesel engines to run wells. Understands plant procedures and how diesel engines effect plant production.

Follows detailed written procedures to perform visual inspections of Cross Creek MHP Operations machinery and chemicals. Monitors chlorine residual and records proper data in various system locations. Drive to and from the remote location in the performance of job duties.

Attends work on continuous and regular basis

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma, supplemented by college level courses in mathematics, chemistry, or related subject, and five years experience in water plant operations. Additional 6 months of experience directly related to water plant operations as recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection can be substituted for the college level courses. Successful completion of the Water Plant Operator/Mechanic Apprentice Progression-Through-Training Program may be substituted for experience.

Note: a copy of the Progression-Through-Training-Program is available upon request.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES

Valid Florida Class E Driver License required upon appointment.

Valid State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Class “B” Water Plant Operator’s license required, Class “A” preferred.