Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Water Treatment Plant Foreman

🎯 Role Definition

The Water Treatment Plant Foreman leads front‑line operations at municipal or industrial water and wastewater treatment facilities. This role combines process oversight (filtration, disinfection, coagulation/flocculation, sludge handling), equipment and preventive maintenance, regulatory reporting, and team supervision. The foreman is the onsite technical lead — responsible for ensuring safe, compliant, and cost‑effective treatment plant performance while mentoring operators and coordinating with engineering, environmental health, and capital project teams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Certified Water/Wastewater Operator (Class II / III) or senior operator
Maintenance Technician / Mechanic at a water or wastewater facility
Process Technician or Laboratory Analyst with water treatment exposure

Advancement To:

Water Treatment Plant Superintendent or Plant Manager
Regional Operations Manager (multiple plants)
Asset/Operations Director for utilities or private water companies

Lateral Moves:

Process Control/SCADA Specialist
Regulatory Compliance Specialist / Environmental Coordinator
Capital Projects Construction Manager (water sector)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Supervise, schedule and lead daily operations of the water/wastewater treatment plant to ensure continuous, safe, and compliant treatment processes, including coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection, sludge handling, and residuals management.
Ensure compliance with all federal, state and local regulations (SDWA, NPDES, EPA guidance) by maintaining accurate process control, monitoring permit limits (BOD, TSS, pH, TDS, ammonia, chlorine residuals), and preparing timely permit/regulatory reports.
Oversee SCADA/PLC monitoring and control systems to validate alarms, troubleshoot control issues, adjust setpoints, and coordinate with automation technicians to reduce unplanned downtime and optimize process stability.
Lead and develop a team of operators and maintenance staff: conduct shift briefings, assign tasks, evaluate performance, coach for certification advancement, and enforce SOPs and safety rules.
Manage preventive and corrective maintenance program using CMMS: create work orders, prioritize repairs, schedule routine inspections (pumps, motors, valves, blowers, clarifiers, chemical feed systems), and track MTTR/MTBF metrics.
Conduct hands‑on troubleshooting for mechanical and electrical equipment failures at pump stations, aeration systems, chemical feed systems and sludge dewatering units; coordinate emergency repairs to restore essential services.
Monitor chemical dosing systems (coagulants, polymers, chlorine, ammonia, caustic) for accuracy and safety, conduct routine calibration, and manage hazardous chemical handling and storage in compliance with MSDS requirements and environmental regulations.
Coordinate laboratory sampling and testing protocols: collect influent/effluent samples, oversee in‑house lab analyses (pH, turbidity, residuals, TSS, BOD, chlorination CT), verify QA/QC procedures, and escalate anomalies to environmental compliance staff.
Prepare and review daily operating logs, shift reports, and performance dashboards; analyze process trends to identify opportunities for optimization, cost reduction, and energy efficiency improvements.
Manage on‑site safety and confined space programs: implement lockout/tagout, confined space entry procedures, PPE requirements, conduct toolbox talks, ensure employees hold current OSHA and site‑specific certifications.
Oversee contractor and vendor activities on site; review scopes of work, enforce quality control, manage access, and validate contractor safety documentation and insurance prior to work start.
Control inventory and procurement of critical spares, chemicals, and consumables to maintain minimum stocking levels, reduce stockouts, and manage vendor relationships and purchase requisitions.
Lead incident response and emergency operations during spills, bypass events, power outages, or overflow incidents; execute contingency plans, notify regulators as required, and coordinate remediation actions.
Train and certify plant staff on operating procedures, emergency response, confined space entry, and process safety management; maintain training records and ensure operators maintain required state certifications and CEUs.
Conduct routine plant inspections and preventive maintenance audits; identify and plan for lifecycle replacements, capital improvements, and reliability upgrades to support long‑term asset management.
Implement process optimization projects, pilot new treatment technologies (UV, MBR, AOP), and recommend equipment upgrades to improve effluent quality, reduce chemical use, and lower energy consumption.
Develop and manage operational budgets at the plant level: track O&M expenses, recommend cost-saving measures, and support finance with justification for capital requests.
Prepare technical documentation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and process flow diagrams; ensure documentation is updated for audits and operator reference.
Liaise with regulatory agencies, municipal stakeholders, and the public as required for plant performance updates, compliance issues, odor complaints, and technical questions.
Enforce environmental protection and waste disposal protocols, including safe handling and disposal of biosolids, sludges, and chemical byproducts in compliance with permits and waste regulations.
Conduct root cause analyses following upset events or exceedances; implement corrective and preventive actions, update SOPs, and communicate lessons learned to staff.
Monitor and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as effluent quality, plant availability, energy use per volume treated, chemical consumption rates, and cost per million gallons treated.
Support capital improvements from pre‑design to commissioning: provide operations input on constructability, acceptance testing, O&M needs, and startup procedures for new equipment or process trains.

Secondary Functions

Assist in cross‑departmental projects (engineering, laboratory, public works) to improve utility‑wide performance and resilience.
Support asset management programs by tagging equipment, updating lifecycle data, and contributing to replacement planning.
Participate in community outreach, tours, and education programs to raise awareness of treatment processes and plant initiatives.
Provide input for continuous improvement initiatives and support the plant’s sustainability and energy‑reduction goals.
Mentor apprentices and new hires through hands‑on training, ride‑along shifts, and formal onboarding curricula.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Valid State Water or Wastewater Operator Certification (e.g., Class II / III / IV depending on plant size) — required or ability to obtain within defined timeframe.
Strong knowledge of drinking water and/or wastewater treatment processes: coagulation/flocculation, clarification, filtration, disinfection (chlorine, UV), biological treatment (activated sludge, MLE), sludge handling and dewatering.
Experience with SCADA and PLC systems for monitoring and control; ability to read ladder logic and interpret alarm history.
Hands‑on mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills for pumps, blowers, motors, VFDs, valves, and chemical feed equipment.
Laboratory sampling and basic wet chemistry competency (pH, turbidity, chlorine residual, TSS, BOD, COD) with QA/QC awareness.
CMMS experience (e.g., SAP, Maximo, Infor EAM, eMaint) for work order management and preventive maintenance planning.
Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and reporting requirements (NPDES, SDWA, Clean Water Act, local permits); proven history of successful permit compliance.
Confined space entry and rescue knowledge; experience managing hot work, lockout/tagout and other industrial safety protocols.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel for trend analysis, Word for SOPs, Outlook for communication) and basic data reporting tools.
Budgeting and inventory control experience with the ability to create justifications for capital and O&M expenditures.
Experience with energy management and process optimization to reduce chemical and power consumption.
Knowledge of hazardous materials handling, storage, and disposal, including MSDS and DOT requirements.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management: coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and conflict resolution.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for shift reports, regulatory correspondence, and stakeholder engagement.
Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret process data, perform root cause analysis, and implement meaningful corrective actions.
Decision‑making under pressure and ability to direct emergency response operations safely and effectively.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for recordkeeping, permit administration, and SOP compliance.
Ability to collaborate cross‑functionally with engineering, procurement, safety, and regulatory teams.
Continuous improvement orientation and openness to new technologies and process innovations.
Customer service mindset when interacting with public stakeholders, municipal leaders, and regulatory inspectors.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance operations, maintenance, training, and administrative duties.
High integrity and commitment to safety culture and environmental stewardship.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

Associate’s degree or Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Mechanical/Electrical Technology, or a related technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science or Technology
Civil/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering Technology
Chemistry or Water Resource Management
Occupational Health & Safety
Industrial Maintenance / Mechatronics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12+ years in water or wastewater plant operations, with at least 2–4 years in a lead or supervisory role.

Preferred:

7+ years of hands‑on treatment plant operations and maintenance.
Experience at medium to large municipal plants or industrial facilities with complex treatment processes.
Demonstrated track record of compliance with NPDES/SDWA permits and successful audit history.
Supervisory experience with direct responsibility for operators, contractors, budgets, and shift scheduling.

License & Training Preferences:

Required or willing to obtain state Class II/III/IV operator license depending on plant rating.
OSHA 10/30, confined space entry, HAZWOPER awareness, CPR/First Aid preferred.
Training or experience with SCADA/PLC, CMMS, and process optimization tools a strong plus.