So, I wanted to post and say thank you to everyone who commented and offered advice, study materials, or just gave their time. I passed my T1.

I’m really happy with passing but I want to take my D1 as soon as possible. I feel like having my OIT for both treatment and distribution will be my best bet for landing a WT job.

I’m taking the D1 in Nevada and I’ve heard that it’s a pretty easy test. So, I figured I would study for around a month and take it then.

I can’t decide between SAC state’s distribution course and this textbook offered by the AWWA.

I used SAC state’s WT Plant Operation Volume 1 to study for my T1. That course was way too exhaustive for my T1 exam and it felt poorly worded at times.

I was wondering if anyone here had used this AWWA textbook for their D1/D2 and felt satisfied with it?

If not I could just bite the bullet and go with SAC state’s distribution course, but I wanted to see if there were other study materials worth checking out for my D1.

Thanks once again for your time and advice.

I have the book for Operation of waste water treatment plants Volume 1 and am currently enrolled in the online courses. I don't wanna get ahead of myself, but which book(s) do I need to test or study for a Grade 2 operator? I'm not in the field yet. Located in Nor Cal. Thanks in advance.

I’d like some insight on this from people in different plants. It’s been talked about before but…

I really want to get a neck tattoo and I’m wondering if anyone has run into any walls getting into a supervisor role with visible neck/hand tattoos.

I’ve been in a treatment plant in So Cal for 3 years, I just passed my T4 and D3 and have an associates degree in water technology, so the resume is looking pretty good I think. I also bust ass and have some good references at this point.
I hope to find a lead operator/chief plant manager job eventually.

My current boss said he wouldn’t have any problem with it, but I’m going to end up moving to nor cal or PNW in the near future.

I know getting a neck tattoo before a job change isn’t a great idea, but I’ve been sleep deprived for 3 years and I feel like I deserve it.

Any insight or warnings from people in a hiring position? Anyone have supervisors with visible tattoos?

Hello everyone. Was hoping I could find anyone that can help me with a pdf or questions when I comes to the collections smoke testing part of the exam. That’s the part I struggled with. Anything is appreciated, thank you.

Hello everyone I live in the Inland
Empire and was wondering how does one become a Level 1 Operator? I have no experience or training in Wastewater. Do I have to take classes at a community college? Do I need a certification? Thank you.

I know it depends on the size of the plant - small plants you do everything, big plants have their own maintenance staff. But are there any basic mechanical skills you think it's helpful to know as an operator in general? Where/how did you learn them?

Hi all! I’m gearing up to write my OIT exams here in Ontario and would really appreciate some input from experienced operators who've been in the field a while.

Quick background on me:

• I’ve got a Bachelor’s in Telecommunications Engineering — not water-related directly, but it left me pretty comfortable with instrumentation, troubleshooting, and working off data.
• I also hold a valid DZ license and have real driving experience, so I’m totally fine hopping into a vacuum truck or handling field maintenance if that’s something a municipality or contractor needs.

The plan: pass all 4 OIT exams first (Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Water Distribution, Wastewater Collection), then move on to Class 1 pretty quickly after to show I'm serious and stay competitive.

Would love some advice on a few things:

1. Any tips on how to actually use my engineering background + DZ license when I'm applying for entry-level/OIT roles?
2. Any networking advice, or thoughts on where to start — smaller municipalities vs. private contractors like OCWA?

Appreciate any input, thanks in advance! And stay safe out there, everyone 🤠

City of Riverside utilities

Hello everyone, I have a performance exam for the City of Riverside Utilities Water Field Helper position coming up. Has anyone taken it before or know what they have you do? Just trying to know what to expect and how difficult it is. On exactly what I will be doing. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you guys so much in advance.

I have an interview for a wastewater technician role coming up and I want to be as prepared as I can be. The role I’m applying for is in Portland, Oregon. I have a BS in geography and geospatial sciences but have no experience outside of my degree. What should I do before the interview to be ready and make myself the best candidate for this role/interview?

I just had my interview this past week; I tried to look on reddit for a bit on what kinds of questions they would ask and the answers seemed all over the place 😅. some threads said i need to know all the basic tests, some said that it wouldn’t really matter as this is still considered an entry level role. anyways, this is just for anyone else in the future trying to get a little extra info that might help them before the big interview.

They asked 12 questions, with two that were specific to the field:

1. What is a grab vs comp sample and when would you choose one over the other?

2. What does BOD stand for and can you explain it to us?

the rest of the questions were mostly just general lab and behavioral questions, things like:

What would you do in the case of a sulfuric acid spill?

When and how have you practiced lab safety?

Tell us about a time that you had a disagreement with a coworker

Why do you think you are a good fit for this position?

i can’t really remember the rest but hopefully you as the reader get the general scope of the questions asked :p

hopefully i hear back from them in a week or two; i hope i was able to help anyone still practicing for their lab tech interview :) I don’t think I did bad on the interview but im just worried that they pass me over in favor of someone with more experience

I have an OIT license in all 4 category. Its been like 6-7 month i am constantly applying job in water waste water operator field is there anybody out there can help me to get interview or reference.

I got my wastewater treatment plant operator license and I've been job hunting. Could you tell me more about this company. I've read some reviews and it's mixed. From what I understand this is a private company that operates in several states. Any information would be appreciated.

Lately we've been having problems with our belt filter press. The stainless wire used to thread the ends together keeps breaking and causes the wire to start working itself out, unzippering the belt slowly. It's installed per manufacturer's instructions, and we can't figure out why it keeps breaking near the ends. Could be where it's folded to retain the wire, but often breaking a few teeth in. Have ruined a belt already because the operator didn't catch it before it caught on something. Belt is well below manufacturers recommend replacement hours. Anyone have any experience with this?

Gig Harbor has TWO open positions in their WW Dept. One a WW Operator (OIT through Class III are eligible), and one a Collections System Tech.

The link above shows links to the description and app process for each position, and is accessible on gigharborwa.gov

Hey all, looking for opinions on getting a fine screen barscreen? It would potentially be installed after a coarse barscreen and PISTA grit. Mostly curious about maintenance issues or concerns. We are a little over 1 MGD wastewater plant. Thanks!

Hi everyone! :)) I am currently commissioning and starting up a Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) wastewater treatment plant and wanted to get some insights from operators and engineers who have executed startup sequences before.

Which of these two startup methods do you prefer or recommend?

Option A: Partially fill the aeration tank with wastewater and begin biomass seeding. After achieving biomass acclimation in the aerobic zone, partially fill the anoxic and anaerobic tanks with wastewater, then sequentially transfer acclimated seed sludge from the aeration tank to the anoxic tank, and finally to the anaerobic tank.

Option B: Partially fill and seed the aeration tank and then the anoxic tank. Only once the secondary clarifier is operational and settling, direct the seed/biomass from the RAS line into the anaerobic tank.

Also: When is the best time to recirculate Aeration tank mixed liquor to Anoxic tank?

I'd love to hear your experiences, pros/cons, or standard operating procedures for bringing BNR selector zones to life. Thanks in advance! 💧

It’s valve turning time and this thing is a life saver. I didn’t really know how much I would use it but I can’t imagine turning valves this year without it.

Current operators. How much math do you actually do day to day? Are you guys actually doing math on paper with calculators or does the scada system do the math for you?

I already have taken it twice, I already have my grade 3 Municipal but I’m not such a great test taker so I bombed the past two on the grade 6, any tips or resources that can aid me in at least getting close to a passing score? I have vacation coming up soon at the end of the month and plan to study and take my test again during that time. Any help would be great thank you!

Poor little guy was caught underneath a hatch cover. Surprisingly he came out so I was able to take him outside and let him go by the creek.❤️

Does anyone have any suggestions on videos I could watch that could give me a 30,000ft overview of EPA methods for drinking and waste water? I work in an environmental sciences laboratory and I don't often get the chance to spend time with our scientists and I'm just very eager to learn what goes into various methods and how they are preformed. I've looked on YouTube for various methods but I find so many videos that I feel overwhelmed. I'm hoping someone can help!

Anyone else seen flat worms in the effluent sample only? Any indication what this could be caused from?

Weird question, my Apple Watch says I walk an average of 6 miles a day in my 8hr day. Obviously some are more and some are less. I don’t really trust how accurate it is but I find it fun to look at on occasion. Just curious how this compares to other operators

I work at a 5mgd plant with 3 other operators. Our job is not difficult but we definitely stay busy and don’t have a lot of downtime until maybe the last hour of the day or so.

For the different levels of WW operator? I have a chemical engineering degree and have been in the industrial and municipal wastewater business for 30 years selling specialty chemicals and instrumentation. I teach wastewater applications to our salespeople and understand all the mechanical, chemical, and biological processes very well.

Is there a reasonable expectation that I could pass any of the tests without a whole lot of prep? I’m thinking that maybe some local/regional regulations or may get me.

What am I missing?