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Water Treatment Plant Operator - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Water Treatment Plant Operator"
How much does a Water Treatment Plant Operator in the federal government get paid? $73,288.44* *Based on the 2022 average.Water Treatment Plant Operator was the 397th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 68 employed. The most common payscale was the nonsupervisory pay schedules - federal wage system payscale.
In 2022, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Water Treatment Plant Operating, with an average salary of $61,001.
Government Water Treatment Plant Operating jobs are classified under the Federal Wage Schedule, Wage Grade (FWS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Water Treatment Plant Operating job is FWS-7, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is FWS-9. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This standard covers nonsupervisory work involved in the operation of water treatment facilities and plants to treat or pump water for domestic or industrial use.
Agencies that have hired a Water Treatment Plant Operator
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 18 | $61,000.78 |
| National Park Service | 16 | $78,997.56 |
| Forest Service | 13 | $61,020.23 |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 6 | $96,808.67 |
| Presidio Trust | 5 | $106,774.60 |
| International Boundary & Water Commission: U.S. & Mexico | 3 | $69,184.00 |
| Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service | 2 | $68,120.00 |
| Indian Affairs | 2 | $55,274.00 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 2 | $86,757.00 |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency | 1 | $85,797.00 |
Water Treatment Plant Operator Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Water Treatment Plant Operator is $73,288.44. The highest paid Water Treatment Plant Operator made $135,153 in 2022.
Common Water Treatment Plant Operator Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Water Treatment Plant Operating Employees |
|---|---|
| WG - Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 44 |
| BB - Nonsupervisory - Negotiated Pay Employees | 12 |
| WS - Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 5 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 5 |
| WL - Leader Pay Schedule - Federal Wage System | 1 |
| XE - Supervisors Of Negotiated Rate Employees--federal Wage System | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $10.20 to $26.59 / hour at paygrade FWS-7 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $11.13 to $30.53 / hour at paygrade FWS-9 |
| Occupation Family: | INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT OPERATION FAMILY |
Other Jobs at the FWS-7 Paygrade
FWS-7 is the starting paygrade for Water Treatment Plant Operating jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the FWS-7 paygrade.
| Occupation | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|
| Offset Platemaking | FWS-5 | FWS-8 |
| Tractor Operating | FWS-5 | FWS-9 |
| Bindery Working | FWS-5 | FWS-9 |
| Carpentry | FWS-7 | FWS-9 |
| Motion Picture Projection | FWS-5 | FWS-7 |
Average Water Treatment Plant Operating Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for a Water Treatment Plant Operator was $47,543. Since then, the average pay has increased to $73,288 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 5409.