SENIOR WASTEWATER COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under direction, leads, oversees, and participates in the more complex and difficult work of staff responsible for performing a variety of semi-skilled and manual work involved in the installation, maintenance, cleaning, and repair of the City’s wastewater collection system; and performs a variety of technical tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey level class in the Wastewater Collections Technician series. Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed and the complexity of duties assigned. Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series and serve as lead worker for an assigned group of employees. Employees at this level may be assigned specialized functions and are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Leads, plans, trains, and reviews the work of staff responsible for performing a full range of duties involved in the installation, maintenance, cleaning, and repair of the City’s wastewater collection system.
• Estimates time, materials, and equipment required for jobs assigned; requisitions necessary tools,
  equipment, materials, and supplies as required; maintains parts inventory; orders necessary parts.
• Trains assigned employees in their areas of work including maintenance and repair methods, procedures, and techniques.
• Verifies the work of assigned employees for accuracy, proper work methods, techniques, and compliance with applicable standards and specifications; ensures adherence to safe work practices and procedures; supervises the use, care, and operation of equipment; ensures adherence to best management practices; ensures cleanliness of work area and tools.
• Oversees and participates in performing a full range of general maintenance and cleaning duties related to the City’s wastewater collection system; cleans and rods sewer mains and laterals; operates a high pressure rodder, manual power rodder, and hand rodder to remove debris from inside pipe; vacuums debris from lift stations and related structures; cleans storm drains using high pressure water sprayer and vacuum.
• Oversees and participates in performing a full range of general repairs duties related to the City’s wastewater collection system; performs trenching, shoring, and backfilling; repairs gravity mainline and force mains; repairs laterals; removes roots; repairs infiltration sealing and grouting; installs and maintains manholes; raises manhole to proper grade; installs and rebuilds airvacs; removes weeds and debris from pump stations, easements, grounds, and outfall lines.
• Oversees and participates in repairing asphalt and concrete after repairs to wastewater collection

system; repairs concrete sidewalk panels; assists patch crews in laying new asphalt in the streets; makes temporary street patches as necessary.

• Oversees and participates in the operation of the closed circuit televising system; televises underground sewer lines, storm drains, and sewer laterals; identifies any sings of blockage/debris that may interrupt flow of the sanitary sewer or storm drains; identifies major problems with pipes including cracks, damage, holes, and collapsed pipe; tests sewer systems for faulty connections or leaks as well as for illegal connections.
• Locates sewer lines including to utilize a magnetic locator; provides assistance to contractors and other utility companies in the field.
• Reviews plans from contractors on the new installation of sewer lines; review line grade, pipe size, pipe type, and location of manholes for accessibility.
• Works with contracts on City projects including line repair, replacement, and cleaning as wells as the televising of trunk lines and outfall lines.
• Verifies changes to the collection system to be made in the City’s atlas and computer systems including adding or deleting manholes and/or lines.
• Operates a variety of vehicles, equipment, and tools including service trucks, dump trucks, water trucks, vacuum trucks, skiploader, backhoe and related attachments, large trailers, trench tamper, hydro tamper, concrete and asphalt cutting saws, root saws, jackhammer, and hand and power tools; loads and unloads vehicles and equipment.
• Inspects and maintains assigned equipment and vehicles; performs safety checks and checks fluid levels of vehicles and equipment; inspects and maintains safety related equipment including air monitoring devices, signs used for traffic control, shoring jacks and pumps, fall protection gear, and first-aid kits; cleans assigned vehicles and equipment.
• Oversees and performs work in confined spaces; performs necessary precautions prior to entering confined spaces with potential hazardous atmospheres; use air quality monitors and ventilators.
• Creates and approves traffic control plans; implements and oversees the setting up of traffic control including safety devices, signs, and barricades prior to job start; ensures safety of public and work crew.
• Creates standby list; serves in emergency standby capacity; provides customer service and performs all aspects of collection system maintenance and repair during after hours periods including holidays and weekends.
• Provides courteous customer service; responds to questions and inquiries from the general public; responds to customer problems or complaints.
• Completes overflow reports and notifies appropriate agencies.
• Maintains records of basic operations, maintenance and work performed; calculates quantities of materials and supplies used; maintains records related to the time and cost of jobs and man hours; inputs work activities into asset management program.
• Performs related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Operations, services, and activities of a wastewater collection system maintenance and repair program.
• Principles of lead supervision and training.
• Materials, methods, techniques, and terminology used in maintenance and repair activities related to the maintenance and repair of wastewater collection system infrastructure including how repair parts are applied to the wastewater system including couplings, stainless steel bands, and types and grades of pipes.
• Operational characteristics of maintenance and construction equipment and tools used in work activities.
• Proper procedures used in the maintenance and repair of hand and power tools.
• Practices and procedures of traffic control including principles and practices used in the design and implementation of traffic control plans.
• Mathematical principles.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local codes, laws, and regulations.
• Principles and practices of record keeping and basic report preparation.
• Occupational hazards and standard safety practices including those associated with working in confined spaces.
• Principles and practices of customer service.

Ability to:

• Lead, organize, and review the work of staff.
• Independently perform the most difficult tasks involved in the maintenance and repair of the City’s wastewater collection system.
• Interpret, explain, and enforce department policies and procedures.
• Perform a variety of tasks for extended periods of time and in unfavorable weather conditions.
• Perform heavy manual labor.
• Work in closely confined spaces while wearing a respirator.
• Read maps, blue prints, and diagrams.
• Ensure adherence to safe work practices and procedures.
• Ensure safety around work areas in high traffic.
• Prepare and maintain records including time and material use records.
• Perform mathematical calculations.
• Respond to collection system maintenance/repair emergencies.
• Safely drive and skillfully operate equipment and machinery including service trucks, dump trucks, water trucks, vacuum trucks, skiploader, backhoe, large trailers, trench tamper, hydro tamper, concrete and asphalt cutting saws, root saws, jackhammer, and hand and power tools.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. Specialized course work related to the construction, maintenance, and repair of wastewater collection systems is desirable.

Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience performing duties comparable to a Wastewater Collections Technician II in the City of Escondido or comparable experience performing wastewater collection system maintenance and repair duties.

License or Certificate - Possession of a valid Grade 2 Wastewater Collections System Maintenance certificate. Possession of a valid Class B driver’s license with tank and air brakes endorsement.

Possession of, or ability to obtain, CRP certification, Backhoe training certification, Confined Space Entry certification, and other job related certifications required and/or provided by the City.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Field setting with travel from site to site. Exposure to extreme noise of equipment; mechanical, electrical, and explosive hazards; fumes and odors of sewage lines, hydrogen sulfide, methane; dust of excavations; toxic substances such as paints, solvents. Work and/or walk for long periods of time on various types of surfaces including slippery or uneven surfaces and rough terrain. Work schedule is 9/80; subject to 24-hour emergency callbacks and standby and requires working varying hours, overtime, weekends and holidays. Work environment is informal, team-oriented, having both routine and variable tasks with variable pace and pressure. Work is performed indoors in shop area and outdoors at field locations within the entire wastewater collection system in a geographic area that includes the city to ocean outfall lines.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in a field setting and operate assigned equipment. CONTINUOUS standing, downward flexion of neck, grasp with both hands in using tools and materials; FREQUENT walking, bending and stooping, reaching at shoulder height, twisting at waist, side-to-side turning of neck; strong grasp, pushing/pulling and twisting of wrist in use of tools; OCCASIONAL sitting, squatting, reaching above shoulder height, kneeling, pushing/pulling, upward flexion of neck, lifting of objects weight up to 25 lbs. from below waist to above shoulder level and transporting 10-300 feet; lifting of objects weighing from 26-75 lbs. below and at waist level, with or without assistance; manual dexterity in using writing materials; INFREQUENT crawling, climbing, balancing above ground, lifting of objects weighing 26-75 lbs. from chest to over shoulder level, with or without assistance and transporting 20-100 feet; lifting of objects weighing 75-100 lbs. from below waist level to above shoulder level, with or without assistance and transporting up to 20 feet.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate vehicles and equipment

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Other: Safety regulations prohibit incumbents from wearing contact lenses when wearing respirators in working with certain chemicals, or from wearing beards or other facial hair that prevents a proper respirator fit. Must successfully complete periodic physical examination required for use of respirators.

Date: October 2004
Johnson & Associates