Residence Requirements:

CANDIDATES MUST HAVE BEEN LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE WRITTEN TEST AND MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT. Preference may be given to successful candidates who have been residents of the municipality in which the appointment is to be made for one month preceding the date of the certification of the eligible list and who are residents of the municipality at the time of appointment. Non-residents may be required to become a resident of the appointing municipality if local law so states.

The eligible list resulting from this examination will be used to fill two anticipated vacancies in the Department Of Environment & Planning, Division of Sewerage Management ($42,137 -$51,596 Annually starting/effective as of  2019) and will also fill other appropriate vacancies which may occur in municipalities or districts under the jurisdiction of Erie County Civil Service while this list is active. (Note: *Salaries vary among municipalities and districts.)

A promotion examination will be held at the same time as this examination. The list resulting from the promotion examination will be used first but appointments from this open competitive examination are anticipated. Use of the list may be suspended after it is one year old for any position which it is practical to fill through a new promotion examination.

Examples of Duties:

A Senior Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator  supervises and performs operation and maintenance duties in a wastewater treatment plant;  

Seeks methods to assure the most efficient and economical use of equipment, supplies and manpower;

Supervises and performs minor repairs to machinery and equipment; supervises and performs treatment and disposal of sludge;

Adds chlorine and other chemicals to wastewater;

Records readings from meters and gauges;

Supervises and performs a plan of preventative maintenance on electrical and mechanical equipment;

Supervises and performs sampling and testing of wastewater for permit requirements and process control and adjustment as required;

Maintains a log of plant operations and related records; prepares periodic reports;

Supervises and performs custodial duties in connection with maintenance of buildings and grounds;

Investigates difficulties with sewers and house connections;

Creates, edits and completes work orders in CMMS;

Utilizes computer software such as word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must meet the following requirements on or before the date of the written test:

A.)   Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered two year college or university with a AAS degree in a NYSDEC approved course and eighteen months of satisfactory experience in the operation of a Type 4A or 3A wastewater treatment plant, six months of which was in a supervisory* position (see Note 1); or:

B.)   Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and four and half years of experience in the actual operation of a wastewater treatment plant, eighteen months of which is experience in the operation of a Type4A or 3A wastewater treatment plant, six months of which was in a supervisory* position (see Note 1) ; or:

C.)   An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B) and meeting the requirements as outlined by New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation for a Type 3A Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator's Certification.

 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Possession of a Grade 3A Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate, issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is required at the time of appointment. and
2. Possession of a valid New York State Motor Vehicle Operator's License.

Notes:

1. *A supervisory position is defined as a position in which supervision was a major responsibility of the job. Occasional or partial supervision of work crew is not acceptable supervisory experience.

2. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements.

3. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However,candidates may find information in the publication "How to take a written test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm

Subjects of Examination:

SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas:

1. Supervision

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

2. Operation and maintenance of pumps, valves, and related mechanical and electrical equipment

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and procedures involved in the operation, maintenance, and repair of pumps, valves, and related mechanical and electrical equipment, including motors and electric circuitry; and for the ability to identify various types of pumps, valves, and related equipment and understand their functions.

3. Physics, chemistry, and bacteriology related to wastewater treatment and disposal, including laboratory and field tests for plant operations

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices of wastewater treatment, disposal, and testing, including such areas as the principles of physics, chemistry, and bacteriology involved; terminology associated with wastewater treatment and testing; operating principles of the equipment and procedures used in wastewater treatment; measurements and measuring devices used; sampling and testing wastewater and interpreting the results; and identification and characteristics of chemicals and bacteria involved in wastewater plant operations and testing. Some questions may involve basic arithmetic calculations.

4. Practices and equipment used in the operation and maintenance of a Type A wastewater treatment plant

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices associated with the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants employing the activated sludge process or its modifications (Type A plants), including such areas as objectives of plant processes, techniques, and equipment; terminology associated with Type A wastewater treatment plants; conditions and situations encountered in Type A wastewater treatment plants; plant safety and monitoring; and equipment and materials used in Type A wastewater treatment plants. Some questions may involve basic arithmetic calculations.

5. Tools, mechanical aptitude, and reading of scales, meters, and gauges

These questions test for knowledge of the tools used in water and wastewater treatment plants; the ability to identify various types of tools and their uses; knowledge of general mechanical principles and the operation of various types of mechanical devices such as gears, pulleys, levers, valves, and similar types of mechanical equipment; and the ability to read and interpret information displayed on various types of scales, meters, and gauges. 

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES: Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", “Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.