05/27/2026
TOWN OF CHESAPEAKE, WEST VIRGINIA
12404 MacCorkle Avenue | Chesapeake, WV | (304) 949-1496
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM OPERATOR
Class I Certified | Sanitary Board | Full-Time | Non-Exempt
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Reports To: Mayor / Sanitary Board Director
Work Location: Town of Chesapeake service area, Kanawha County, WV
Required Certification: WV Class I Wastewater Collection System Operator (at time of hire)
Experience Required: 3–5 years in wastewater collection system operation
Regulatory Authority: WV PSC Title 150 CSR Series 5; WV Code §16-13A; WV Code §24-2; WV BPH & DEP
POSITION SUMMARY
Under the direction of the Mayor and the Sanitary Board, the Wastewater Collection System Operator is responsible for the skilled operation, maintenance, inspection, and repair of the Town’s municipal sanitary sewer collection system. This position requires demonstrated technical proficiency consistent with WV Class I Wastewater Collection System Operator certification and three to five years of hands-on collection system experience. The Operator ensures the Town’s continuous compliance with the West Virginia Public Service Commission’s Rules for the Government of Sewer Utilities (150 CSR 5), the WV Bureau for Public Health, and the WV Department of Environmental Protection. The incumbent is expected to work with minimal supervision and to exercise independent judgment in field operations, maintenance prioritization, and regulatory documentation.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
System Operation and Maintenance (150 CSR 5, §5.1)
• Plan, schedule, and perform preventive and corrective maintenance on sewer mains, service laterals, manholes, pump stations, and lift stations to ensure safe, adequate, and continuous service per Rule 5.1.a. and 5.1.d.
• Conduct systematic inspection of all collection system facilities with sufficient frequency to maintain working knowledge of their condition and adequacy at all times (Rule 5.1.e.).
• Maintain daily plant operation records in sufficient detail to reproduce the system’s operational history; ensure records comply with WV Bureau for Public Health, WV DEP, and OSHA Minimum Federal Safety Standards (Rule 5.1.g.).
• Prepare and file condition and adequacy reports to the PSC upon request of the Mayor or Sanitary Board (Rule 5.1.h.).
• Ensure pump stations and lift stations operate in compliance with Bureau for Public Health and DEP approvals (Rule 5.1.b.).
Service Connections and Extensions (150 CSR 5, §5.2 – 5.5)
• Install, locate, and maintain all utility service pipe from the sewer main to the customer’s point of service (Rule 5.2.a.–c.).
• Designate point-of-service locations; enforce the prohibition on unauthorized customer attachments or branches to utility service pipe (Rule 5.2.f.).
• Inspect customer service pipe installations prior to service activation; enforce material, size, and installation specifications (Rule 5.3.f., 5.3.j.).
• Conduct smoke testing, dye testing, and/or on-site inspection to identify and document illicit surface or groundwater connections to the sanitary system; initiate certified-mail surcharge notification process (Rule 5.3.m.).
• Lead or assist in main line extension construction including excavation, pipe installation, backfill, restoration, and record updates (Rule 5.5.).
• Ensure sewer lines in new subdivisions are installed to established sub-grade prior to road surface completion (Rule 5.5.h.6.).
• Update system maps and as-built records within the timeframe prescribed by Rule 2.6.b.
Metering, Flow Measurement, and Billing Support (150 CSR 5, §3)
• Install, calibrate, and perform annual accuracy testing of sewer flow measuring devices used for billing; maintain measuring devices in good working order as required by Rule 3.2.
• Identify meter anomalies, unusual consumption patterns, and potential leaks on the customer’s side of the point of service; provide field documentation to support bill adjustment determinations under Rule 4.4.c.
• Assist in identification and documentation of accounts requiring special flow measurement rather than water meter-based billing (Rule 3.1.).
Customer Relations and Field Response (150 CSR 5, §4)
• Conduct full and prompt field investigation of customer complaints; document findings in the utility’s complaint record consistent with Rule 4.5.a.–b.
• Perform scheduled and emergency service calls; make required personal contact attempts prior to any water service disconnection for non-payment of sewer bills (Rule 4.8.b.4.).
• Accept customer payment at the premises to prevent disconnection when applicable; refuse check payment in accordance with Rule 4.8.b.7. when prior NSF history exists.
• Present Town-issued photo identification when entering any customer’s premises (Rule 4.10.b.).
• Provide advance notice of planned service interruptions to the Bureau for Public Health, PSC, and all affected customers (Rule 4.11.b.); maintain interruption records per Rule
4.11.a.
Safety, Records, and Regulatory Compliance (150 CSR 5, §2 & §6)
• Adhere to and enforce all OSHA confined space entry requirements for manhole and pit work; ensure co-workers are trained in hazardous gas detection and asphyxiation emergency response (Rule 6.1.c.).
• Maintain accident and injury records for all system operation incidents per Rule 6.1.a.; instruct crew members in electrical shock resuscitation procedures (Rule 6.1.b.).
• Maintain complete and current maps, plans, and records of pumping stations, treatment facilities, transmission and collection lines, and service connections (Rule 2.6.a.).
• Support PSC financial and statistical reporting; assist in preparation of the annual report filed within three months of fiscal year end (Rule 2.4.a.).
• Assist in moratorium monitoring; notify the Mayor immediately if WV DEP or any State agency imposes a capacity restriction on any portion of the system (Rule 4.12.c.).
Additional Duties
• Assist the Mayor and Sanitary Board with capital project oversight, contractor inspection, and sewer infrastructure protection (as applicable to the Lens Creek / Venable Ave service area).
• Support Town compliance with WV DEP DLAP program requirements and Public Works initiatives as directed by the Mayor.
• Perform other duties assigned consistently with the public service obligations of the Town’s Sanitary Board.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• WV Class I Wastewater Collection System Operator certification, current and in good standing at time of hire.
• Minimum three (3) years, and up to five (5) years, of progressively responsible experience in municipal or public utility wastewater collection system operation, maintenance, and repair.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of WV PSC sewer utility rules (150 CSR 5), WV Bureau for Public Health requirements, and WV DEP environmental standards applicable to sewer collection systems.
• Valid West Virginia driver’s license with acceptable driving record.
• OSHA 10-hour Construction Safety certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire).
• Proficiency in confined space entry, gas detection, and emergency response procedures.
• Ability to read and interpret utility system maps, as-built drawings, tariff schedules, and PSC tariff filings.
• Physical ability to perform heavy manual labor: lifting up to 75 lbs., sustained digging, confined space entry, and outdoor work in all weather conditions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• WV Class I Wastewater Collection System Operator certification or higher.
• CDL Class B license.
• Experience with CCTV sewer inspection, smoke testing, and dye testing operations.
• Familiarity with WV PSC tariff compliance, customer billing procedures, and deferred payment agreement administration.
• Prior experience with a WV Title IV municipality or public service district.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is performed primarily outdoors in all weather conditions. Duties regularly involve confined space entry, working in excavations, proximity to vehicular traffic, and exposure to raw sewage, hazardous gases, and chemical disinfectants. Appropriate PPE will be provided by the Town.
Emergency and after-hours call-out availability is required. This position is subject to the Town’s drug-free workplace policy, including pre-employment and random drug and alcohol screening.
The Town of Chesapeake is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Town will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities.
Applications and inquiries: [email protected] | (304) 949-1496
