Watershed Maintainer

Job Description

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire a Watershed Maintainer within the Drinking Water Operations Directorate, for a position located in Grahamsville, New York.

The Bureau of Water Supply, Drinking Water Operations Directorate, is responsible for the operation and maintenance of reservoirs, dams, water and wastewater treatment facilities, aqueducts, shafts, hydroelectric facilities, highways, bridges, and watershed lands across the Delaware, Catskill, and Croton Water Systems. They are also responsible for water quality field and lab operations throughout the watershed and within city limits. The directorate plays a critical role in ensuring the Bureau of Water Supply meets its mission of reliably delivering a sufficient quantity of high quality drinking water to protect public health and quality of life to approximately 9.5 million people in NYC and the surrounding upstate communities.

The Water Resource Recovery Operations is responsible for the operation of seven Water Resource Recovery Facilities.

Under the supervision of the Facility Assistant Chief Operator, the Watershed Maintainer, will be responsible for performing daily operations to maintain NYSDEC State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System compliance at the Water Resource Recovery Facility. Specific duties include:

- Acquiring and maintaining Wastewater Certification and obtaining Continuing Education Unit’s for continued certification

- Conducting Wastewater Facility Operations

- Performing laboratory analysis

- Inspecting, operating, and adjusting wastewater treatment equipment, reporting problems or unusual conditions

- Maintaining, lubricating, greasing, cleaning, painting and adjusting equipment as scheduled or needed

- Conducting wastewater analysis in a laboratory setting by user friendly instrumentation for process and State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System reporting

- Maintaining accurate paper and electronic records of operations, equipment performance, maintenance activities, and water quality data; utilizing computers and electronic devices for communication and documentation

- Maintaining cleanliness and upkeep of marginal areas surrounding reservoirs, facilities, and other watershed locations

- Complying with all environmental, health and safety laws, agency policies, rules and regulations



License Requirements:

- A Motor Vehicle Driver's License valid in the State of New York. This license must be maintained for the duration of employment

- For appointments to certain positions, a Class A Commercial Driver License valid in the State of New York may be required. If required, this license must be maintained for duration of appointment

- All candidates shall be required to obtain and maintain any licenses, certifications or endorsements that the Agency deems necessary to perform the duties of the position


(This is a brief description of what a Watershed Maintainer might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position)



Preferred Skills:

- Experience within a wastewater facility

- General Familiarity of Microsoft Office suites and Microsoft outlook

- Ability to learn how to use a computerized maintenance management system and a computer tablet to receive work orders and input data

- Ability to carry out responsibilities with minimal supervision, demonstrating reliability and initiative

- Ability to work with hand or power tools

- Ability to keep good, clear written and electronic records

- Ability to operate motor vehicles and motor-powered equipment



Additional Information:

Some of the physical activities performed by Watershed Maintainers and environmental conditions experienced are: Standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting objects up to waist height; fingering, grasping, squeezing and or turning objects such as tools and equipment; pushing and pulling objects such as tools and levers using one or two hands; reaching at a distance up to arm’s length; coordinating the movements of hands and feet; and balancing body on foot stools or ladders from 3 to 30 feet in height while standing and working with han