Water Treatment Plant Operating

What the Numbers Say About Water Treatment Plant Operating

0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (2,289,472 employees total, March 2025) works in the Water Treatment Plant Operating occupation (OPM code 5409): 301 people, headcount down -1.6% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.

Average tenure in Water Treatment Plant Operating runs 10.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $76,470 per year, 30.4% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 1.5% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.

Code 54, the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, is where the federal government classifies Water Treatment Plant Operating alongside 11 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Water Treatment Plant Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks #6 of 12 by headcount, accounting for 5.8% of the family's combined 5,157 employees.