Watershed Maintainer

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 a Watershed Maintainer within the Water Treatment Operations Division, for a position at Hillview Reservoir located in Yonkers, New York. The Watershed Maintainer will perform duties related to the operation, maintenance, and inspection of equipment, water treatment facilities, watershed areas, reservoirs, and aqueducts systems of the City of New York. Specific tasks include:

- Monitoring and controlling the various process control equipment and treatment systems using various computer based controls including the Process Monitoring and Control System (PMCS) or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA).

- Assisting in collecting water samples and performing water quality related analysis as directed.

- Assisting in the preparation of daily plant operations and activity reports.

- Loads, unloads, and ensures the feed of chemicals, such as chlorine and alum, to water. Identifies and contains leaks using emergency equipment.

- Performing basic calculations, take water samples, maintain control room and equipment logs, complete inspection, and work ticket records, and maintain overall drinking water quality per regulatory and DEP requirements.

- Operating motor vehicles, snow removal equipment and other powered equipment.

- Cleaning and maintaining facility grounds, structures, and equipment.

- Performing tasks that require physical labor, i.e. entering confined spaces, lifting, climbing ladders, etc.

- May serve as a member of the Emergency Response Team.

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


Medical Requirement

Candidates will be required to wear a respirator while performing the essential functions of this job. Employees must be physically able to wear a respirator. OSHA regulations have established medical guidelines for wearing a respirator. Therefore, applicants and employees will be required to have pre appointment and periodic post appointment medical examinations to demonstrate that they met applicable OSGHA Standards and to monitor their medical status. Once hired, employees must continue to satisfy OSHA regulations for the duration of their employment.


Essential Skills

Technical Competencies

- Water Treatment Principles and Practices

- Mechanically inclined (plumbing, mechanical, electric or construction related trades).


Non-Technical Competencies

- Conscientious

- Information Sharing

- Critical and Analytical Thinking

- Accurate record keeping, Chemical Receiving, Chemical Usage and shift checklist


Class A Commercial Driver’s License valid in the State of New York may be required. If required, this license must be maintained for the duration of employment.


(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)


Some of the physical activities performed by Watershed Maintainers and environmental conditions experienced are: 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 hands overhead. In order to perform the essential tasks of this position, Watershed Maintainers may be required to: wear protective equipment such as gloves, boots, goggles, earplugs, noise attenuators, face shields, and or respirators, work in temperatures ranging from 0 degrees Fahrenheit and 105 degrees Fahrenheit in wetness and varying atmospheric conditions such as high and low humidity, work in the presence of toxic and or corrosive chemicals and moving parts of machinery and equipment, and work in restricted spaces for up to 1 hour at a time and on surfaces made of metal gratings, macadam and or cement.

Special Working Conditions: Watershed Maintainers may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and one of the following:

1. One year of full-time satisfactory experience in the operation and maintenance of equipment used in the controlling or purification of water at facilities in watershed areas, reservoirs, or aqueduct systems, or performing duties involving the upkeep, inspection, maintenance or operation of watershed areas and related facilities; or

A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and one of the following:

2. Two years of full-time satisfactory experience as: a mechanic, journeyman or helper in the electrical trades or mechanical trades; or a technician in a chemical processing facility or chemical laboratory.

Driver License Requirement: By the time you are appointed to this position, you must have a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York. This license must be maintained for the duration of your employment.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.