For the purposes of water and wastewater utility operations, frontline workers include employees who (Hands-On) directly operate, maintain, monitor, inspect, repair, or respond to water treatment, wastewater treatment, distribution, collection, pumping, laboratory, field service, and emergency response activities. This includes operators, technicians, mechanics, electricians, instrumentation and control staff, field crews, utility locators, meter technicians, laboratory and sampling staff, lead workers, crew leaders, foremen, and shift supervisors.
Frontline leadership generally includes the first level of direct supervision responsible for active operational work, including lead operators, crew leaders, foremen, field supervisors, and shift supervisors. In smaller systems, chief operators, superintendents, utility managers, or public works directors may also be considered frontline when they remain directly involved in daily operations, emergency response, compliance sampling, system troubleshooting, or field supervision.
Positions above the first level of direct supervision are generally considered operational management rather than frontline, unless the employee remains routinely involved in direct operational decision-making or emergency response. The determination should be based on actual duties and operational responsibility, not job title alone.
Working Definition of “Frontline Utility Worker”
For water and wastewater utilities, we define frontline workers as:
Employees whose daily work (Hands-On) directly affects the operation, maintenance, safety, reliability, compliance, or emergency response of the water, wastewater, distribution, or collection system.
That includes people in the plant, in the field, at pump stations, in control rooms, doing sampling, making repairs, responding to alarms, operating equipment, or supervising those workers directly.
In plain English: if their mistake can immediately affect water quality, wastewater discharge, public health, service reliability, safety, or regulatory compliance, they are probably frontline.
Core Frontline Workers
Water Treatment Frontline
These are clearly frontline:
Water Treatment Operator: Directly controls treatment process, chemical feed, filters, pumps, disinfection, SCADA, compliance readings
Shift Operator: Same as above, often responsible for live plant monitoring
Control Room Operator: Makes real-time operational decisions
Lead Water Operator: Still directly involved in plant operations and operator oversight
Shift Supervisor: Directly supervises live operations; usually still accountable for real-time decisions
Plant Mechanic assigned to treatment: Keeps critical equipment running
Instrumentation / SCADA Technician: Maintains process control, analyzers, alarms, and automation
Electrician assigned to plant systems: Maintains motors, MCCs, generators, and critical electrical systems
Lab Technician / Field Sampler: Supports compliance and process control through sampling and testing
Maintenance Operator: Repairs pumps, valves, chemical systems, drives, basins, filters, and other operating assets
Water Distribution Frontline
These are also frontline:
Distribution Operator: Maintains pressure, flushing, valves, hydrants, storage, and line repairs
Field Service Technician: Responds to service issues, leaks, meters, and customer-side problems
Meter Technician: Handles meters, AMI/AMR systems, flow accuracy, and customer usage issues
Valve / Hydrant Crew: Maintains critical distribution control points
Leak Detection Technician: finds and helps prevent water loss and infrastructure failures
Utility Locator: Protects underground infrastructure before excavation
Backflow / Cross-Connection Inspector: Protects the potable water system from contamination
Pump Station Operator / Technician: Maintains pressure, pumping, storage, and system movement
Construction Inspector for active utility work: Protects system integrity during taps, tie-ins, repairs, and contractor work
Water Quality Field Technician: Investigates taste, odor, color, chlorine residual, flushing, and customer complaints
Wastewater Treatment Frontline
These are considered frontline:
Wastewater Treatment Operator: Controls biological treatment, clarification, disinfection, solids handling, and discharge compliance
Shift Operator: Monitors live plant conditions and responds to alarms
Lead Wastewater Operator: Directly guides operators and plant response
Shift Supervisor: Directly responsible for live operational control
Solids Handling Operator: Manages sludge, digesters, dewatering, hauling, and related compliance
Lab Technician / Process Control Analyst: Tracks BOD, TSS, ammonia, pH, DO, chlorine, E. coli, etc.
Maintenance Mechanic: Keeps blowers, pumps, clarifiers, digesters, presses, and chemical systems working
I&E Technician: Maintains analyzers, PLCs, SCADA, telemetry, and process controls
Plant Electrician: Maintains power systems, motors, emergency power, and electrical safety
Odor Control Technician: Maintains odor systems affecting safety, neighbors, and compliance
Wastewater Collection Frontline
These are the frontline:
Collection System Operator: Maintains sewer lines, manholes, lift stations, and flow
Lift Station Technician: Maintains pumps, controls, wet wells, generators, and telemetry
Sewer Maintenance Crew: Clears blockages, repairs lines, inspects manholes, and uses CCTV
Inspection Crew: Inspects sewer condition and identifies failures
Vactor / Jet Truck Operator: Clears blockages, cleans lines, and prevents SSOs
Manhole Rehab / Line Repair Crew: Maintains collection system integrity
Utility Locator: Protects sewer and water infrastructure
Emergency Response Crew: Responds to overflows, backups, spills, and service interruptions