Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose
South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.
We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.
Location: Tottiford
Salary: £29,292 - £36,011 per annum
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
About the Role
As a Water Treatment Technician, you'll play a critical role in delivering safe, clean drinking water to customers every day. Working across water treatment sites, you'll operate, monitor, and maintain plant, equipment, and treatment processes to ensure water quality and supply consistently meet the highest standards.
This is a varied, hands‑on role suited to someone who enjoys practical work, problem‑solving, and working as part of a collaborative team. You'll also support operational resilience through participation in an out‑of‑hours standby rota.
What You'll Be Doing
- Operating and monitoring water treatment processes and assets.
- Liaising with the Control Room in accordance with operational procedures.
- Safely storing, handling, and using treatment chemicals.
- Carrying out routine operational maintenance on plant and instrumentation.
- Collecting water quality samples and undertaking on‑site testing and analysis.
- Completing operational records, log sheets, and compliance documentation.
- Performing site inspections, security checks, reservoir inspections, and cleaning activities.
- Responding to alarms, incidents, and abnormal events in line with company procedures.
- Supporting automated maintenance schedules and planned works.
- Working safely at height and within confined spaces (training provided).
- Maintaining a strong focus on safety, compliance, and quality at all times.
What We're Looking For
Essential
- GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English.
- Full UK Driving Licence.
- Experience within water treatment, process operations, manufacturing, utilities, or a similar operational environment.
- Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
- Understanding of health and safety requirements including COSHH and lone working procedures.
- Strong communication skills and ability to build effective working relationships.
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage changing priorities.
- Ability to make sound decisions in operational and time‑critical situations.
- Flexible approach to working hours, including standby and emergency response requirements.
Benefits
- Generous annual leave – Plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell leave for added flexibility.
- Competitive pension scheme – Helping you plan for the future.
- Discretionary bonus – Rewarding your contribution and performance.
- Pennon Perks – Access thousands of retail discounts and everyday savings.
- Cycle to Work scheme – Supporting healthier and more sustainable travel.
- Employee share schemes – Invest in the future success of the business.
- Employee Assistance Programme – Free and confidential 24/7 support for you and your family.
- Training and development opportunities – Helping you build your career and reach your potential.
Closing Date: 12th October 2026
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.
Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.
Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:
Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.
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Water Treatment Technician Day Operator South West Water · Operations and Field Work · Newton Abbot employer: South West Water Limited
At South West Water, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a CREWW Funding Bid Specialist, you'll have the unique opportunity to influence sustainable water management while working alongside leading experts from both industry and academia. With competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and a strong commitment to employee development, we empower our team members to thrive and make a meaningful impact in the beautiful South West region.
