The health and well-being of Army communities is a major concern. Maintaining Army work places and living areas in a sanitary and safe fashion helps to prevent illness. As an important member of the environmental health and safety team, Water Treatment Specialists inspect facilities and food supplies for the presence of disease, germs or other conditions hazardous to health and the environment.

Water Treatment Specialists are primarily responsible for supervising or performing the installation and operation of water purification equipment, as well as dealing with water storage and distribution operations and activities.

Some of your duties as a Water Treatment Specialist may include:

• Assist in water reconnaissance, site preparation
• Assist in setup of water treatment activity
• Operate and maintain water treatment equipment
• Receive, issue, and store potable water
• Perform water quality analysis testing and verification

Job training for a Water Treatment Specialist requires nine weeks of Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills, and 14 weeks of Advanced Individual Training, including practice in testing different products. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and part in the field. Some of the skills you'll learn are:

• Identification of health hazards
• Inspection of food products and food service operations
• Inspection of wastewater and waste disposal facilities
• The Army offers certified apprenticeship programs for some specialties in this occupation.

Helpful attributes include:

• An interest in algebra, biology, chemistry and general science
• An interest in gathering information
• A preference for work requiring attention to detail
• An interest in protecting the environment

Advanced level Water Treatment Specialist provides guidance, supervises and trains other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Water Treatment Specialist, you may be involved in:

• Conduct water reconnaissance
• Develop water sources and water points
• Supervise and train soldiers to perform water treatment tasks
• Perform operator maintenance and inspecting operational condition and maintenance of equipment
• Determine treatment method and treating water for purification
• Analyze and verify test results of raw and treated water
• Maintain and inventory water treatment equipment and chemical supplies
• Prepare water treatment reports

The skills you learn as a Water Treatment Specialist will help prepare you for a civilian career with local, state or federal government agencies. You'll be able to consider a future as a food and drug inspector, public health inspector, health and safety inspectors or industrial hygienists.

• Petroleum Laboratory Specialist (92L)
• Petroleum Supply Specialist (92F)
• Pharmacy Specialist (68Q)
• Nutrition Care Specialist (68M)
• Veterinary Food Inspection Specialist (68R)

Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.