Distribution Technician at Illinois American Water in Streator, Illinois

Job Description:

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Camden, NJ, the company employs over 6,800 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 46 states.  To learn more about American Water and additional career opportunities, visit www.amwater.com.

Primary Role

Meter reading, meter installation and removal, completing field service orders.

Key Accountabilities

• May also include: Repairs/replaces water lines and mains on a frequent basis, requiring constant standing and walking on uneven and slippery surfaces, good balance, and even weight distribution. Uses pry bar to open lid to the valve.


• Enters and exits excavation sites, using ladders to climb down and into holes. Uses key (30#) to open/close valves. Holds onto handle at waist height and turns valve.


• Puts sleeve on the main and tightens by hand, using a wrench; may lay on stomach or sides on the ground. Backhoe digs a hole and may have to hand-shovel.


• Two-person lifts/carries shoring from truck to hole, weighing 50-90#; lowers shoring into hole. Carries pump to hole (40#) and attaches pump to shoring. Carries dewatering pump to hole (75-90#), and may need to use cheater bar.


• Must be alert and able to perceive sounds of voices and machinery and acutely observe surroundings.


• Uses backhoe, shoring, pumping, dewatering pump (75-90#), tamper wrenches, cheater bar, shovels, rakes, hand tools, and air tools, ladder, cut-off saw (25#).


• On an occasional basis, uses a jack hammer (60-90#) at waist to chest height to break up asphalt for up to 30 minutes at a time; uses a backhoe to pull line, and may need to manually climb into hole and push line when it gets stuck.


• Any and/or all job duties may require heavy grasping, wrist deviation, elbow flexion, trunk or neck flexion, extension, shoulder flexion, internal/external rotation, side bending, forward reaching, crouching, squatting, kneeling, pushing, pulling, protraction/retraction, equipment vibration and kick-back, etc.


• Operates backhoe on a frequent or occasional basis: drives equipment to work location; steps up into backhoe.

Additional Key Accountabilities

• Repairs/replaces hydrants/valves, as needed: uses backhoe to dig around the hydrant/valve; hand digs, as necessary; uses hydraulic snappers (100#), with a pumping motion to squeeze the main and break it; uses backhoe to move the hydrant; flushes hydrants, using a wrench to open/shut the hydrant; may need to use a cheater pipe; lubricates the threads; holding onto handle at waist height, uses key (30#) to open/close the valve; operates cut-off saw (25#) and tapping equipment.


• Any or all of these duties may require trunk/neck /elbow/shoulder flexion, grasping, extension, forward reaching, and internal/external rotation.


• Maintains hydrants/valves on a frequent basis: Flushes hydrants: uses a wrench to open/shut the hydrant; may need to use a cheater pipe; lubricates the threads; uses key (30#) to open/close valve; holds onto handle at waist height and turns valve; uses pry bar to open lid to the valve.


• Uses hand and air tools, pry bar, key, hand-held and truck-mounted valve turning equipment.


• Any or all of these duties may require grasping, wrist deviation, forearm rotation, trunk/elbow/neck flexion, forward reaching, extension, and internal/external rotation.

Additional Key Accountabilities

• Locates water lines on an occasional basis: drives vehicle with automatic transmission to location of water lines; uses map to locate the area and pulls card from file in the vehicle; finds meter tile and removes meter lid with meter hook, hooks locating cables to the service, shoveling to remove dirt or debris from on top of meter tile; loosens stuck lid; finds and marks locations of the water lines; pushes the pipe and puts flag in location or spray paints mark.


• Uses hammer, equipment down into ground to locate main; uses locating device to find small pry bar, probing rod, locating device, flag, meter, card file, shovel, meter, etc.


• Any or all of these duties may require constant gripping, neck rotation, vibration, neck flexion, sweeping motions, etc. 


• Performs traffic control on an occasional basis: places cones and signs in the appropriate place in the roadway; lifts up to 10#.


• Uses cones and traffic control signs.


• Any or all of these duties may require constant standing and walking, trunk/shoulder/elbow flexion, wrist extension and flexion, and neck rotation.

Work Environment

• Works on mud, gravel, asphalt, concrete, grass, and slippery and uneven surfaces.


• Work is outside and in all weather conditions.


• Exposure to dust, fumes, and gases.

Other

• May work excessive overtime beyond the normal shift or normal work week during system emergencies.

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.

 

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