Delta Diablo water operator salary, 2025

Delta Diablo is a sanitation district in Contra Costa County. 19 people worked as water operators for Delta Diablo in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $156,717, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at Delta Diablo?

Official pay range, wastewater treatment operators1

$90,230 to $153,275

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for wastewater treatment operators, the largest group

Average total pay, full-year water operators1

$156,717

average base pay $138,120

The largest group of Delta Diablo's water operators (5 of 19) hold the title Operator III, with an official range of $120,099 to $145,974. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $165,818, $19,844 above the top of the range.

Water operators
19
17 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$90,230
bottom of the Operator in Training range
Median total pay
$163,952
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
25th
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at Delta Diablo pay?

Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1

Wastewater treatment operators

  1. Operator in Training$90,230 to $109,678 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Operator I$99,258 to $120,640 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Operator II$109,179 to $132,704 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  4. Operator III$120,099 to $145,974 · 5 people
    $165,818
  5. Wastewater Treatment Plant Senior Operator$126,110 to $153,275 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

Wastewater collection operators

  1. Collection System Worker I$99,258 to $120,640 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Collection System Worker II$109,179 to $132,704 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Collection System Worker III$120,099 to $145,974 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.

Does Delta Diablo pay water operators more than other employers in Contra Costa County?

Average total pay of full-year water operators: Delta Diablo next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1

Full-year water operators at Delta Diablo earned $9,464 more than the Contra Costa County average and $32,991 more than the California average.

Where does Delta Diablo rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1

All 300 California employers

Delta Diablo ranks 25th of 300, above the middle employer.

Delta Diablo
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 13 employers in Contra Costa County

Delta Diablo ranks 4th of 13, above the middle employer.

Delta Diablo
$100k$120k$140k$160k$180k

Middle employer: $140,113

Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.

Pension and health cover at Delta Diablo

As reported by the agency. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year water operator, on top of wages.1

Pension formula
2% at 62
the most common formula among Delta Diablo's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$15,911
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$39,202
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at Delta Diablo

What is the average water operator salary at Delta Diablo?

Water operators at Delta Diablo who worked the full year earned an average of $156,717 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $163,952: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $90,230 to $153,275.

How much overtime do water operators at Delta Diablo earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $8,518 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $6,063: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at Delta Diablo get?

The most common pension formula among Delta Diablo's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $15,911 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in Contra Costa County

Sources for the Delta Diablo figures

Every person who held a water operator position at Delta Diablo at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with a lot of overtime. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Delta Diablo.

How we read the data