Orange County Sanitation District water operator salary, 2025
Orange County Sanitation District is a sanitation district in Orange County. 71 people worked as water operators for Orange County Sanitation District in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $142,083, overtime included.
What is the average water operator salary at Orange County Sanitation District?
Official pay range1
$96,491 to $200,970
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest water operator title
The largest group of Orange County Sanitation District's water operators (35 of 71) hold the title Plant Operator, with an official range of $96,491 to $117,291. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $130,380, $13,089 above the top of the range.
- Water operators
- 71
- 59 of them worked the full year
- Starting salary
- $96,491
- bottom of the Plant Operator range
- Median total pay
- $138,006
- the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
- Average pay rank
- 52nd
- of 300 California employers
What does each water operator title at Orange County Sanitation District 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
- Plant Operator$130,380
- Senior Plant Operator$146,773
- Lead Plant Operatorfewer than 5
- Chief Plant Operatorfewer than 5
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Orange County Sanitation District pay water operators more than other employers in Orange County?
Average total pay of full-year water operators: Orange County Sanitation District next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Orange County Sanitation District$142,083
- All employers in Orange County$128,661
- All employers in California$123,726
Full-year water operators at Orange County Sanitation District earned $13,422 more than the Orange County average and $18,357 more than the California average.
Where does Orange County Sanitation District rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1
All 300 California employers
Orange County Sanitation District ranks 52nd of 300, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $116,210
The 19 employers in Orange County
Orange County Sanitation District ranks 4th of 19, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $131,027
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 Orange County Sanitation District
As reported by the agency. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year water operator, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2.5% at 67
- the most common formula among Orange County Sanitation District's water operators
- Employer pension contribution
- $14,031
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $17,403
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about water operator pay at Orange County Sanitation District
What is the average water operator salary at Orange County Sanitation District?
Water operators at Orange County Sanitation District who worked the full year earned an average of $142,083 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $138,006: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $96,491 to $200,970.
How much overtime do water operators at Orange County Sanitation District earn?
Full-year water operators were paid an average of $14,177 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $10,862: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do water operators at Orange County Sanitation District get?
The most common pension formula among Orange County Sanitation District's water operators is 2.5% at 67, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $14,031 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Orange County
- Moulton-Niguel Water District$151,416 average total pay
- Trabuco Canyon Water District$146,052 average total pay
- South Orange County Wastewater Authority$140,342 average total pay
- Mesa Water District (Orange)$137,655 average total pay
- Irvine Ranch Water District$137,144 average total pay
- Orange County Water District$131,619 average total pay
- Highest water operator salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in Orange CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Orange County Sanitation District figures
Every person who held a water operator position at Orange County Sanitation District 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.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Orange County Sanitation District.