Silicon Valley Clean Water water operator salary, 2025

Silicon Valley Clean Water is a joint powers authority in San Mateo County: a public agency that two or more public agencies set up by agreement to run a shared service.1 15 people worked as water operators for Silicon Valley Clean Water in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $167,559, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at Silicon Valley Clean Water?

Official pay range2

$100,256 to $171,413

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest water operator title

Average total pay, full-year water operators2

$167,559

average base pay $136,823

The largest group of Silicon Valley Clean Water's water operators (6 of 15) hold the title Operator (C), with an official range of $102,274 to $137,114. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $137,757, $643 above the top of the range.

Water operators
15
12 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$100,256
bottom of the Operator range
Median total pay
$161,587
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
11th
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at Silicon Valley Clean Water 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.2

  1. Operator$100,256 to $134,410 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Operator (C)$102,274 to $137,114 · 6 people
    $137,757
  3. Senior Operator$125,445 to $168,085 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  4. Senior Operator (C)$127,982 to $171,413 · 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 Silicon Valley Clean Water pay water operators more than other employers in San Mateo County?

Average total pay of full-year water operators: Silicon Valley Clean Water next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.2

Full-year water operators at Silicon Valley Clean Water earned $31,646 more than the San Mateo County average and $43,833 more than the California average.

Where does Silicon Valley Clean Water rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.2

All 300 California employers

Silicon Valley Clean Water ranks 11th of 300, above the middle employer.

Silicon Valley Clean Water
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 11 employers in San Mateo County

Silicon Valley Clean Water ranks 1st of 11, above the middle employer.

Silicon Valley Clean Water
$100k$120k$140k$160k

Middle employer: $133,921

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 Silicon Valley Clean Water

As reported by the agency. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year water operator, on top of wages.2

Pension formula
2% at 62
the most common formula among Silicon Valley Clean Water's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$15,185
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$28,163
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at Silicon Valley Clean Water

What is the average water operator salary at Silicon Valley Clean Water?

Water operators at Silicon Valley Clean Water who worked the full year earned an average of $167,559 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $161,587: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $100,256 to $171,413.

How much overtime do water operators at Silicon Valley Clean Water earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $23,145 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $21,356: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at Silicon Valley Clean Water get?

The most common pension formula among Silicon Valley Clean Water's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $15,185 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in San Mateo County

Sources for the Silicon Valley Clean Water figures

Every person who held a water operator position at Silicon Valley Clean Water 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. California Government Code, section 6502: public agencies may jointly exercise their common powers by agreement.
  2. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Silicon Valley Clean Water.

How we read the data