South Tahoe Public Utility District water operator salary, 2025

South Tahoe Public Utility District is a public utility district in El Dorado County. 22 people worked as water operators for South Tahoe Public Utility District in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $117,933, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at South Tahoe Public Utility District?

Official pay range, other operator titles1

$73,621 to $165,859

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for other operator titles, the largest group

Average total pay, full-year water operators1

$117,933

average base pay $97,767

The largest group of South Tahoe Public Utility District's water operators (11 of 22) hold the title Plant Operator III, with an official range of $93,053 to $118,761. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $129,790, $11,029 above the top of the range.

Water operators
22
19 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$60,183
bottom of the Underground Repair Sewer I range
Median total pay
$126,882
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
147th
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at South Tahoe Public Utility 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

Other operator titles

  1. Plant Operator I$73,621 to $93,961 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Plant Operator III$93,053 to $118,761 · 11 people
    $129,790
  3. Plant Operator I - Y Rate$94,897 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  4. Chief Plant Operator$129,955 to $165,859 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

Wastewater collection operators

  1. Underground Repair Sewer I$60,183 to $76,810 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Underground Repair Sewer II$74,355 to $94,897 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Underground Repair Sewer Lead$83,846 to $107,012 · 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 South Tahoe Public Utility District pay water operators more than other employers in El Dorado County?

Average total pay of full-year water operators: South Tahoe Public Utility District next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1

Full-year water operators at South Tahoe Public Utility District earned $4,930 more than the El Dorado County average and $5,793 less than the California average.

Where does South Tahoe Public Utility District rank among California employers?

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

All 300 California employers

South Tahoe Public Utility District ranks 147th of 300, above the middle employer.

South Tahoe Public Utility District
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

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 South Tahoe Public Utility 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% at 62
the most common formula among South Tahoe Public Utility District's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$11,380
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$27,253
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at South Tahoe Public Utility District

What is the average water operator salary at South Tahoe Public Utility District?

Water operators at South Tahoe Public Utility District who worked the full year earned an average of $117,933 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $126,882: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $73,621 to $165,859.

How much overtime do water operators at South Tahoe Public Utility District earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $7,534 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $6,614: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at South Tahoe Public Utility District get?

The most common pension formula among South Tahoe Public Utility District's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $11,380 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in El Dorado County

Sources for the South Tahoe Public Utility District figures

Every person who held a water operator position at South Tahoe Public Utility 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.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by South Tahoe Public Utility District.

How we read the data