Highest water operator starting salaries in California, 2025
What a new water operator is paid at each of 294 California cities, counties and water and sanitation districts: the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest water operator title, as reported. The middle employer starts at $65,349.
What is the starting salary for a water operator in California?
Middle starting salary, California water operators1
$65,349
half of the 294 employers start higher, half lower
Highest starting salary
$126,612
San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority
Joint powers authority in Merced County
- Employers compared
- 294
- with an official range for their water operator titles
- Starting at $100,000 or more
- 17
- employers
- Average total pay
- $123,726
- what full-year water operators earned, overtime included
- Above the start
- $51,130
- full-year pay above the starting salary, middle employer
Which California employers pay new water operators the most?
The 25 highest starting salaries: the bottom of the official range for each employer's lowest water operator title, as reported for 2025.
Highest starting salary
- San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water AuthorityJoint powers authority in Merced County
Control Operator$126,612 - Alameda County Water DistrictWater district in Alameda County
Water Treatment Plant Operator$119,440 - San FranciscoCity government
Sewer Service Worker$119,366 - Sonoma CountyCounty government
Water Agency Plant Operator$115,084 - Mid Peninsula Water DistrictWater district in San Mateo County
Water System Operator$112,369 - Temescal Valley Water DistrictWater district in Riverside County
Water Operator-1$110,000 - Marin Municipal Water DistrictWater district in Marin County
Distribution System Operator$107,760 - VallejoCity in Solano County
Water Treatment Plant Operator$106,065 - MartinezCity in Contra Costa County
1041 Water Treatment Plant Operator$102,937 - Contra Costa Water DistrictWater district in Contra Costa County
System Control Operator$102,336 - San Juan Water DistrictCommunity services district in Placer County
Pump Station Operator$102,003 - Dublin San Ramon Services DistrictCommunity services district in Alameda County
Water/Wastewater Systems Operator I$101,700 - San LeandroCity in Alameda County
Plant Operator I$101,532 - Vallejo Flood and Wastewater DistrictSanitation district in Solano County
785 Collection Systems Tech I$101,163 - PinoleCity in Contra Costa County
WWTP Operator$100,932 - Silicon Valley Clean WaterJoint powers authority in San Mateo County
Operator$100,256 - Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
Water System Operator$100,164 - Ironhouse Sanitary District (Contra Costa)Sanitary district in Contra Costa County
Operator I$98,583 - South Coast Water DistrictWater district in Orange County
Treatment Plant Operator$96,911 - Union Sanitary District (Alameda)Sanitary district in Alameda County
Collection System Worker I$96,559 - Orange County Sanitation DistrictSanitation district in Orange County
Plant Operator$96,491 - SunnyvaleCity in Santa Clara County
Water Pollution Control Operator 1$95,887 - South San FranciscoCity in San Mateo County
Plant Operator I$95,618 - St. HelenaCity in Napa County
Plant Operator I - Wastewater$94,963 - San MateoCity government
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator I$94,382
Middle California employer, $65,349
Which California counties pay new water operators the most?
The middle starting salary across each county's employers, where at least 3 report one.
- Alameda County9 employers$93,924
- Contra Costa County10 employers$89,337
- Santa Clara County5 employers$88,421
- San Mateo County12 employers$86,873
- Napa County6 employers$84,263
- Solano County6 employers$83,304
- Marin County9 employers$81,306
- Placer County4 employers$72,171
- Sonoma County6 employers$72,010
- Monterey County4 employers$71,823
- Butte County4 employers$71,095
- San Joaquin County5 employers$70,642
Compare water operator starting salaries at every California employer
Starting salary, the title it belongs to, and what full-year water operators at the same employer earned. Click a column to sort it.
Showing 1 to 25 of 294 employers, highest starting salary first.
| San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water AuthorityMerced County | Merced | $126,612 | Control Operator | $171,199 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County Water DistrictAlameda County | Alameda | $119,440 | Water Treatment Plant Operator | $208,245 | 11 |
| San FranciscoSan Francisco County | San Francisco | $119,366 | Sewer Service Worker | $164,802 | 228 |
| Sonoma CountySonoma County | Sonoma | $115,084 | Water Agency Plant Operator | $170,560 | 18 |
| Mid Peninsula Water DistrictSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $112,369 | Water System Operator | $134,667 | 7 |
| Temescal Valley Water DistrictRiverside County | Riverside | $110,000 | Water Operator-1 | Fewer than 5 | 5 |
| Marin Municipal Water DistrictMarin County | Marin | $107,760 | Distribution System Operator | $143,225 | 21 |
| VallejoSolano County | Solano | $106,065 | Water Treatment Plant Operator | $154,514 | 16 |
| MartinezContra Costa County | Contra Costa | $102,937 | 1041 Water Treatment Plant Operator | $135,719 | 6 |
| Contra Costa Water DistrictContra Costa County | Contra Costa | $102,336 | System Control Operator | $185,412 | 25 |
| San Juan Water DistrictPlacer County | Placer | $102,003 | Pump Station Operator | $130,429 | 14 |
| Dublin San Ramon Services DistrictAlameda County | Alameda | $101,700 | Water/Wastewater Systems Operator I | $154,580 | 32 |
| San LeandroAlameda County | Alameda | $101,532 | Plant Operator I | $158,180 | 11 |
| Vallejo Flood and Wastewater DistrictSolano County | Solano | $101,163 | 785 Collection Systems Tech I | $137,099 | 17 |
| PinoleContra Costa County | Contra Costa | $100,932 | WWTP Operator | $138,432 | 6 |
| Silicon Valley Clean WaterSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $100,256 | Operator | $167,559 | 15 |
| Mountain ViewSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $100,164 | Water System Operator | $168,369 | 12 |
| Ironhouse Sanitary District (Contra Costa)Contra Costa County | Contra Costa | $98,583 | Operator I | $140,839 | 10 |
| South Coast Water DistrictOrange County | Orange | $96,911 | Treatment Plant Operator | $163,062 | 6 |
| Union Sanitary District (Alameda)Alameda County | Alameda | $96,559 | Collection System Worker I | $158,954 | 39 |
| Orange County Sanitation DistrictOrange County | Orange | $96,491 | Plant Operator | $142,083 | 71 |
| SunnyvaleSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $95,887 | Water Pollution Control Operator 1 | $138,454 | 26 |
| South San FranciscoSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $95,618 | Plant Operator I | $152,915 | 13 |
| St. HelenaNapa County | Napa | $94,963 | Plant Operator I - Wastewater | $151,859 | 5 |
| San MateoSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $94,382 | Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator I | $127,225 | 17 |
No employer matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
Starting salary: the bottom of the official range for the employer's lowest water operator title, as reported. "Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 operators worked the full year, too few for an average.
Questions about water operator starting salaries in California
Which California employer has the highest starting salary for water operators?
San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority: $126,612 a year, the bottom of the official range for its Control Operator title in 2025. Alameda County Water District ($119,440) and San Francisco ($119,366) follow.
What is the starting salary for a water operator in California?
It depends on the employer. Across the 294 California employers that report a range, the middle starting salary is $65,349 a year; the highest is $126,612, the lowest $35,000.
How much more do water operators earn than their starting salary?
At the middle employer, full-year water operators earned $51,130 more on average than the starting salary in 2025. Steps with years of service, promotions within the job and overtime make up the difference.
Which California county pays new water operators the most?
Alameda County, where the middle starting salary across 9 employers is $93,924, followed by Contra Costa County ($89,337) and Santa Clara County ($88,421).
Sources for the California starting salaries
Starting salaries are the bottom of each employer's official pay range for its lowest water operator title, as the employer reported it. Some employers report the range for a title that already needs experience or a certificate; the table names the title so you can check. Average total pay covers only people who worked roughly the full year, and every pay figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: official pay ranges and wages as reported by each employer.