Sweetwater Authority water operator salary, 2025

Sweetwater Authority is a joint powers authority in San Diego County: a public agency that two or more public agencies set up by agreement to run a shared service.1 12 people worked as water operators for Sweetwater Authority in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $133,271, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at Sweetwater Authority?

Official pay range, water treatment operators2

$80,633 to $141,036

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

Average total pay, full-year water operators2

$133,271

average base pay $117,461

The largest group of Sweetwater Authority's water operators (5 of 12) hold the title WTP Operator III, with an official range of $98,207 to $119,342. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $136,244, $16,902 above the top of the range.

Water operators
12
9 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$76,769
bottom of the System Operator I range
Median total pay
$132,360
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
92nd
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at Sweetwater Authority 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

Water treatment operators

  1. WTP Operator I$80,633 to $97,987 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. WTP Operator III$98,207 to $119,342 · 5 people
    $136,244
  3. WTP Operator Supervisor$116,045 to $141,036 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

Water system operators

  1. System Operator I$76,769 to $93,764 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. System Operator III$95,830 to $116,436 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Chief Water Supply Operator$125,305 to $152,287 · 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 Sweetwater Authority pay water operators more than other employers in San Diego County?

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

Full-year water operators at Sweetwater Authority earned $11,465 more than the San Diego County average and $9,545 more than the California average.

Where does Sweetwater Authority rank among California employers?

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

All 300 California employers

Sweetwater Authority ranks 92nd of 300, above the middle employer.

Sweetwater Authority
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 20 employers in San Diego County

Sweetwater Authority ranks 5th of 20, above the middle employer.

Sweetwater Authority
$80k$100k$120k$140k

Middle employer: $121,446

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 Sweetwater Authority

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

Pension formula
2.5% at 55
the most common formula among Sweetwater Authority's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$13,235
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$26,625
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at Sweetwater Authority

What is the average water operator salary at Sweetwater Authority?

Water operators at Sweetwater Authority who worked the full year earned an average of $133,271 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $132,360: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $80,633 to $141,036.

How much overtime do water operators at Sweetwater Authority earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $5,511 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $4,759: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at Sweetwater Authority get?

The most common pension formula among Sweetwater Authority's water operators is 2.5% at 55, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $13,235 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in San Diego County

Sources for the Sweetwater Authority figures

Every person who held a water operator position at Sweetwater Authority 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 Sweetwater Authority.

How we read the data