LEAD WATER METER SPECIALIST

LEAD WATER METER SPECIALIST

Salary

$56,559.00 - $90,470.00 Annually

Location

Municipal Operations Center (1300 N Broad St), Gastonia, NC

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

01781

Department

Public Utilities

Division

Water & Sewer/Utilities Maintenance

Opening Date

07/17/2026

Closing Date

9/30/2026 5:00 PM Eastern

FLSA

Non-Exempt

• Description
• Benefits

General Definition of Work

Performs skilled technical and administrative work overseeing and performing the installation, maintenance, and repair of water meters and related equipment. Does related work as required. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Assistant Division Manager Facilities Maintenance. Continuous supervision is exercised over the Meter Repair Technicians.

Essential Functions/Duties

• Completes field work and marks tap locations; Installs new meters and ERT's; Performs service work orders for meters and ERT's; Completes field work and checks tap locations for meter placement; Organizes and maintains the meter repair procedures; Organizes, assigns, supervises and inspects the work of installing, cleaning, repairing, and testing of domestic, commercial, and industrial water meters both in the shop and in the field; Water meter change out program - Maintain records and performs and supervises the regular scheduled change out of water meters that are 15 years old; Performs flow testing on systems and hydrants as required; acts as backup ORC for City's Cross Connection Control Program.
• Receives and processes work order requests from the public relating to water and sewer services; Provides advice and assistance to the public requesting water and sewer service; Processes service orders received through the utility billing system for new water and sewer services; Prepares service request and installation sketches for installation of taps; Investigates complaints and develops preliminary response; Maintains records on all industrial, commercial and domestic water meters in the system; Coordinates the entry of data pertaining to water meters into the Water Meter Inventory Module of the utility billing system; Collects a variety of field data, makes notes, and prepares reports;
• Performs various projects using personal computers and related software; Processes service orders from the utility billing system for water meter placements; Coordinates the installation and maintenance of Automated Meter Reading (AMR) System; Monitors readings from ERT water meters to verify operation; Maintains inventory of AMR system sites meters, ERT's, parts and equipment.
• Inspects water and sewer taps installed by contractors for conformance with City Standards. Supervises, maintains and schedules a regular testing program for all industrial and commercial meters; Maintains meter testing files for each meter installation;
• Initiates and coordinates the training of new employees; Prepares purchase requisitions and processes purchase orders for payment; Maintains production records and personnel time records.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the operation, installation and maintenance of water and sewer metering systems; thorough knowledge of standard office procedures, practices and equipment; thorough knowledge of the City ordinances relating to the operations of Public Utilities Department and the services provided to water and sewer customers
• Knowledge of geography and street navigation
• Ability to prepare technical reports; ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees, private agency officials, and the general public.
• Thorough knowledge of the design, principles and specific mechanisms of various types of water meters; thorough knowledge of the practices, methods, tools and equipment used in the maintenance, repair and testing of water meters
• Skill in the use and care of tools and equipment appropriate to the work
• Ability to diagnose defects in water metering equipment and to determine proper corrective measures; thorough knowledge of the principles of backflow prevention and the practices, methods, tools and equipment used in the maintenance, testing and repair of backflow assemblies
• Ability to plan, lay out, assign and supervise the work; ability to detect abnormal conditions from records; ability to handle consumer complaints with tact
• Ability to maintain records and prepare reports; ability to maintain effective relationships with the public.

Education/Experience/Physical Demands/Special Requirements/Additional Information

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Graduation from high school or equivalent and moderate experience in the installation, operations, maintenance, reading, testing, repair, calibration, and analysis of water meters including supervisory experience; and five (5) years of customer service experience; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

NIMS 100, 200, & 700 training certificates within twelve months of hire; Possession of NC Cross Connection Control Operator certification within eighteen months of hire. Possession of Water Meter Technician certification (AWWA/WEA) within eighteen months of hire; Valid driver's license with acceptable driving history.

• The physical activity of this position includes:

A. Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. This factor is important if the amount and kind of climbing required exceeds that required for ordinary locomotion.

B. Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing or couching on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces. This factor is important if the amount and kind of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.

C. Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

D. Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.

E. Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

F. Crawling: Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.

G. Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.

H. Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.

I. Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

J. Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.

K. Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.

L. Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.

M. Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.

N. Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

O. Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips.

P. Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

Q. Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal spoken word levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make fine discriminations in sound, such as when making fine adjustments on machined parts.

R. Repetitive Motions: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

2. The physical requirements of this position:

C. Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

3. The visual acuity requirements including color, depth perception and field of vision:

A. The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform one or more of the following. preparing and analyzing data and figures; accounting; transcription; computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, operation of machines (including inspection); using measurement devices; assembly or fabrication of parts at distances close to the eyes.

4. The conditions the worker will be subject to in this position:

(Please check ALL that apply)

A. The worker is subject to inside environmental conditions; Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.

B. The worker is subject to outside environmental conditions: No effective protection from weather.

C. The worker is subject to both environmental conditions: Activities occur inside and outside.

D. The worker is subject to extreme cold: Temperatures below 32 degrees for periods of more than one hour.

E. The worker is subject to extreme heat: Temperatures above 100 degrees for periods of more than one hour.

F. The worker is subject to noise: There is sufficient noise to cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level.

G. The worker is subject to vibration: Exposure to oscillating movements of the extremities or whole body.

H. The worker frequently is in close quarters, crawl space, shafts, manholes, small-enclosed rooms, small sewage and water line pipes, and other areas that could cause claustrophobia.

Must possess a valid appropriate driver's license with acceptable driving history.

Drug screening, criminal background, and a POET (post offer employment testing) are required.

The City of Gastonia is committed to creating and maintaining a work environment that is inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We value diversity and promise to honor your experiences, perspective and unique identity.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS MAY BE MADE TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS.

The City of Gastonia is an Equal Opportunity Employer - M/F/H

Exempt Non-Exempt

Grade: 14

Revised: 2/24/21

Approved By: JMS

High Deductible Health Plan with HSA

Dental

Vision

Life

Supplemental Insurance Plans

Pension (Local Government Employees Retirement System)

401(k)

457

Short-term/Long-term Disability

Dependent Care Plan

Employee Assistance Program

On-Site Health Clinic

Employee Educational Assistance Program

Sick Leave (12 days per year)

Initial Employment Vacation: Starting at 12 days per year

Holidays (11 days per year)

Personal Day (1 day per year)

A comprehensive list of benefits can be found online at City of Gastonia Employee Benefits Handbook

Employer City of Gastonia

Address 181 South Street

Gastonia, North Carolina, 28052

Phone (704) 866-6859

(704) 866-6858

Website https://gastonianc.gov/