General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB
Under general supervision, this position is responsible for locating, reading and recording water consumptions for commercial and resident water meters. Reports to the Water Meter Supervisor.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Performs services to electronic and manual water meters, and connects, disconnects and restores water services for residents and businesses; re-inspects businesses and residents water services to ensure disconnection is current, and to verify water meters have not been altered or illegally reactivated.
Locates and resets meters and repairs commercial and residential meter leaks and communication antenna.
Utilizing handheld devices for automated meters and observation for other meters; reads, activates and deactivates meters as required and changes meters when necessary; responds to burst pipes and after hour emergencies that require the disconnection of customer water services; inspects businesses and residences for suspected or reported water leaks; delivers customer disconnection notices, and 24-hour medical notifications prior to disconnection.
Operates and maintains assigned vehicles; initiates daily safety and general appearance checks, cleans vehicles and schedules preventive maintenance.
Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Knowledge of Work: Has considerable knowledge of the proper and efficient disconnection and restoration of water service. Has general knowledge of the methods and procedures involved in reading meters and recording consumption. Has general knowledge of the physical layout of the city and the department's water distribution and collection lines. Has general knowledge of the Public Utilities Department's services, procedures, policies and regulations. Is skilled in the use equipment and tools necessary for restoring and disconnecting water service. Is able to follow oral and written instructions. Is able to explain policies and procedures governing applications and charges for utility services. Is able to exercise tact and courtesy in frequent contact with customers, and to maintain control when dealing with sensitive issues. Is able to maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts within department and division, and with co-workers and the general public.
Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under “Essential Job Functions.”
Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with minimal errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with city policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the general public so as to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, supervisors, professionals and the general public.
Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events.
Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.
Education, Experience & Special Requirements
Requires graduation from high school or the equivalent, and 1 - 2 years of related experience in plumbing, electrical or mechanical maintenance work, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.
This position requires pre-employment medical evaluation and substance abuse testing and is subject to random alcohol and controlled substance testing.
An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check.
Physical Demands
Physical Requirements - Must be physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment including motor vehicles, meters, electrician's and mechanic's hand tools, etc. Must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are those of Light Work.
Data Conception - Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or compositional characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication - Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.
Language Ability - Requires the ability to read a variety of cut-off reports, service restoration reports, etc. Requires the ability to prepare meter tickets, etc., using prescribed formats. Requires the ability to speak with poise, voice control and confidence.
Intelligence - Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.
Verbal Aptitude - Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and to follow oral and written instructions.
Numerical Aptitude - Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages.
Form/Spatial Aptitude - Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination - Requires the ability coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using maintenance equipment.
Manual Dexterity - Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as maintenance equipment and tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Color Discrimination - Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
Interpersonal Temperament - Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with emergency situations.
Physical Communication - Requires the ability to talk and hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear.)
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS
The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.
This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
