Water/Wastewater Engineers
Architecture and Engineering Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2051.02
Design or oversee projects involving provision of potable water, disposal of wastewater and sewage, or prevention of flood-related damage. Prepare environmental documentation for water resources, regulatory program compliance, data management and analysis, and field work. Perform hydraulic modeling and pipeline design.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.008
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.30
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
28 rated tasks · 26 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (92.9%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 30.2) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Write technical reports or publications related to water resources development or water use efficiency.17-2051.02 | 0.00000.0 |
Review and critique proposals, plans, or designs related to water or wastewater treatment systems.17-2051.02 | 0.00000.0 |
Conduct cost-benefit analyses for the construction of water supply systems, runoff collection networks, water and wastewater treatment plants, or wastewater collection systems.17-2051.02 | 0.00000.0 |
Analyze and recommend chemical, biological, or other wastewater treatment methods to prepare water for industrial or domestic use.17-2051.02 | 0.00000.0 |
| Not observed on any surface — 24 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states. | |
Provide technical support on water resource or treatment issues to government agencies. | —0 |
Provide technical direction or supervision to junior engineers, engineering or computer-aided design (CAD) technicians, or other technical personnel. | —0 |
Identify design alternatives for the development of new water resources. | —0 |
Develop plans for new water resources or water efficiency programs. | —0 |
Design or select equipment for use in wastewater processing to ensure compliance with government standards. | —0 |
Conduct water quality studies to identify and characterize water pollutant sources. | —0 |
Perform hydrological analyses, using three-dimensional simulation software, to model the movement of water or forecast the dispersion of chemical pollutants in the water supply. | —0 |
Perform hydraulic analyses of water supply systems or water distribution networks to model flow characteristics, test for pressure losses, or to identify opportunities to mitigate risks and improve operational efficiency. | —0 |
Oversee the construction of decentralized or on-site wastewater treatment systems, including reclaimed water facilities. | —0 |
Gather and analyze water use data to forecast water demand. | —0 |
Conduct feasibility studies for the construction of facilities, such as water supply systems, runoff collection networks, water and wastewater treatment plants, or wastewater collection systems. | —0 |
Conduct environmental impact studies related to water and wastewater collection, treatment, or distribution. | —0 |
Analyze the efficiency of water delivery structures, such as dams, tainter gates, canals, pipes, penstocks, or cofferdams. | —0 |
Analyze storm water or floodplain drainage systems to control erosion, stabilize river banks, repair channel streams, or design bridges. | —0 |
Analyze and recommend sludge treatment or disposal methods. | —0 |
Design water storage tanks or other water storage facilities. | —0 |
Design water runoff collection networks, water supply channels, or water supply system networks. | —0 |
Design water or wastewater lift stations, including water wells. | —0 |
Design water distribution systems for potable or non-potable water. | —0 |
Design sludge treatment plants. | —0 |
Design pumping systems, pumping stations, pipelines, force mains, or sewers for the collection of wastewater. | —0 |
Design domestic or industrial water or wastewater treatment plants, including advanced facilities with sequencing batch reactors (SBR), membranes, lift stations, headworks, surge overflow basins, ultraviolet disinfection systems, aerobic digesters, sludge lagoons, or control buildings. | —0 |
Evaluate the operation and maintenance of water or wastewater systems to identify ways to improve their efficiency. | —0 |
Perform mathematical modeling of underground or surface water resources, such as floodplains, ocean coastlines, streams, rivers, or wetlands. | —0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Write technical reports or publications related to water resources development or water use efficiency.O*NET Task ID 16324 | 1.0 |
Provide technical direction or supervision to junior engineers, engineering or computer-aided design (CAD) technicians, or other technical personnel.O*NET Task ID 16327 | 1.0 |
Review and critique proposals, plans, or designs related to water or wastewater treatment systems.O*NET Task ID 16325 | 0.5 |
Provide technical support on water resource or treatment issues to government agencies.O*NET Task ID 16326 | 0.5 |
Identify design alternatives for the development of new water resources.O*NET Task ID 16328 | 0.5 |
Develop plans for new water resources or water efficiency programs.O*NET Task ID 16329 | 0.5 |
Design or select equipment for use in wastewater processing to ensure compliance with government standards.O*NET Task ID 16330 | 0.5 |
Conduct water quality studies to identify and characterize water pollutant sources.O*NET Task ID 16331 | 0.5 |
Perform mathematical modeling of underground or surface water resources, such as floodplains, ocean coastlines, streams, rivers, or wetlands.O*NET Task ID 16332 | 0.5 |
Perform hydrological analyses, using three-dimensional simulation software, to model the movement of water or forecast the dispersion of chemical pollutants in the water supply.O*NET Task ID 16333 | 0.5 |
Perform hydraulic analyses of water supply systems or water distribution networks to model flow characteristics, test for pressure losses, or to identify opportunities to mitigate risks and improve operational efficiency.O*NET Task ID 16334 | 0.5 |
Gather and analyze water use data to forecast water demand.O*NET Task ID 16336 | 0.5 |
Conduct feasibility studies for the construction of facilities, such as water supply systems, runoff collection networks, water and wastewater treatment plants, or wastewater collection systems.O*NET Task ID 16337 | 0.5 |
Conduct environmental impact studies related to water and wastewater collection, treatment, or distribution.O*NET Task ID 16338 | 0.5 |
Conduct cost-benefit analyses for the construction of water supply systems, runoff collection networks, water and wastewater treatment plants, or wastewater collection systems.O*NET Task ID 16339 | 0.5 |
Analyze the efficiency of water delivery structures, such as dams, tainter gates, canals, pipes, penstocks, or cofferdams.O*NET Task ID 16340 | 0.5 |
Analyze storm water or floodplain drainage systems to control erosion, stabilize river banks, repair channel streams, or design bridges.O*NET Task ID 16341 | 0.5 |
Analyze and recommend sludge treatment or disposal methods.O*NET Task ID 16342 | 0.5 |
Analyze and recommend chemical, biological, or other wastewater treatment methods to prepare water for industrial or domestic use.O*NET Task ID 16343 | 0.5 |
Design water storage tanks or other water storage facilities.O*NET Task ID 16344 | 0.5 |
Design water runoff collection networks, water supply channels, or water supply system networks.O*NET Task ID 16345 | 0.5 |
Design water or wastewater lift stations, including water wells.O*NET Task ID 16346 | 0.5 |
Design water distribution systems for potable or non-potable water.O*NET Task ID 16347 | 0.5 |
Design sludge treatment plants.O*NET Task ID 16348 | 0.5 |
Design pumping systems, pumping stations, pipelines, force mains, or sewers for the collection of wastewater.O*NET Task ID 16349 | 0.5 |
Evaluate the operation and maintenance of water or wastewater systems to identify ways to improve their efficiency.O*NET Task ID 21166 | 0.5 |
Oversee the construction of decentralized or on-site wastewater treatment systems, including reclaimed water facilities.O*NET Task ID 16335 | 0.0 |
Design domestic or industrial water or wastewater treatment plants, including advanced facilities with sequencing batch reactors (SBR), membranes, lift stations, headworks, surge overflow basins, ultraviolet disinfection systems, aerobic digesters, sludge lagoons, or control buildings.O*NET Task ID 16350 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (28)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Write technical reports or publications related to water resources development or water use efficiency. | Core |
| Review and critique proposals, plans, or designs related to water or wastewater treatment systems. | Core |
| Provide technical support on water resource or treatment issues to government agencies. | Core |
| Provide technical direction or supervision to junior engineers, engineering or computer-aided design (CAD) technicians, or other technical personnel. | Core |
| Identify design alternatives for the development of new water resources. | Core |
| Develop plans for new water resources or water efficiency programs. | Core |
| Design or select equipment for use in wastewater processing to ensure compliance with government standards. | Core |
| Conduct water quality studies to identify and characterize water pollutant sources. | Core |
| Perform hydrological analyses, using three-dimensional simulation software, to model the movement of water or forecast the dispersion of chemical pollutants in the water supply. | Core |
| Perform hydraulic analyses of water supply systems or water distribution networks to model flow characteristics, test for pressure losses, or to identify opportunities to mitigate risks and improve operational efficiency. | Core |
| Oversee the construction of decentralized or on-site wastewater treatment systems, including reclaimed water facilities. | Core |
| Gather and analyze water use data to forecast water demand. | Core |
| Conduct feasibility studies for the construction of facilities, such as water supply systems, runoff collection networks, water and wastewater treatment plants, or wastewater collection systems. | Core |
| Conduct environmental impact studies related to water and wastewater collection, treatment, or distribution. | Core |
| Conduct cost-benefit analyses for the construction of water supply systems, runoff collection networks, water and wastewater treatment plants, or wastewater collection systems. | Core |
| Analyze the efficiency of water delivery structures, such as dams, tainter gates, canals, pipes, penstocks, or cofferdams. | Core |
| Analyze storm water or floodplain drainage systems to control erosion, stabilize river banks, repair channel streams, or design bridges. | Core |
| Analyze and recommend sludge treatment or disposal methods. | Core |
| Analyze and recommend chemical, biological, or other wastewater treatment methods to prepare water for industrial or domestic use. | Core |
| Design water storage tanks or other water storage facilities. | Core |
| Design water runoff collection networks, water supply channels, or water supply system networks. | Core |
| Design water or wastewater lift stations, including water wells. | Core |
| Design water distribution systems for potable or non-potable water. | Core |
| Design sludge treatment plants. | Core |
| Design pumping systems, pumping stations, pipelines, force mains, or sewers for the collection of wastewater. | Core |
| Design domestic or industrial water or wastewater treatment plants, including advanced facilities with sequencing batch reactors (SBR), membranes, lift stations, headworks, surge overflow basins, ultraviolet disinfection systems, aerobic digesters, sludge lagoons, or control buildings. | Core |
| Evaluate the operation and maintenance of water or wastewater systems to identify ways to improve their efficiency. | Core |
| Perform mathematical modeling of underground or surface water resources, such as floodplains, ocean coastlines, streams, rivers, or wetlands. | Supplemental |
0.00/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
None of this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks is classified as a physical task.
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 17-2051 group (Civil engineers), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 381K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 405K
- Change (2025–35)
- +6.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $100,840
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23712 | 수질 환경 기술자 및 연구원 | Overlapping, not the same | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2142Civil Engineers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Civil engineers conduct research, advise on, design, and direct construction; manage the operation and maintenance of civil engineering structures; or study and advise on technological aspects of particular materials.
Tasks
- (a) conducting research and developing new or improved theories and methods related to civil engineering;
- (b) advising on and designing structures such as bridges, dams, docks, roads, airports, railways, canals, pipelines, waste-disposal and flood-control systems, and industrial and other large buildings;
- (c) determining and specifying construction methods, materials and quality standards, and directing construction work;
- (d) establishing control systems to ensure efficient functioning of structures as well as safety and environmental protection;
- (e) organising and directing maintenance and repair of existing civil engineering structures;
- (f) analysing the behaviour of soil and rock when placed under pressure by proposed structures and designing structural foundations;
- (g) analysing the stability of structures and testing the behaviour and durability of materials used in their construction.
Example occupations
Civil engineer · Geotechnical engineer · Structural engineer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- drainage engineerESCO 2142.1.3This occupation is broader
Drainage engineers design and construct drainage systems for sewers and storm water systems. They evaluate the options to design drainage systems that meet the requirements while ensuring compliance with legislation and environmental standards and policies. Drainage engineers choose the most optimal drainage system to prevent floods, control irrigation and direct sewage away from water sources.
- wastewater engineerESCO 2142.1.10This occupation is broader
Wastewater engineers design sewage systems and networks for the removal and treatment of wastewater from cities and other residential areas. They design systems which are compliant with environmental standards, and aim to minimise impact on the ecosystem and on citizens in the vicinity of the network.
- water engineerESCO 2142.1.11This occupation is broader
Water engineers research and develop methods for the provision of clean water, water treatment and flood damage prevention and reaction. They research water needs in a location and develop methods for meeting those needs, such as designing and developing projects for managing water resources such as treatment plants, pipelines, pump systems, irrigation or draining systems and other water supply systems. Water engineers also ensure proper installation of these systems on construction sites. Water engineers also maintain, repair and build structures that control water resources, such as bridges, canals and dams.
- water engineering technicianESCO 3112.1.13Overlapping, not the same
Water systems engineering technicians aid engineers in the development and implementation of water supply and water treatment systems. They monitor the operations to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, check water quality and ensure implementation of water-related legislation.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| F1111 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure génie civil | This occupation is narrower |
| H1534 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure d'analyse industrielle | Overlapping, not the same |
| K1813 | Chargé / Chargée de mission eaux pluviales | Related, not a match |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2432 | Ingenieros en construcción y obra civil | Related, not a match |
| 2437 | Ingenieros ambientales | Related, not a match |
| 2462 | Ingenieros técnicos de obras públicas | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 31144 | Berufe in der Wasserwirtschaft - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 34314 | Berufe in der Wasserversorgungs- und Abwassertechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 31143 | Berufe in der Wasserwirtschaft - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 092 | 土木技術者 | This occupation is narrower |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources