Water and sewerage plant operatives roles in the UK earn a median of £40,000 per year, equivalent to £18.42 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 5.7% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £30,500 in Wales to £47,500 in West Midlands. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £39,690/yr (1% above our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£40,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£18.42
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+5.7%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£32,000 – £46,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Water and sewerage plant operatives across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| West Midlands | £47,500 |
| London | £46,500 |
| East Midlands | £42,500 |
| South West | £41,000 |
| Scotland | £40,000 |
| South East | £39,500 |
| North West | £38,000 |
| North East | £37,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £37,000 |
| East | £36,500 |
| Wales | £30,500 |
| UK | £40,000 |
Annual pay grew by +5.7% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Water and sewerage plant operatives.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Water and sewerage plant operatives in the UK is £40,000 per year (about £18.42 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Water and sewerage plant operatives earn between £32,000 and £46,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Water and sewerage plant operatives pay rose by 5.7% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Water and sewerage plant operatives is in West Midlands, at £47,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Water and sewerage plant operatives roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Water and sewerage plant operatives operate valves to control water supplies in mains and pipelines, attend screening, filtering, water purifying and sedimentation plant, clear any blockages and patrol and maintain sewerage systems.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in Operating Process Plant are available at level 2.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.