City of Coon Rapids Expands Public Works Capacity with Utilities Maintenance Operator Hiring

COON RAPIDS, MN

 Beneath the streets of Coon Rapids, an extensive network of pipes, pumps, valves, and treatment systems works continuously, largely unseen, to deliver clean drinking water and safely carry wastewater away from homes and businesses. This system, essential to public health and daily life, requires constant oversight and skilled hands.

The City of Coon Rapids is now seeking to strengthen that frontline workforce, announcing the hiring of a Utilities Maintenance Operator within its Public Works Department. The position is both technical and operational, designed to support a municipal utility system that serves more than 63,000 residents and maintains the city’s standing as a Class A water and sanitary sewer provider.

The opening reflects not only routine staffing needs, but a broader investment in infrastructure reliability, modernization, and long-term system resilience.

The Work That Keeps a City Running

At its core, the Utilities Maintenance Operator role is about continuity. The work blends preventative maintenance with rapid emergency response, ensuring that water flows when it should and that failures are addressed before they escalate.

According to the official job posting, operators are responsible for the “operation, maintenance, and repair of the City’s water and sanitary sewer systems and their operational components,” a mandate that translates into daily, hands-on fieldwork across the city’s infrastructure.

Responsibilities include:

• Performing routine and corrective maintenance on water mains, sewer lines, hydrants, pumps, wells, and manholes
• Diagnosing and responding to service disruptions, including water main breaks and sewer backups
• Connecting mobile generators during power outages to maintain uninterrupted system operation
• Conducting water sampling and system testing to ensure regulatory compliance
• Supporting seasonal operations such as snow removal, reflecting the integrated nature of public works functions

The role requires work in confined spaces, trench environments, and varying weather conditions, with safety protocols guiding every aspect of the job.

A System of Scale and Complexity

The scope of the infrastructure the position supports is substantial. Coon Rapids operates one of the more extensive municipal utility systems in the region, built to sustain both residential growth and commercial activity.

The city’s water system includes:

• 24 groundwater wells producing approximately 3 billion gallons of water annually
• Two treatment plants, East and West, designed to remove iron and manganese
• More than 290 miles of water main

Its sanitary sewer system includes:

• Approximately 263 miles of sewer main
• 16 lift stations that pump wastewater toward the regional treatment system operated by the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services

Operators also help maintain thousands of individual system components, including roughly 3,000 fire hydrants, 22,000 water meters, and 6,500 valves. Each element must function reliably within a tightly coordinated system where a single failure can affect entire neighborhoods.

Technology and the Push Toward Preventative Infrastructure

The position is also shaped by the city’s increasing use of advanced inspection technology. A newly deployed closed-circuit television inspection truck allows operators to examine the interior condition of sewer lines without excavation.

Using CCTV systems, crews can identify blockages, structural deterioration, and early signs of failure, allowing the city to prioritize repairs before problems surface above ground. The job posting emphasizes innovation, encouraging candidates to take an active role in leveraging this technology to improve system performance and long-term planning.

In addition, operators work with SCADA systems, or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition platforms, which provide real-time monitoring of water production, pressure levels, and lift station activity. These systems serve as the digital backbone of modern utility management, enabling faster response times and more precise control.

Qualifications and Expectations

The city is seeking candidates with a background in construction, utilities, or heavy equipment operation, along with the ability to manage the physical demands of the role.

Key requirements include:

• A Class B Commercial Driver’s License with tanker and air brake endorsements, or the ability to obtain one
• Certification as a Minnesota Class D Water Operator and an MPCA Class S-D Wastewater Operator within one year of hire
• Experience with or willingness to learn CCTV inspection systems, with NASSCO or PACP certification preferred

The role also requires availability for on-call rotations, including nights, weekends, and holidays, reflecting the 24-hour nature of utility systems. Emergencies do not follow business hours, and response readiness is a core expectation.

Compensation, Structure, and Workforce Context

The position offers competitive public sector compensation. The city’s current posting lists an anticipated hourly range of approximately $31 to $34, translating to an annual salary range that can approach $65,000 to $79,000 depending on experience and qualifications.

The role is eligible for union representation through Minnesota Teamsters Public and Law Enforcement Employees’ Union, Local No. 320, aligning it with a broader workforce structure that supports training, safety standards, and job stability.

Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., though operators must remain available beyond those hours for urgent system needs.

Applications are open through April 7, 2026.

The Invisible Backbone of Civic Life

Public works roles rarely attract public attention unless something goes wrong. Yet the systems they maintain are among the most critical functions of local government.

Every glass of water, every flushed toilet, every functioning hydrant depends on a network that must operate without interruption. The Utilities Maintenance Operator stands at the center of that responsibility, balancing manual labor, technical skill, and rapid decision-making in environments where failure carries immediate consequences.

In Coon Rapids, this hiring signals more than a job opening. It reflects a city investing in the people and tools required to sustain essential services, modernize aging infrastructure, and prepare for continued growth.

For those entering the field, it is work that is physically demanding, technically evolving, and foundational to the health and stability of the community.

MinneapoliMedia | Community. Culture. Civic Life.