Skip to content
ESCO occupation

water engineer

Back to ESCO occupations

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.

2142.1.11 ISCO 2142 ESCO source
Competences
73
Groups
4
Essential
24
Optional
49

Competences and skills

73 ESCO relations
Essential knowledge 10 competences

Occupation specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Sector-specific

3 competences
engineering processes

The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.

ESCO source
landscape design

The principles and practices used in landscape design and maintenance.

ESCO source
types of pipelines

The various types of pipelines and their different usages including the differences between pipelines used to transport goods over short and long distances, and their respective feeding systems.

ESCO source

Cross-sector

7 competences
engineering principles

The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

ESCO source
flood remediation equipment

The operation of the necessary tools and equipment used in flood damage and remediation activities, such as pumping flooded properties.

ESCO source
hydraulic fluid

The various types, qualities and applications of hydraulic fluids used in metalworking processes such as forging and moulding, consisting out of mineral oils and water.

ESCO source
hydraulics

The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.

ESCO source
technical drawings

Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.

digital
ESCO source
water policies

The framework of policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations concerning water.

green
ESCO source
water reuse

Principles of water re-use processes in complex circulation systems.

green
ESCO source
Essential skills and competences 14 competences

Occupation specific

2 competences
conserve water resource

Strive to conserve ground irrigation water. Meet with water conservation agencies and liaise with management on developments in conservation policy.

green
ESCO source
lead a team in water management

Direct a team in water management projects and guide each other to the common goal of completing and fulfilling a variety of assignments and tasks.

ESCO source

Sector-specific

3 competences
advise on irrigation projects

Advise on the construction of irrigation projects. Review contractor orders to ensure the compatibility of the design with installation concepts and pre-existent grounds master plan. Monitor the contractor's work.

ESCO source
create designs for pipeline engineering

Design pipeline infrastructure considering engineering principles. Create blueprints, measure sites, define materials, and present functional proposals for their construction.

ESCO source
detect flaws in pipeline infrastructure

Detect flaws in pipeline infrastructure during construction or over the passage of time. Detect flaws such as construction defects, corrosion, ground movement, hot-tap made by error, and others.

ESCO source

Cross-sector

9 competences
adjust engineering designs

Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

ESCO source
analyse community needs

Identify and respond to specific social problems in a community, delineating the extent of the problem and outline the level of resources required to address it and identifying the existing community assets and resources that are available to address the problem.

ESCO source
approve engineering design

Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

ESCO source
develop flood remediation strategies

Develop plans and design equipment for the prevention of floods and efficient aid in the event of a flood, by assessing the risks, identifying improvements in existing strategies, and designing new strategies in flood remediation.

green
ESCO source
ensure compliance with environmental legislation

Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.

green
ESCO source
ensure compliance with safety legislation

Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.

ESCO source
interpret scientific data to assess water quality

Analyse and interpret data like biological properties to know the quality of water.

green
ESCO source
perform scientific research

Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.

research
ESCO source
use technical drawing software

Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.

digital
ESCO source
Optional knowledge 7 competences

Occupation specific

0 competences

No competences in this bucket.

Sector-specific

4 competences
irrigation systems

The methods and systems management in irrigation.

ESCO source
livestock

The various types of animals that are bred, held captive and killed for human consumption.

ESCO source
water chemistry analysis

Principles of complex water chemistry.

ESCO source
watershed development

The study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal and human communities within a watershed boundary.

green
ESCO source

Cross-sector

3 competences
ecosystems

The characteristics of the system where living organisms co-habitate and interact with non-living elements.

green
ESCO source
environmental engineering

The application of scientific and engineering theories and principles aimed at improving the environment and sustainability, such as the provision of clean habitation necessities (such as air, water, and land) for humans and other organisms, for environmental remediation in the event of pollution, sustainable energy development, and improved waste management and waste reduction methods.

green
ESCO source
pollution prevention

The processes used to prevent pollution: precautions to pollution of the environment, procedures to counter pollution and associated equipment, and possible measures to protect the environment.

green
ESCO source
Optional skills and competences 42 competences

Occupation specific

3 competences
design piers

Design piers considering calculations, purpose, and budget.

ESCO source
design sprinkler systems

Design sprinkler systems. Take into account issues of water conservation, existing and proposed landscaping features, and time sequencing of existing systems.

ESCO source
design weirs

Envision and design weirs considering calculations, project purpose, and budget.

ESCO source

Sector-specific

24 competences
advise on soil and water protection

Advise on methods to protect soil and water sources against pollution such as nitrate leaching which is responsible for soil erosion.

green
ESCO source
analyse route possibilities in pipeline projects

Analyse sufficient route possibilities for developing pipeline projects. Ensure that crucial elements such as environment, the features of a location, purpose, and other elements are considered. Analyse the best route possibilities while attempting to maintain a balance between budget and quality.

ESCO source
conserve natural resources

Protect waters and natural resources and coordinate actions. Work with environmental agencies and resource management personnel.

green
ESCO source
consider the impact of material characteristics on pipeline flows

Consider the characteristics of goods in order to ensure that pipeline flows are uninterrupted. Anticipate the density of goods in the design of pipelines or in daily maintenance of pipeline infrastructures.

ESCO source
design dams

Envision and design dams considering calculations, project purpose, and budget.

ESCO source
design drainage well systems

Design systems which are found in residential properties as well as in public properties such as on streets and public building rooftops, and which function to drain excess water from these areas. They function to aid in flood remediation, remove rain, and minimise risk from heavy storms, and subsequently transport the untreated water into nature.

green
ESCO source
develop irrigation strategies

Plan the deployment of methods and procedures for watering the land by artificial means, taking into account strategies for water use sustainability. Put in place measures for safe re-use of water, improve efficiency in the use of the water for irrigation and preserve the status of water bodies during the creation or expansion of new or existing irrigation systems.  

green
ESCO source
develop sewerage networks

Develop systems and methods of construction and installation of waste water transportation and treatment equipment, which is used to transport waste water from residences and facilities through water treatment facilities, or through other sewerage systems, to ensure proper disposal or reuse. Develop such systems with environmental and sustainability concerns in mind.

ESCO source
develop water supply schedule

Develop timetables and working strategies for the collection, storage, and distribution of water used for water supply to facilities and residences.

ESCO source
ensure regulatory compliance in pipeline infrastructures

Ensure that the regulations for pipeline operations are met. Ensure pipeline infrastructure compliance with legal mandates, and compliance with regulations governing the transportation of goods via the pipelines.

ESCO source
inspect pipelines

Walk flow lines to identify damage or leaks; use electronic detection equipment and conduct visual inspections.

ESCO source
maintain irrigation controllers

Maintain and program different types of irrigation controllers including mechanical, solar battery, digital and computer controlled systems. Maintain procedures for safe re-use of water, render efficient the irrigation systems and keep water bodies in good status.

digitalgreen
ESCO source
manage desalination control system

Manage a system for the removal of salt in order to obtain potable water.

ESCO source
measure water quality parameters

Quality assure water by taking into consideration various elements, such as temperature.

ESCO source
perform follow-up on pipeline route services

Perform follow-up activities related to the plan, the distribution schedule, and the service yielded by the pipeline infrastructure. Ensure that pipeline route assignments are accomplished and meet customer agreements.

ESCO source
perform pipeline routing studies

Perform routing studies designed to collect information on and analyse the characteristics of the site, the challenges of construction, and other environmental factors that should be taken into consideration in planning project development and installation of pipelines.

ESCO source
perform water chemistry analysis

Perform water chemistry analysis to identify and quantify the chemical components and properties of water samples.

ESCO source
perform water treatment procedures

Perform operations such as filtering, sterilising, and dechlorinating in order to purify water for consumption and food production using different procedures and technologies such as micro-filtration, reverse osmosis, ozonation, carbon filtration, or ultraviolet (UV) light.

green
ESCO source
prepare timelines for pipeline development projects

Prepare timescales and project schedules for implementation of activities and follow up in pipeline development projects. Include in the preparation customer requests, materials required, and specification of the activities to be undertaken.

ESCO source
supervise sewerage systems construction

Supervise the implementation of correct sewerage system plans and methods during construction, installation, and maintenance of sewerage systems to ensure conformity to the approved plans, and the safety of operations.

ESCO source
supervise waste disposal

Supervise disposal of biological waste and chemical waste according to regulations.

green
ESCO source
supervise waste water treatments

Supervise waste water treatment according to environmental regulations.

green
ESCO source
survey sites for pipeline installation

Perform surveys of different kinds of sites, such as inland or maritime site, for the planning and construction of pipeline infrastructure.

ESCO source
use water disinfection equipment

Operate equipment for water disinfection, using different methods and techniques, such as mechanical filtration, depending on needs.

green
ESCO source

Cross-sector

15 competences
advise on environmental remediation

Advise on the development and implementation of actions which aim to remove sources of pollution and contamination from the environment.

green
ESCO source
advise on pollution prevention

Advise individuals and organisations on the development and implementation of actions which aid in the prevention of pollution and its related risks.

green
ESCO source
compute irrigation pressure

Calculate how much pressure is needed for existing and planned irrigation systems. Include discharge and spray radius specification.

ESCO source
develop environmental remediation strategies

Develop strategies for the removal of pollution and contaminants from soil, groundwater, surface water, or sediment, taking into account environmental remediation regulations and available technologies.

green
ESCO source
develop water purification methods

Develop strategies for the development and use of water purification equipment and plans, by aiding in the design of equipment, planning purification procedures, and identifying the necessary actions and potential risks.

green
ESCO source
ensure equipment maintenance

Ensure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or flaws.

ESCO source
follow up pipeline integrity management priorities

Perform follow up on priority actions in the pipeline infrastructure, such as complete coverage, service consistency, and facilitation.

ESCO source
identify risk of flooding

Identify the areas which are most at risk to be damaged by floods, such as areas close to rivers, as well as identifying the events which would cause floods such as changes in the weather.

ESCO source
install irrigation systems

Install and shift irrigation systems to distribute water according to needs. Install sprinkler systems and adjust the pumps, main feeder and lateral lines, sprinkler heads, valves, PVC pipes, controls, and electronically controlled water sensors.

ESCO source
manage water quality testing

Direct the procedures surrounding the testing and quality analysis of water and subsequent purification procedures by managing operations from collection of samples to laboratory testing, managing staff, and ensuring compliance with legislation.

green
ESCO source
mitigate environmental impact of pipeline projects

Strive to mitigate the potential impact that pipelines and the goods transported in them can have on the environment. Invest time and resources into consideration of the environmental effects of the pipeline, the actions that could be taken to protect the environment, and the potential increase in the costs of the project.

green
ESCO source
monitor legislation developments

Monitor changes in rules, policies and legislation, and identify how they may influence the organisation, existing operations, or a specific case or situation.

ESCO source
monitor water quality

Measure water quality: temperature, oxygen, salinity, pH, N2, NO2,NH4, CO2, turbidity, chlorophyll. Monitor microbiological water quality.

green
ESCO source
perform water testing procedures

Conduct testing procedures on water quality, such as pH tests and dissolved solids. Understand instrumentation drawings.

ESCO source
train employees

Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.

ESCO source