Belen seeks water department laborer to keep utilities running

Belen was looking to hire a Laborer (Operator I-III) for its Water Department at a starting annual salary of $36,420 to $44,990, a posting that pointed directly to the city’s need for hands-on help keeping water and wastewater systems operating. The job also required the ability to answer water breaks after hours, putting the vacancy at the center of daily service reliability for homes, businesses and public facilities in Valencia County.

The city said applicants needed a valid New Mexico driver’s license, a high school diploma or GED, and a willingness to earn Water Level I certification within 18 months of hire. A commercial driver’s license was preferred. The application deadline was Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 5 p.m. MDT, and the city also required a background check and drug test before hiring.

The opening mattered because the Water Department does far more than fix leaks. Belen says the division oversees the city’s water and wastewater utilities, monitors utility operations and maintenance contracts, manages capital-improvement planning and handles environmental compliance. In practical terms, that means staffing levels affect how quickly crews can respond to outages, how well repairs are handled and how smoothly the system runs when something goes wrong.

The pressure is even easier to see on the wastewater side. Belen says its treatment plant has a processing capacity of 1.2 million gallons a day and currently treats about 0.6 million gallons a day. The plant is staffed with six operators and the wastewater director, and the division also monitors 21 lift stations. In a system that size, even one laborer or operator vacancy can slow routine maintenance, stretch emergency response times and make it harder to keep testing and compliance work on schedule.

The city’s hiring pattern suggests the need is not a one-time replacement. A similar Laborer/Operator listing in late 2025 offered pay from $35,360 to $47,840, and Belen’s jobs page still showed another Water Department laborer/operator opening, including a Laborer (Operator I-II) role. That points to continued competition for workers who can learn the system, hold certifications and step in when equipment fails.

The labor search is unfolding alongside major wastewater investment. Belen said it had been approved for $21 million in Water Trust Board funding through the New Mexico Finance Authority for wastewater treatment plant improvements, and a Belen City Council agenda in August 2025 included a resolution authorizing an application for financial assistance for the plant. As the city moves into that capital phase, the workforce needed to run, maintain and eventually operate upgraded systems becomes just as important as the construction itself.

For residents, the stakes show up in service and in the monthly bill. Belen says utility bills include water usage, sewer usage, solid waste curbside pickup, fire hydrant maintenance, citywide mosquito spraying, citywide technology upkeep and taxes, while sewer rates are tied to winter water usage. That makes the city’s ability to hire and retain utility workers a direct issue of reliability, cost and public health.