Subchapter G. EDUCATION, EXAMINATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Sec.
302.701. Minimum education requirements.
302.702. Examination requirements.
302.703. Experience requirements.
302.704. Determining qualifying experience.
302.705. Accelerated certification requirements for system modifications.§ 302.701. Minimum education requirements.
(a) An applicant for certification shall obtain a high school diploma or a GED to meet one of the minimum education requirements.
(b) The Board may grant an education exemption to the requirements in subsection (a) if the applicant provides written verification by the applicant’s supervisor or another certified operator with direct knowledge of the applicant’s experience working as an operator in a water or wastewater system before February 21, 2002.
(c) Experience used to meet the equivalency for a high school diploma or GED cannot be used as experience for certification.
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 302.104 (relating to certification requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 302.703 (relating to experience requirements); and 25 Pa. Code § 302.1004 (relating to operator-in-training status).
§ 302.702. Examination requirements.
(a) An applicant for certification in wastewater shall obtain a passing score on a Part I General Examination and one or more of the Part II Treatment Technology Specific Examinations, a Master Examination or a Collection System Examination.
(b) An applicant for certification in drinking water shall obtain a passing score on a Part I General Examination and one or more of the Part II Treatment Technology Specific Examinations for Class A, B and C, a Part I General Examination for Class D, a Master Examination, a Dc or Dn Small System Examination or a Distribution Examination.
(c) An applicant shall obtain a minimum numerical score of correctly answered questions based on industry recognized psychometric principles and standards to pass an examination for certification.
(d) An applicant’s score on an examination is independent and not conditional on the results of any other type of certification examination.
(e) Test results are valid indefinitely, unless the applicant must apply for recertification as determined by the Board.
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 302.104 (relating to certification requirements); and 25 Pa. Code § 302.705 (relating to accelerated certification requirements for system modifications).
§ 302.703. Experience requirements.
(a) To meet the requirements for certification, the Department will provide an applicant with two different experience tracks.
(b) Track I identifies the experience requirement necessary to qualify for certification when the applicant meets the basic educational requirement in § 302.701 (relating to minimum education requirements).
(1) Track I experience requirements for wastewater treatment system operators.
Class Minimum Experience A 4 years B 3 years C 2 years D 1 year E 1 year (2) Track I experience requirements for water system operators.
Class Minimum Experience A 4 years B 3 years C 2 years D 1 year E 1 year Dc 6 months Dn 6 months (c) An applicant for operator certification using Track I may supplement up to 50% of the required experience by successfully completing additional education beyond the minimum education requirement defined in § 302.701. One month of experience can be credited for the successful completion of every 10 contact hours of Department-approved training courses in water or wastewater treatment, as applicable, or 1.5 months experience may be credited for the successful completion of one college credit in water or wastewater treatment related courses from an accredited college or university. The Department will approve these courses in accordance with its training approval process guidelines.
(d) Track II provides a reduction in the experience requirements defined in subsection (b) when the applicant has successfully earned one of the following:
(1) A certificate of completion of a Department-approved certificate program in water or wastewater treatment, or both (CP). The Department will approve this program in accordance with its training approval process guidelines.
(2) An associate degree in a water or wastewater operations program, or both, approved by the Department (ASP). The Department will approve this program in accordance with its training approval process guidelines.
(3) An associate degree in environmental sciences, physical sciences, engineering or engineering technology not approved by the Department (AS).
(4) A bachelor’s or graduate degree in biology, chemistry, environmental sciences, physical sciences, sanitary or environmental engineering or engineering technology from a Nationally accredited college or university (BS/BA).
(e) The required experience under Track II is:
(1) Track II experience requirements for wastewater treatment system operators.
Class CP ASP AS BS/BA A 2 years 1 year 3.5 years 2 years B 1 year 6 months 2.5 years 1 year C 6 months 6 months 1.5 years 6 months D 6 months 6 months 6 months 6 months E 6 months 6 months 6 months 6 months (2) Track II experience requirements for water system operators.
Class CP ASP AS BS/BA A 2 years 1 year 3.5 years 2 years B 1 year 6 months 2.5 years 1 year C 6 months 6 months 1.5 years 6 months D 6 months 6 months 6 months 6 months E 6 months 6 months 6 months 6 months Dc 0 0 6 months 0 Dn 0 0 6 months 0 (f) When education is applied to meet the experience requirements for certification under Track II, the credit can only be applied once and is not cumulative.
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 302.104 (relating to certification requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 302.201 (relating to form of application); 25 Pa. Code § 302.303 (relating to issuance of upgraded certificate); 25 Pa. Code § 302.704 (relating to determining qualifying experience); 25 Pa. Code § 302.705 (relating to accelerated certification requirements for system modifications); and 25 Pa. Code § 302.1004 (relating to operator-in-training status).
§ 302.704. Determining qualifying experience.
(a) The Board will determine if the applicant’s experience meets the experience requirements defined in § 302.703 (relating to experience requirements).
(b) Experience for certification is achieved by participating in a combination of activities related to process control under the supervision of a certified operator who holds the appropriate subclassifications.
(c) The Board will consider the following activities for qualifying experience:
(1) Operating mechanical equipment related to process control.
(2) Maintaining mechanical equipment related to process control.
(3) Collecting and analyzing chemical and biological samples related to process control and regulatory compliance activities.
(4) Performing calculations related to process control.
(5) Preparing or standardizing chemical and biological solutions.
(6) Interpreting, compiling and completing monitoring data.
(7) Recommending appropriate process control measures.
(8) Participating in onsite assessment, inspection or evaluation of plant processes.
(9) Calibrating chemical feed systems.
(10) Using equipment to monitor and measure flows through a water or wastewater system.
(d) An applicant for a wastewater certificate may apply experience as defined in subsection (c) as follows:
(1) Experience working at an activated sludge wastewater system qualifies an applicant for an activated sludge wastewater certificate (Subclassification 1), the fixed film wastewater certificate (Subclassification 2) and the treatment pond and lagoon wastewater certificate (Subclassification 3).
(2) Experience working at a fixed film wastewater system qualifies an applicant for a fixed film wastewater certificate (Subclassification 2) and a treatment pond and lagoon wastewater certificate (Subclassification 3).
(3) Experience working at a treatment pond and lagoon wastewater system qualifies the applicant for the treatment pond and lagoon wastewater certificate (Subclassification 3).
(4) Experience working at a satellite collection system or a single entity collection system qualifies the applicant for a Class E Subclassification 4 wastewater certificate.
(5) Experience for class may be obtained at a wastewater system with the classification level requested or two classification levels alphabetically lower.
(e) An applicant for a water certificate may apply experience as defined in subsection (c) as follows:
(1) Experience working at a conventional filtration, direct filtration, diatomaceous earth filtration or slow sand filtration water system qualifies an applicant for any of the following:
(i) The filtration water certificates (Subclassifications 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6).
(ii) The chemical treatment water certificates (Subclassifications 7, 8, 9 and 10).
(iii) The gaseous chlorine and nongaseous chemical disinfection water treatment certificates (Subclassifications 11 and 12).
(2) Experience working at a cartridge or bag filtration or membrane filtration water system qualifies an applicant for any of the following:
(i) The cartridge or bag filtration and the membrane filtration water certificates (Subclassifications 5 and 6).
(ii) The chemical treatment water certificates (Subclassifications 7, 8, 9 and 10).
(iii) The gaseous chlorine and nongaseous chemical disinfection water treatment certificates (Subclassifications 11 and 12).
(3) Experience working at a corrosion control and sequestering, chemical addition, ion exchange and greensand or aeration and activated carbon adsorption water system qualifies an applicant for any of the following:
(i) The chemical treatment water certificates (Subclassifications 7, 8, 9 and 10).
(ii) The gaseous chlorine and nongaseous chemical disinfection water treatment certificates (Subclassifications 11 and 12).
(4) Experience working at a gaseous chlorine disinfection or nongaseous chemical disinfection water system qualifies an applicant for the gaseous chlorine and nongaseous chemical disinfection water treatment certificates (Subclassifications 11 and 12).
(5) Experience working at an ultraviolet water system qualifies an applicant for the ultraviolet water treatment certificate (Subclassification 13).
(6) Experience working at an ozonation water system qualifies an applicant for the ozonation water treatment certificate (Subclassification 14).
(7) Experience for a class may be obtained at a water system at the classification level requested or two classification levels alphabetically lower.
(8) Experience working at a Dc water system qualifies an applicant for only the Class D water certificate with the gaseous chlorine and nongaseous chemical disinfection water treatment certificates (Subclassifications 11 and 12).
(9) Experience working at a Dn water system qualifies an applicant for only the Class D water certificate without any subclassifications.
(f) One year of experience is equal to 220 working days or 1,760 hours of employment.
(g) Experience will be prorated for time periods less than 1 year.
(h) Experience is counted up to the first day of the month after the applicant submits an application for certification action.
(i) An applicant’s experience at a wastewater system may be used to meet no more than half the experience requirement for a drinking water certification of the same classification level or a level alphabetically lower. The remaining experience must be operating experience at a drinking water system as defined in subsection (c).
(j) An applicant’s experience at a water system may be used to meet no more than half the experience requirement of a wastewater certification of the same classification level or a level alphabetically lower. The remaining experience must be operating experience at a wastewater system as defined in subsection (c).
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 302.201 (relating to form of application); 25 Pa. Code § 302.303 (relating to issuance of upgraded certificate); and 25 Pa. Code § 302.1103 (relating to experience requirements for professional engineers).
§ 302.705. Accelerated certification requirements for system modifications.
(a) An operator certificate upgrade is required when an increase in treatment capacity of the system no longer qualifies the available operator to make process control decisions for that system. When the capacity of the system is increased so as to change the classification of the system, the existing available operators will qualify for an accelerated certification upgrade by applying for an upgrade in class before the larger system becomes operational. Additional experience or training is not required.
(b) An operator certificate upgrade is required when the addition of a different treatment technology to a system no longer qualifies the available operators to make process control decisions for that system. When a different treatment technology is added that results in a change of the subclassification of the system, the existing available operators may qualify for an accelerated certification upgrade if:
(1) The owner obtains the appropriate NPDES, public water supply or The Clean Streams Law permit from the Department.
(2) The operator successfully completes an onsite, Department-approved training program from the manufacturer or consulting engineer on the proper operation and maintenance of the new treatment technology.
(3) The operator passes, or previously passed, the appropriate Part II Technology Specific examination for the new treatment technology. Additional experience required under § 302.303(b) (relating to issuance of upgraded certificate) would be waived.
(4) The manufacturer or consulting engineer provides the Board and the Department with written documentation that the available operators for the system have successfully completed the formalized startup training and assistance program and are competent in the operation of the treatment technology.
(c) The available operators of the system undergoing an upgrade may continue to make process control decisions for the system if the conditions for accelerated certification as defined in subsection (a) or (b) are met. If not, the owner of the system will find another available operator with the appropriate class and subclassifications to make process control decisions until the existing certified operators at the system meet the additional examination requirements defined in § 302.702 (relating to examination requirements) and any additional experience requirements defined in § 302.703 (relating to experience requirements).
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