Operator Requirements and Test Applications
Education Requirements for Certification
Water Distribution or Treatment Full (F) or Operator-In-Training (OIT) Certified Operators Grades 1 and 2:
- High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED)
Water Distribution or Treatment Full (F) or Operator-In-Training (OIT) Certified Operators Grade 3:
- High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED)
- 72 hours of college level courses related to water or training approved by International Association of Education Training (IACET). *College level courses must be at least 36 hours in length and related to drinking water.Documentation required upon application
Water Distribution or Treatment Full (F) or Operator-In-Training (OIT) Certified Operators Grade 4:
- High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED)
- 144 hours of college level courses related to water or training approved by International Association of Education Training (IACET). *College level courses must be at least 36 hours in length and related to drinking water.Documentation required upon application
Work Experience Requirements for Full Certification
- Grade 1 - 6 months of experience
- Grade 2 - 1 year of experience
- Grade 3 - 2 years of experience with 1 year of Grade 2 full certification
- Grade 4 - 4 years of experience with 1 year of Grade 3 full certification
*Please note that work experience gained is dependent on duties performed and the water system(s) operating category. One-half of the experience requirement may be substituted with waste water experience or appropriate college level courses. Each application will be reviewed on a case-by-case bases. Operators who do not meet the experience requirement, will be certified as an Operator-In-Training. Once the experience criteria has been met, operators may then apply for a conversion to obtain a Full certification.
Summary of Distribution and Treatment Requirements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Level | Education | Experience* | Renewal Requirements Per Renewal Period |
Grade 1 | High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) | 6 months of experience | 7 contact hours (0.7 CEU) |
Grade 2 | High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) | 1 year of experience | 7 contact hours (0.7 CEU) |
Grade 3 | High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) and a minimum of 72 hours post - secondary education | 2 years of experience with 1 year of Grade 2 full certification | 14 contact hours (1.4 CEU) |
Grade 4 | High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) and a minimum of 144 hours post - secondary education | 4 years of experience with 1 year of Grade 3 full certification | 14 contact hours (1.4 CEU) |
*If experience requirement is not satisfied, applicant will receive an Operator in Training (OIT) certification for the respective grade. | |||
Water Operator Application: Testing, OIT-to-Full Conversion, or Reciprocity
- Water Operator Application:Testing, OIT, or Reciprocity - Complete Online
- Water Operator Application:Testing, OIT, or Reciprocity - PDF
- Water Operator Application:Testing, OIT, or Reciprocity - Word
Additional Documentation Required Upon Application
| Level | Testing | Conversion | Reciprocity |
|---|---|---|---|
Grade 1 | - Active Certificate from other State | ||
Grade 2 | - Active Certificate from other State | ||
Grade 3 | - Post - Secondary Education | - Post - Secondary Education | - Post - Secondary Education |
Grade 4 | - Post - Secondary Education | - Post - Secondary Education | - Post - Secondary Education |