Current through September 18, 2024
Authority: IC 13-14-8; IC 13-18-11-13
Affected: IC 13-18-11
Sec. 13.
(a) The
department shall prepare and maintain a standardized examination to reflect the
duties and responsibilities required of each classification of wastewater
treatment plant operator as follows:
(1) The
examination must include questions that demonstrate the knowledge, ability, and
judgment of the applicant to do the following:
(A) Read and write the English language for
the purpose of:
(i) interpreting service
manuals and work orders; and
(ii)
submitting reports.
(B)
Make computations, including calculating volumes and areas.
(C) Keep accurate records.
(2) The examination must be
conducted at least annually.
(3)
The examination may be administered:
(A)
electronically; and
(B) through an
independent third party administrator approved by the commissioner.
(b) A person seeking to
take the examination must meet the following requirements:
(1) Complete an application on a form
approved by the Indiana archives and records administration (IARA) for use by
the department as described in section 11(g) of this rule, or complete an
application on a form approved by the IARA for use by the department as
described in section 11(f) of this rule, as appropriate, that:
(A) contains true and accurate information to
the best of the knowledge of the applicant; and
(B) is free of omissions and
misrepresentations, either of which may result in:
(i) rejection of the application;
or
(ii) revocation of a certificate
previously granted.
(2) Submit the application and fee to the
commissioner as follows:
(A) If applying to
take the examination administered on paper, the application must be submitted
not later than forty-five (45) days preceding the date of the
examination.
(B) If applying to
take the examination electronically, there is no application
deadline.
(3) The fee
described herein is separate and distinct from a fee that may be charged to the
applicant by the authorized third party administrator for taking the
examination.
(c) The
commissioner shall:
(1) review the
application and supporting documents concerning the eligibility of the
applicant for wastewater treatment certification examination; and
(2) when an application demonstrates the
applicant meets all of the requirements, issue a written notification in the
form of an admission slip:
(A) providing the
time and place of the examination to be presented by the applicant at the
examination; or
(B) authorizing the
applicant to schedule a location and time for the electronic examination with
the approved independent third party administrator.
(d) An applicant who has received
an approval letter to take an examination may submit a written request to the
commissioner for a postponement to take the examination as follows:
(1) Only one (1) postponement for each
applicant is allowed.
(2) The
written request for postponement must be submitted prior to the expiration date
of the approval letter:
(A) except in the
case of a demonstrated emergency; or
(B) when a person is prevented from taking
the examination in a timely manner due to U.S. military deployment.
(e) An applicant who
has received an approval letter to take an examination is considered to have
failed that examination if any of the following occurs:
(1) The applicant:
(A) does not attend the examination;
and
(B) has not requested a
postponement in accordance with subsection (d).
(2) The applicant is caught cheating on an
examination, which will make an applicant ineligible to take a wastewater
operator certification examination for a period of two (2) years following the
examination date.
(3) The applicant
scores less than seventy percent (70%) correct answers.
(f) The commissioner shall manage completed
examinations as follows:
(1) The commissioner
shall notify an applicant of the examination result in writing or
electronically.
(2) The
commissioner and the third party administrator shall retain examination papers
or electronic records with an opportunity afforded to an applicant for review
of the graded examination up to ninety (90) days after the date the applicant
completed the examination if the applicant submits the following to the
commissioner:
(A) A written or electronic
request for review of the graded examination.
(B) A statement affirming the applicant's
understanding that examination review does not include the right to copy or
transmit, by any means, the examination or any portion of it.
(g) A person previously
certified as a wastewater treatment plant operator in accordance with this rule
who has failed to meet the renewal requirements in section 11(h) of this rule
must fulfill the following to obtain a new certification:
(1) Meet the qualifications of this
rule.
(2) Except as described in
subsection (h), retake an examination and achieve a passing score.
(h) A person who was prevented
from taking the examination in subsection (g)(2) in a timely manner due to U.S.
military deployment may request a waiver from the requirement to retake the
examination for a period not to exceed twelve (12) months from the end date of
the deployment.
(i) A person who
obtains a wastewater treatment plant operator certification by reciprocal
recognition or a provisional wastewater treatment plant operator certificate in
accordance with section 18 of this rule is not required to take an examination.
