Indiana Administrative Code
Title 327 - WATER POLLUTION CONTROL DIVISION
Article 8 - PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
Rule 12 - Classification of Community Public Water System and Nontransient Noncommunity Public Water System Treatment Plants and Distribution Systems; Examination and Certification of Operators
Section 12-3.2 - Certified operator grades
Universal Citation: 327 IN Admin Code 12-3.2
Current through September 18, 2024
Authority: IC 13-14-8; IC 13-18-11-1.5; IC 13-18-11-13
Affected: IC 13-18-11
Sec. 3.2.
(a) Grade operator-in-training (O.I.T.) is available under the following guidelines:
(1) To a person meeting the following:
(A) Currently employed at a public water
system with facilities classified as a Class WT 3, WT 4, or WT 5 water
treatment plant or a Class DSL water distribution system.
(B) Has fulfilled the qualifications of
section 3(a)(2) and 3(b)(1) of this rule.
(2) In accordance with the following:
(A) Until the O.I.T. meets the experience
requirement needed for the classification of treatment plant or distribution
system where the O.I.T. is accumulating work experience.
(B) Operating work must be accomplished under
the supervision of a certified operator in responsible charge who must verify
to the commissioner the satisfactory achievement of acceptable experience by
the O.I.T.
(C) An O.I.T. may not do
any of the following:
(i) Serve as a certified
operator in responsible charge.
(ii) Transfer an O.I.T. certification to a
water treatment plant or water distribution system with a public water system
identification number (PWSID) different than the PWSID for which the
certification was issued.
(iii)
Hold two (2) water treatment plant or water distribution system O.I.T.
certifications concurrently.
(iv)
Renew the O.I.T. certification.
(b) A water distribution system certified operator may possess a valid certification in one (1) or more of the following three (3) grades:
(1) Grade DSS is a
certified operator qualified to operate a Class DSS water distribution system
after having fulfilled the following requirements:
(A) Possess a high school diploma or its
equivalent.
(B) Meet the
qualifications of section 3 of this rule.
(C) Attain a minimum of one (1) year of
acceptable work experience in the operation of a Class DSS water distribution
system.
(2) Grade DSM is
a certified operator qualified to operate a Class DSS and Class DSM water
distribution system after having fulfilled the following requirements:
(A) Possess a high school diploma or its
equivalent.
(B) Meet the
qualifications of section 3 of this rule.
(C) Attain one (1) of the following
acceptable work experience requirements:
(i)
One (1) year in the operation of a Class DSM water distribution
system.
(ii) Two (2) years in the
operation of a Class DSS water distribution system.
(3) Grade DSL is a certified
operator qualified to operate a Class DSS, Class DSM, and Class DSL water
distribution system after having fulfilled the following requirements:
(A) Possess a high school diploma or its
equivalent.
(B) Meet the
qualifications of section 3 of this rule.
(C) Must be able to do the following:
(i) Maintain inventories.
(ii) Order supplies and equipment.
(iii) Interpret chemical and bacteriological
sample reports.
(D)
Attain one (1) of the following acceptable work experience requirements:
(i) One (1) year in the operation of a Class
DSL water distribution system.
(ii)
Three (3) years in the operation of a Class DSM water distribution
system.
(iii) Five (5) years in the
operation of a Class DSS water distribution system.
(iv) An acceptable number of years of
experience approved by the commissioner if gained in operation of a combination
of the various classifications of water distribution systems.
(c) A water treatment plant certified operator may possess a valid certification in one (1) or more of the following six (6) grades:
(1)
Grade WT 1 is a certified operator qualified to operate a Class WT 1 water
treatment plant or a Class DSS water distribution system at a nontransient
noncommunity water system serving five hundred (500) or fewer individuals or a
community water system serving one hundred (100) or fewer individuals after
having fulfilled the following requirements:
(A) Possess a high school diploma or its
equivalent.
(B) Meet the
qualifications of section 3 of this rule.
(C) Must be able to do the following:
(i) Maintain inventories.
(ii) Order supplies and equipment.
(iii) Interpret chemical and bacteriological
sample reports.
(D)
Attain a minimum of one (1) year of acceptable work experience in the operation
of a Class WT 1 water treatment plant.
(2) Grade WT 2 is a certified operator
qualified to operate a Class WT 1 and a Class WT 2 water treatment plant and a
Class DSS water distribution system at a nontransient noncommunity water system
serving five hundred (500) or fewer individuals or a community water system
serving one hundred (100) or fewer individuals after having fulfilled the
following requirements:
(A) Possess a high
school diploma or its equivalent.
(B) Meet the qualifications of section 3 of
this rule.
(C) Must be able to do
the following:
(i) Maintain
inventories.
(ii) Order supplies
and equipment.
(iii) Interpret
chemical and bacteriological sample reports.
(D) Attain one (1) of the following
acceptable work experience requirements:
(i)
One (1) year in the operation of a Class WT 2 water treatment plant.
(ii) Two (2) years in the operation of a
Class WT 1 water treatment plant.
(3) Grade WT 3 is a certified operator
qualified to operate a Class WT 1, Class WT 2, and Class WT 3 water treatment
plant and a Class DSS water distribution system at a nontransient noncommunity
water system serving five hundred (500) or fewer individuals or a community
water system serving one hundred (100) or fewer individuals after having
fulfilled the following requirements:
(A)
Possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(B) Meet the qualifications of section 3 of
this rule.
(C) Must be able to do
the following:
(i) Maintain
inventories.
(ii) Order supplies
and equipment.
(iii) Interpret
chemical and bacteriological sample reports.
(D) Attain the following acceptable work
experience at a minimum:
(i) Two (2) years in
the operation of a Class WT 3 water treatment plant.
(ii) Successful completion of educational
work at college level in:
(AA)
engineering;
(BB) chemistry;
or
(CC) science;
related to water treatment may be substituted for work experience required according to item (i) at the ratio of four (4) semesters or six (6) quarters of schooling for a maximum substitution of one (1) year of experience.
(4) Grade WT 4 is a certified operator
qualified to operate a Class WT 1, Class WT 2, and Class WT 4 water treatment
plant and a Class DSS water distribution system at a nontransient noncommunity
water system serving five hundred (500) or fewer individuals or a community
water system serving one hundred (100) or fewer individuals after having
fulfilled the following requirements:
(A)
Possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(B) Meet the qualifications of section 3 of
this rule.
(C) Must be able to do
the following:
(i) Maintain
inventories.
(ii) Order supplies
and equipment.
(iii) Interpret
chemical and bacteriological sample reports.
(D) Attain the following acceptable work
experience at a minimum:
(i) Two (2) years in
the operation of a Class WT 4 water treatment plant.
(ii) Successful completion of educational
work at college level in:
(AA)
engineering;
(BB) chemistry;
or
(CC) science;
related to water treatment may be substituted for work experience required according to item (i) at the ratio of four (4) semesters or six (6) quarters of schooling for a maximum substitution of one (1) year of experience.
(iii) Two (2) years in the operation of a
Class WT 3 water treatment plant may substitute for a maximum of one (1) year
of experience required according to item (i).
(5) Grade WT 5 is a certified operator
qualified to operate a Class WT 1, Class WT 2, Class WT 4, and Class WT 5 water
treatment plant and a Class DSS water distribution system at a nontransient
noncommunity water system serving five hundred (500) or fewer individuals or a
community water system serving one hundred (100) or fewer individuals after
having fulfilled the following requirements:
(A) Possess a high school diploma or its
equivalent.
(B) Meet the
qualifications of section 3 of this rule.
(C) Must have the ability to do the
following:
(i) Use conversion
factors.
(ii) Solve simple
mathematical equations.
(iii)
Understand the following:
(AA) Simple
chemical laboratory equipment.
(BB)
The bacteriological procedures used in water supply work.
(iv) Maintain inventories.
(v) Order supplies and equipment.
(D) Attain the following
acceptable work experience at a minimum:
(i)
One (1) of the following:
(AA) Three (3) years
in the operation of a Class WT 5 water treatment plant.
(BB) Five (5) years in the operation of a
Class WT 4 water treatment plant.
(ii) Successful completion of educational
work at college level in:
(AA)
engineering;
(BB) chemistry;
or
(CC) science;
related to water treatment may be substituted for work experience required according to item (i) at the ratio of four (4) semesters or six (6) quarters of schooling for one (1) year of experience, up to a maximum of two (2) years of experience.
(iii) Two (2) years in the operation of a WT
3 water treatment plant may be substituted for one (1) year of experience
required according to item (i) up to a maximum substitution of two (2) years
experience.
(6) Grade WT 6 is a certified operator
qualified to operate a Class WT 6 water treatment plant that requires operator
qualifications determined by the commissioner on an individual plant basis in
response to the specialized nature of the water treatment plant.
(d) An applicant for water treatment plant or water distribution system operator certification may submit proof to the commissioner to demonstrate the achievement of an equivalent level of acceptable training or work experience for that required by the following subsections:
(1)
(b)
(1)
(C) .
(2)
(b)
(2)
(C) .
(3)
(b)
(3)
(D) .
(4)
(c)
(1)
(D) .
(5)
(c)
(2)
(D)
.
(6)
(c)
(3)
(D) .
(7)
(c)
(4)
(D)
.
(8)
(c)
(5)
(D) .
(e) A Grade WT 3, Grade WT 4, and Grade WT 5 operator is qualified to apply for the appropriate wastewater treatment plant certification according to 327 IAC 5-22 to treat wastewater from a water treatment plant provided the operator is certified to operate that classification of water treatment plant.
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