Washington Administrative Code
Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508)
Chapter 173-230 - Certification of operators of wastewater treatment plants
Section 173-230-250 - Education and experience requirements for Groups I through IV certifications

Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 173-230-250

Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024

(1) Applicants must meet the following education and experience requirements.

(2) Groups I through IV education, operating experience requirements, and allowable substitutions include the following:

(a) Operating experience must be gained by working under the direction or supervision of a fully certified operator.

(b) Up to half of the operating experience for Groups II through IV, listed below in Table 2, can be substituted with relevant experience.

(c) Relevant experience is work that does not meet the definition of operating experience, but can be used to substitute for operating experience, and includes, but is not limited to:
(i) Wastewater collection system operator;

(ii) Wastewater pump station operator;

(iii) Water distribution system operator and/or manager;

(iv) Water treatment plant operator;

(v) Environmental or operations consultant;

(vi) Wastewater treatment plant designer and/or builder; or

(vii) Other relevant experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis with a written description of the duties performed on the job by the applicant.

(d) Education substituted for operating experience must be in excess of the required education and cannot be used for both the education requirement and substitutions.

Table 2 Operator Certification Requirements and Substitutions

Operator Certification Requirements and Substitutions

Certification level

Required education

Substitutions allowed for education

Required operating experience

Education substitutions allowed for operating experience

Relevant experience substitutions allowed for operating experience

Group I

High school diploma or GED

One year of relevant experience for each year of education through twelfth grade

1 year

None

None

Group II

High school diploma or GED

One year of relevant experience for each year of education through twelfth grade

3 years

Up to 67.5 relevant credits/CEUs

Up to 1 year and 6 months of relevant experience

Group III

High school diploma or GED and 2 years of college (90 credits or CEUs)

Up to 4 years of excess operating experience:

*1 year of excess operating experience for the first 45 credits/CEUs

*3 years of excess operating experience for the last 45 credits/CEUs

4 years, with at least 2 years at a Class II or higher plant

Up to 90 relevant credits/CEUs

Up to 2 years of relevant experience

Group IV

High school diploma or GED and 4 years of college (180 credits or CEUs)

Up to 8 years of excess operating experience:

*1 year of excess operating experience for each 45 credits/CEUs for the first 90 credits/CEUs

*3 years of excess operating experience for each 45 credits for the second 90 credits/CEUs

4 years, with at least 2 years at a Class III or higher plant

Up to 90 relevant credits/CEUs

Up to 2 years of relevant experience

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