Classification of Wastewater Treatment Systems

PURPOSE: This rule outlines the requirements for wastewater systems regarding certified personnel. (1) Definitions. Definitions as set forth in the Missouri Clean Water Law and 10 CSR 202.010 shall apply to those terms when used in this rule, unless the context clearly requires otherwise or as noted in the subsections of this rule. (A) Wastewater treatment systems. Interrelated or interconnected facilities, equipment, machinery, sewers, piping, valves, land, tanks, basins, ponds, lagoons, and any other device, method and process used to reduce or eliminate the contaminants in domestic wastewater and similar organic water-borne wastes. (B) Operator. Any individual who operates or determines the method of operating a wastewater treatment system, either directly or by order. (C) Chief operator. An operator who directs or who has the authority to direct other individuals, or an operator in direct responsible charge for the operation of a wastewater treatment system. (D) Population equivalent (P.E.). The calculated population which normally contributes the same amount of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) per day. The common base is 0.17 pounds of five- (5-) day BOD5 per capita per day. The calculated population which normally contributes the same amount of flow per day. The common base is one hundred (100) gallons per capita per day. (E) Wastewater Collection System. Any series of pipes and lift stations to collect, convey, and equalize wastewater flow to the wastewater treatment system. (2) Wastewater Treatment Systems Requirements. (A) Requirements for operation by certified personnel shall apply to all wastewater treatment systems, with a population equivalent greater than two hundred (200), owned or operated by or for municipalities, public sewer districts, counties, public water supply districts, private sewer companies regulated by the Public Service Commission and the state or federal agencies. All other systems are exempt from this rule unless the department determines that certified personnel are necessary to protect the waters of the state. (B) Owners or other persons legally responsible for the operation of wastewater treatment systems subject to this rule shall be responsible for assuring that operators and chief operators of wastewater treatment systems comply with certification requirements as set forth in this rule. (C) All operators of wastewater treatment systems included in subsection (2)(A) of this rule shall possess, as a minimum, a level D certificate of competency issued by the department. New employees that are not yet certified wastewater treatment operators cannot make process control decisions and will be directly supervised by a certified operator or chief operator. (D) Minimum certification of competency classification requirements for chief operators of wastewater treatment systems shall be determined by the department using the following point system as a guide. Wastewater treatment systems will remain classified at the level determined prior to the effective date of this rule until the facility’s MSOP is renewed, at which time, the MSOP will include the facility classification. &/$66,),&$7,212):$67(:$7(575($70(173/$176       &HUWLILFDWLRQ /HYHO  '  &  %  $ 3RLQWV  DQG      DQG   /HVV      *UHDWHU  $VVLJQSRLQWVIRUHYHU\LWHPWKDWDSSOLHV  6L]H,WHP         3RLQWV  0D[LPXPSRSXODWLRQHTXLYDOHQW3(VHUYHGSHDNGD\ SWSHU3(RU PDMRUIUDFWLRQWKHUHRI PD[LPXPSWV 'HVLJQIORZDYJGD\RUSHDNPRQWK¶VIORZDYJGD\ZKLFKHYHULVODUJHU SWSHU0*'RUPDMRU IUDFWLRQWKHUHRI PD[LPXPSWV  (IIOXHQW'LVFKDUJH 0LVVRXULRU0LVVLVVLSSL5LYHU  $OORWKHUVWUHDPGLVFKDUJHVH[FHSWWRORVLQJVWUHDPVDQGVWUHDPUHDFKHVVXSSRUWLQJZKROHERG\ FRQWDFWUHFUHDWLRQ  'LVFKDUJHWRODNHRUUHVHUYRLURXWVLGHRIGHVLJQDWHGZKROHERG\FRQWDFWUHFUHDWLRQDODUHD  'LVFKDUJHWRORVLQJVWUHDPODNHRUUHVHUYRLUDUHDVXSSRUWLQJZKROHERG\FRQWDFWUHFUHDWLRQ  'LUHFWUHXVHRUUHF\FOHRIHIIOXHQW   /DQG$SSOLFDWLRQ,UULJDWLRQ 'ULSLUULJDWLRQ  /DQGDSSOLFDWLRQLUULJDWLRQ  2YHUODQGIORZ   9DULDWLRQLQ5DZ:DVWHVKLJKHVWOHYHORQO\ 9DULDWLRQVGRQRWH[FHHGWKRVHQRUPDOO\RUW\SLFDOO\H[SHFWHG  5HFXUULQJGHYLDWLRQVRUH[FHVVLYHYDULDWLRQVRIWRSHUFHQWLQVWUHQJWKDQGRUIORZ  5HFXUULQJGHYLDWLRQVRUH[FHVVLYHYDULDWLRQVRIPRUHWKDQSHUFHQWLQVWUHQJWKDQGRUIORZ  'HSDUWPHQWDSSURYHGSUHWUHDWPHQWSURJUDP   3UHOLPLQDU\7UHDWPHQW 67(3V\VWHPVRSHUDWHGE\WKHSHUPLWWHH  6FUHHQLQJDQGRUFRPPLQXWLRQ  *ULWUHPRYDO  3ODQWSXPSLQJRIPDLQIORZ  )ORZHTXDOL]DWLRQ   3ULPDU\7UHDWPHQW 3ULPDU\FODULILHUV  &KHPLFDODGGLWLRQH[FHSWFKORULQHHQ]\PHV   6HFRQGDU\7UHDWPHQW  7ULFNOLQJILOWHUDQGRWKHUIL[HGILOPPHGLDZLWKRUZLWKRXWVHFRQGDU\FODULILHUV  $FWLYDWHGVOXGJHLQFOXGLQJH[WHQGHGDHUDWLRQR[LGDWLRQGLWFKHVVHTXHQFLQJEDWFKUHDFWRUV PHPEUDQHELRUHDFWRUVDQGFRQWDFWVWDELOL]DWLRQ  6WDELOL]DWLRQSRQGVZLWKRXWDHUDWLRQ  $HUDWHGODJRRQ  $GYDQFHG/DJRRQ7UHDWPHQW $HURELFFHOOVDQDHURELFFHOOVFRYHUVRUIL[HGILOP  %LRORJLFDOSK\VLFDORUFKHPLFDO  &DUERQUHJHQHUDWLRQ   (E) The owner will notify the department of any change in the identity of the chief operator within fifteen (15) calendar days. (F) In the event the chief operator is no longer available to serve, the owner of the wastewater treatment system will notify the department of the vacancy within fifteen (15) calendar days and appoint an interim operator. The interim operator will be considered the certified chief operator for the purposes of complying with 10 CSR 20-9.010 and 10 CSR 20-9.020 on a temporary basis until a properly certified chief operator is hired. Following consultation with the wastewater system owner, the department will establish a schedule of activities and a timeline for the system to have a certified chief operator who has met all applicable certification requirements. (G) No person, firm, corporation, municipal corporation or other governmental subdivision or agency may operate a wastewater system unless the operator of the facility is duly certified by the department as provided in 10 CSR 20-9.030 or 10 CSR 20-9.020(F) except during periods of emergency or disaster. AUTHORITY: section 644.026, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed July 15, 1976, effective March 1, 1977. Rescinded and readopted: Filed Nov. 1, 1983, effective July 1, 1984. Rescinded and readopted: Filed July 15, 1991, effective March 1, 1992. Amended: Filed June 13, 2018, effective Feb. 28, 2019. *Original authority: 644.026, RSMo 1972, amended 1973, 1987, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2012, 2014.