Certification of Wastewater Operators

PURPOSE: This rule sets out the requirements that a person must meet to obtain a wastewater operator certificate. (1) Definitions. Definitions as set forth in the Missouri Clean Water Law and 10 CSR 202.010 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) Certificate of Competency. A document issued by the department stating that the recipient named on the certificate has satisfied the requirements for the certification level specified pursuant to this rule. (2) Administration. (A) The department shall serve as the certifying agency for wastewater treatment system personnel. (B) Any applicant whose certification is denied, suspended, or revoked may appeal to the Administrative Hearing Commission as provided in section 621.250, RSMo. (3) Certification of Competency. (A) Certificates issued by the department, and valid on March 1, 1992, are valid as certifications of competency in the equivalent class and shall be governed by the provisions of this rule. Initial renewal of the certificates shall be as outlined in section (4) of this rule. (B) Certifications at the appropriate level shall be issued to individuals successfully passing the certification examination and fulfilling experience requirements of subsection (3)(I) of this rule. The expiration date of the certifications shall coincide with renewal requirements as provided in subsection (4)(B) of this rule. An examination score of seventy percent (70%) correct shall be considered a passing grade. (C) All certification examinations pursuant to this rule shall be administered through the department. Examination shall be available at a frequency of not less than four (4) times annually. Examination application forms and information, including examination dates and locations, shall be available through the department. (D) A completed application form for examination must be submitted to the department no later than thirty (30) days before the scheduled examination session. An application fee of twenty dollars ($20) and a certification fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) for a total of forty-five dollars ($45) shall accompany each 6ROLGV+DQGOLQJ 6OXGJHKROGLQJ  $QDHURELFGLJHVWLRQ  $HURELFGLJHVWLRQ  (YDSRUDWLYHVOXGJHGU\LQJ  0HFKDQLFDOGHZDWHULQJ  6ROLGVUHGXFWLRQLQFLQHUDWLRQZHWR[LGDWLRQ  /DQGDSSOLFDWLRQ       'LVLQIHFWLRQ &KORULQDWLRQRUFRPSDUDEOH  2QVLWHJHQHUDWLRQRIGLVLQIHFWDQWH[FHSWXOWUDYLROHWOLJKW  'HFKORULQDWLRQ  8OWUDYLROHWOLJKW   5HTXLUHG/DERUDWRU\&RQWURO3HUIRUPHGE\3ODQW3HUVRQQHOKLJKHVWOHYHORQO\ /DEZRUNGRQHRXWVLGHWKHSODQW  3XVKEXWWRQRUYLVXDOPHWKRGVIRUVLPSOHWHVWVVXFKDVS+VHWWOHDEOHVROLGV  $GGLWLRQDOSURFHGXUHVVXFKDV'2&2'%2'WLWUDWLRQVVROLGVYRODWLOHFRQWHQW  0RUHDGYDQFHGGHWHUPLQDWLRQVVXFKDV%2'VHHGLQJSURFHGXUHIHFDOFROLIRUPQXWULHQWVWRWDO RLOVSKHQROVHWF  +LJKO\VRSKLVWLFDWHGLQVWUXPHQWDWLRQVXFKDVDWRPLFDEVRUSWLRQDQGJDVFKURPDWRJUDSK   727$/   ,IXQLTXHWUHDWPHQWSODQWFRQGLWLRQVGLVWRUWWKHSRLQWWRWDOWKHGHSDUWPHQWPD\DGMXVWWKHIDFLOLW\FODVVLILFDWLRQ application. (E) Exams shall contain, but not necessarily be limited to, questions pertaining to the Missouri wastewater regulations, general wastewater systems knowledge, water quality, applied mathematics, chemistry, laboratory testing procedures as applied to wastewater treatment, hydraulics, pumps and operation. (F) Any examinee who fails to receive a passing grade may not repeat that level examination for a period of not less than sixty (60) days. The applicant must submit a new application for each repeat examination. (G) Any examinee who fails a certification examination three (3) times and has not successfully completed a department-approved multi-day training course approved for wastewater treatment within the previous twelve (12) months must do so prior to any further reexamination at that level. (H) An individual applying to take the examination will be allowed to reschedule twice within one year of the application date. After that, s/he must reapply as required in subsection (3)(D) of this rule. (I) Approval of applicant eligibility for certification of competency shall be the responsibility of the department. In order to be eligible for a certificate, the applicant will have accumulated actual or equivalent operational experience in accordance with Table 1. 1. Actual wastewater treatment operating experience means the skills and knowledge acquired from making or acting upon day-today process control/system integrity decisions rather than from textbook study or supervisory observation. It means the applicant has actually operated a wastewater treatment system. In addition, the applicant should have experience in some combination of wastewater treatment system operational tasks such as: sample collection, routine operational monitoring, interpretation of test results, calculation of chemical dosages and subsequent adjustment of chemical feeders, flow rate and pumping adjustments, disinfection, and completion of operational reports. 2. Equivalent wastewater treatment operating experience means skills and knowledge acquired from education as described in this rule or work experience that has a substantial relationship to wastewater treatment. (J) Years of equivalent experience shall be computed from the following criteria. 1. Operation of potable water treatment facilities and wastewater collection systems will be given equivalent credit of actual calendar years of operation. 2. General vocational training or work experience in related areas will be considered by the department on a case-by-case basis and limited to a maximum of six (6) months’ equivalent experience. 3. Documentation submitted for equivalent experience credit that does not fit the previously mentioned criteria will be evaluated by the department on a case-by-case basis. (K) Any person not possessing the necessary operational experience may take the examination. 1. Upon successful completion of the examination, the individual will have to obtain the necessary operational experience within eighteen months. If the necessary experience is not obtained with the eighteenmonth limit, the individual must reexamine to be certified at that level of competency. (L) The minimum age for certification shall be eighteen (18) years. (M) Education Requirement. 1. The minimum education requirement for certification is fulfilled by meeting any one (1) of the following conditions: a high school diploma; a general equivalency diploma (GED); successful completion of special department-approved training appropriate to wastewater treatment; or six (6) months of experience. 2. Training or experience used to meet the education requirement will not be counted as equivalent experience credit. Training or experience used to meet the education requirement is not included in the maximum limit on equivalent experience in subsection (3)(J). (4) Certificate Renewal. (A) All certificates issued by the department shall be renewed at least every three (3) years, unless prorated by the department to some other time frame. All applicants for renewal shall meet the training requirements set forth in subsection (4)(B) prior to the expiration date stated on each individual’s certificate. (B) Before a certificate will be renewed, the applicant must submit suitable documentation that s/he has obtained not less than thirty (30) hours of approved renewal training. Only training approved by the department will be accepted. Each certified operator is responsible for documenting his/her training. (C) The department shall send notification of certification expiration to the certificate holder at the last known address at least sixty (60) days prior to the certificate’s expiration date. Failure of the department to notify the certificate holder of certification expiration does not relieve the certificate holder of the responsibility for renewal. (D) Any certificate not renewed within sixty (60) days of the expiration date will be considered lapsed. Any person with a lapsed certification will have to reexamine as provided in section (3) of this rule. (E) Provided the department has received a timely and complete application for certification renewal, possesses sufficient renewal training and through no fault of the certificate holder the department is unable to issue a new certification before the expiration date of the previous certification, automatically the validity of the expired certification shall continue until the department acts on the renewal application. (F) Certification renewal fee is forty-five dollars ($45) and shall accompany the certificate holder’s application for renewal. Application for renewal must be made on the form provided by the department. (G) A late fee of ten dollars ($10) per month, up to a total of twenty dollars ($20) shall be assessed for any certification renewed after the expiration date. (5) Reciprocity. (A) Certificates may be issued, without examination, to any person who holds a valid certificate obtained by examination in any state, territory, country, or any other certifying authority, if the requirements for certification of operators under which the person’s certificate was issued do not conflict with the provisions of this rule, are at least as stringent as this rule, and provide the applicant— 1. Has working experience with a wastewater treatment system in the state or other authorized area which supplied the certification for which reciprocity is requested; 2. Obtains employment with a Missouri wastewater treatment system; and 3. Makes application for reciprocity within one hundred eighty (180) days after beginning that employment. The form described in subsection (12)(C) must be submitted along    &HUWLILFDWLRQ/HYHO ,Q3ODQW$FWXDO2SHUDWLQJ([SHULHQFH5HTXLUHG $ \HDUV\HDUVRIZKLFKPD\EHHTXLYDOHQW % \HDUV\HDURIZKLFKPD\EHHTXLYDOHQW & \HDUV\HDURIZKLFKPD\EHHTXLYDOHQW ' PRQWKVDOORIZKLFKPD\EHHTXLYDOHQW *UDGXDWLRQIURPDSSURYHGRQH\HDUFHUWLILFDWHSURJUDP LQZDWHUZDVWHZDWHUWHFKQRORJ\ \HDU &ROOHJHOHYHOFRXUVHVLQELRORJLFDOHQYLURQPHQWDOVFLHQFHV JUDGH&RUEHWWHUUHTXLUHG2PD[LPXPFUHGLWRIVL[ PRQWKV PRQWKSHU VHPHVWHU KRXUV 7ZR\HDUDVVRFLDWHGHJUHHLQDOOLHGILHOGIRUH[DPSOH HQYLURQPHQWDOKHDOWKVFLHQFHELRORJ\FKHPLVWU\ \HDUV )RXU\HDUFROOHJHGHJUHHLQDOOLHGILHOGVIRUH[DPSOH HQYLURQPHQWDOVFLHQFHVELRORJ\FKHPLVWU\DQG HQJLQHHULQJ \HDUV $SSURYHGPXOWLZHHNHQWU\OHYHODGYDQFHGRU FRUUHVSRQGHQFHFRXUVHV2PD[LPXPFUHGLWRIRQH\HDU \HDU with the application fee of forty dollars ($40). (B) The fee for a certificate issued under the provisions of this section is twenty-five dollars ($25). (C) The level of certification issued will be determined by the state of origin’s minimum requirements for the level of certification held in that state. (D) If the applicant is not employed in a Missouri wastewater facility, but meets all other requirements for reciprocal certification, the department will issue a letter of intent to issue certification which will be valid for one hundred eighty (180) days. Upon employment in a Missouri wastewater facility, and provided all other requirements are met, the applicant may apply for a certificate. If the applicant does not obtain Missouri employment before the expiration date of the letter, s/he will have to reapply for reciprocal certification. (6) Denial, Suspension or Revocation. (A) The department may deny, suspend or revoke any certification for any of the following reasons: fraud or deceit in obtaining certification; negligence, incompetence or willful malpractice in the holder’s action in operating a wastewater treatment facility or appurtenances, or falsification of facility operating records or reports required by 10 CSR 20, or willful violation of 10 CSR 20. (B) Notice of suspension or revocation action shall be issued by the commission’s director of staff with service by hand delivery or through certified mail to the certificate holder at that individual’s last known address. That notice shall state the reason(s) for revocation, the effective date of the revocation and the action(s) the certificate holder may take to contest the revocation. (C) Application for certification examination by the holder of a revoked certificate may not be made sooner than one (1) year from the effective date of revocation. Acceptance of any such application shall be at the discretion of the department. Certification by reciprocity shall not be available for a certificate holder whose certification has been revoked. (D) Any revoked certificate shall be returned to the department. (7) The certificate holder shall notify the department of any change in status including, but not limited to, change of name, change of address and change of employer. (8) All fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. AUTHORITY: section 644.026, RSMo 2016.* Original rule 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. **Pursuant to Executive Order 21-07, 10 CSR 20-9.030, subsection (4)(B) was suspended from April 30, 2020 through February 1, 2021 and subsection (4)(G) was suspended from April 19, 2021 through June 30, 2021.