In the state of Indiana all Wastewater Operator certifications are due to be renewed by June 30th, the only distinction is what year. If you hold a Class A-SO or I-SP you have to obtain 5 contact hours.  If you hold a Class I, II, A, B you must obtain 10 contact hours.  If you hold a Class III, IV or C, D you must obtain 20 contact hours.  Of those contact hours only 30% can be General in nature, you must have 70% or more Technical hours.  If you aren’t sure if you have enough contact hours you can check out your hours at the IDEM web-site: http://www.in.gov/idem/5088.htm  and scroll down to (Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) for Active License Wastewater Operators) [PDF].

If you took the Apprentice exam and passed you will also have a renewal date, and you must also maintain the amount of contact hours (as listed above) for the level of Apprenticeship you hold.  So if you have a Class II Apprentice card you must obtain 10 contact hours – with at least 70% Technical hours.

* What is a wastewater apprentice?  The latest version of 327-IAC 5-22, effective March 18, 2008 includes a new classification The Apprentice classification allows persons with no experience at a wastewater treatment facility to take the exact same Certification Examination taken by those wishing to obtain certification. The person need only complete the short Apprentice exam form and pay the $30 fee by the deadline for the next wastewater certification exam. Having passed the exam might allow an apprentice to more easily get a job in the wastewater industry and acquire the necessary experience to then apply for certification.

If I become a Wastewater Apprentice, may I be in responsible charge of any wastewater plant? is as follows: A person who has successfully passed the commissioner’s wastewater treatment operator’s certification examination but has not fulfilled either the educational or experience requirements, or both, necessary to qualify to be a certified operator.  A wastewater treatment apprentice shall not be designated as the certified operator in responsible charge of a wastewater treatment plant.  If I become a Wastewater Apprentice, how do I get my certification?  In order to become a wastewater treatment certified operator, the apprentice must:  1.  Meet the educational and experience requirements applicable to the class of wastewater treatment certified operator for which the apprenticeship is held. 2.  Fulfill the continuing education credit requirements applicable to the class of wastewater treatment certified operator for which the apprenticeship is held.  3.  Complete a certification application.  4.  Submit application with fee not later than six (6) years after the date of successfully completing the exam. An apprentice card will be sent to each person passing the exam with the six-year expiration date listed, also the card will reiterate that an apprentice may not be designated as the operator in charge of any wastewater facility.

If you don’t have enough contact hours and are the certified operator you can NO LONGER sign any official reports, but you do NOT lose your license.  You have a three (3) year grace period to obtain all of your needed contact hours before you have to retest.  You just need to make up the hours you needed for the previous 2 year cycle and obtain the amount needed for the cycle you are working on, send in the fee and you will receive your certification.

* If my certification expires, can I reinstate it?

Yes, Indiana law gives operators a three-year grace period to reinstate their certification without reexamination.  The agency may reinstate the certification if the certified operator: 1. Submits payment of any arrearage of fees; 2. Submits payment of the current renewal fee; 3. Fulfills arrearage of continuing education credit requirements; AND 4. Is current in meeting continuing education credit requirements.  If the operator fails to renew a certificate for three (3) successive years, the operator must reapply and retest in accordance with certification rule 327 IAC 5-22 to become recertified. If the certification rule changes during the period when an operator has allowed a certification to lapse, that operator may no longer be qualified to sit for the same exam as before.  Remember that once your  certification expires, you are no longer certified, even though you are in the three-year grace period. Operators in the three-year grace period may not act in responsible charge of a wastewater treatment facility, sign self-monitoring reports or prepare reports under their expired certification.

If you or operators at your facility need contact hours consider contacting Wastewater 101 for on-site contact hours.  It can be a very cost effective way to get your mandatory contact hours.  Check out the Courses/Certification page for a list of topics with recommended hours and use the contact form call to get a quote for a for an on-site course.  If there is something you  are interested in, but isn’t listed contact us and we can make arrangements.

* From: Indiana Wastewater Certification Manual  (http://www.in.gov/idem/5111.htm)