I had a question on Wastewater 101’s Facebook page regarding Indiana’s certification and I started wondering about the difference between the states and the certification for Water/Wastewater and/or Collection System and/or Laboratory. So I will be blogging about the different certification information from each state over the next few months and I decided to start with Alabama. 

Becoming a Certified Public Water System or Public Wastewater System Operator in Alabama

To become a certified Water or Wastewater System Operator, a person must complete a State of Alabama Water & Wastewater Operator Exam Application (Form 505). This form is available on the ADEM web page. An applicant submits the form via regular mail to the address shown on the form. Electronic submittals of Form 505 are not presently accepted by the ADEM. The appropriate exam fee must accompany the exam application that is mailed to ADEM.

AMP will notify the applicant by e-mail and private mailbox that he or she is approved to sit for the exam. The applicant will take an electronic exam at one of the 6 test centers located around the state (for example, in Montgomery, a local H&R Block office is established as a private proctored test center). The applicant selects a convenient site for the exam and registers in advance for the exam at the following Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP) web site: www.goamp.com and click on “Register For This Exam”.

An applicant will be notified at the test center if he or she passes or fails the exam. If the exam is failed, the applicant may repeat the application and registration process and retake the exam at their own pace. However, the applicant must re-apply by submitting both a new Form 505 and a new exam fee with each application submitted to re-take an exam.

When an applicant passes the exam with a grade of 70 or better, the applicant will have earned the title of an “Operator Intern”. The test center will provide the applicant with an Operator Intern number. At that point, the intern must complete his or her minimum Operator Intern experience, as outlined in the ADEM regulations. The intern must continue to work in a publicly-owned, permitted facility for the length of time listed in ADEM’s Chapter 335 Division 10 regulations (335-10-1). When the minimum duration of experience is obtained by the intern, he or she must complete a State of Alabama Water and Wastewater Operator Experience Verification (Form 506). The Form 506 is submitted to ADEM by mail (no electronic submittal accepted), along with the applicable Form 506 fee.

ADEM will evaluate the intern’s experience and make a determination. The intern will be notified by mail and, upon approval, ADEM will mail the intern a valid Operator Certificate. An intern has 5 years to obtain the minimum experience required to become certified or the intern must retake the exam for that grade level.

The link below explains Alabama’s Environmental Regulations and State Laws including the following: http://www.adem.state.al.us/alEnviroReglaws/files/Div10Eff4-3-07.pdf

Purpose
Definitions
Classification of Systems
Staffing Requirements
Reciprocal Certificates
Certification by Examination
Examinations
Qualification for Certification
Re-examination
Continuing Education
Certification Expiration and Renewal
Revocation of Certification
Violations
Certification Required for Operation
Process Control Decisions

Licensing in Alabama is as follows:
Wastewater treatment plants, water treatment plants, water distribution systems, and public wastewater collection systems are classified by grades in accordance with the following:
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS
(I ) Wastewater treatment lagoon (ALL Sizes)
(II ) Trickling filter and/or biological contactor process plant (0 to .999MGD)
Activated sludge process plant (0 to .999MGD)
(III) Trickling filter and/or biological contactor process plant (1.000 to 15.000 MGD)
Activated sludge process plant (1.000 to 5.000 MGD)
(IV) Trickling filter and/or biological contactor process plant (>15.000 MGD)
Activated sludge process plant (>5.000 MGD)
PUBLIC WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS
(I [C]) Public wastewater collection systems (ALL Sizes)
WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
(II) Basic groundwater treatment plants (ALL Sizes)
(III) Advanced groundwater treatment plants (ALL Sizes)
(IV) Surface water treatment plants (ALL Sizes)
WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
(I) Water distribution system (ALL Sizes)

For More Information Contact
ADEM
Attn: Operator Certification
Post Office Box 301463
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1463
(334) 271-7796
(334) 271-7950 fax

Links:
Certification:
http://www.adem.state.al.us/programs/water/opcertification.cnt

Fee Schedule:
http://www.adem.state.al.us/programs/water/waterforms/opcertfeeschedule.pdf