Arizona Operator Certification Program

Operator certifications are classified into one of four grades by facility type, size, complexity and population served. The grade corresponds with the level of system complexity with Grade 1 being the most simple and Grade 4 being the most complex. Operators are required to maintain their certification through participation in continuing professional education workshops and must be re-certified every three years.

ARIZONA OPERATOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What must I do to become a certified operator?

An applicant must comply with the education and experience requirements for the certification classification and grade for which application is made and achieve a passing score on the certification examination.

2. Can I still become a certified operator if I didn’t finish high school?

An applicant must have graduated high school or the equivalent pursuant to R18-5-112.D(1) of the Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.).

3. I passed a GED test. Does this satisfy the high school requirement?

The rule refers to “high school graduation or the equivalent”. High school equivalency is accepted as being equal to a high school diploma.

4. If I have a bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline, do I still have to pass an examination and meet the experience requirements?

Each applicant must pass an examination and meet minimum experience requirements to become a certified operator.  However, an applicant may be eligible to take a higher grade examination depending on the amount of post secondary education that an applicant has completed. ADEQ will review the education and experience to determine if you are qualified to take an examination at a higher grade level.

5. Do I have to attend a class to become a certified operator?

You do not have to attend a mandatory class to become a certified operator. However, a class or refresher course may be very helpful.

6. How do I apply for an examination?

ADEQ Operator Certification Program has a contract with Gateway Community College (GWCC) to proctor Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) exams. Gateway Community College web link is http://www.gatewaycc.edu/Environment/. Please contact the contractor directly for exam dates, times, and exam fees. The applicant is responsible for any fees associated with taking an examination.

7. Is there a fee for the certificate that ADEQ issues?

* There are currently no fees for a certificate. This includes a new or renewed certificate and a certificate gained through reciprocity.

* Operator Certification Fee Proposal

ADEQ seeks to establish new and reasonable fees for the certification of water and wastewater operators. ADEQ’s proposed fees are directly related to the level of effort expended by the department to administer the operator certification program. The revenue from these fees will be deposited in the State General Fund. The proposed fees are $65 per new certificate; $150 per certificate renewal and $50 for each additional renewal if expiration date is the same; $150 per early exam request review and $250 per reciprocity request review.

Failure to establish new fees for the ADEQ State Drinking Water (SDW) program could negatively impact ADEQ’s ability to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act requirements and potentially impact the quality and safety of Arizona’s drinking water systems. Furthermore, ADEQ’s delegated authority could be lost and oversight of the drinking water program could revert to the U.S. EPA.

On December 4, 2014, ADEQ submitted the Notice of Final Rulemaking to the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC). GRRC is the final step in the rulemaking process and decides whether the rules should be approved, in whole or in part, with or without changes, or be returned to the agency, in whole or in part, or tabled until a later meeting. GRRC reviews rules to ensure that they are necessary and to avoid duplication and adverse impact on the public. GRRC assesses whether a rule is clear, concise, understandable, legal, consistent with legislative intent, within the agency’s statutory authority, and whether the benefits of a rule outweigh the cost. A copy of the Notice of Final Rulemaking, as it was submitted, is available at ADEQ’s website. 

8. Do I have to notify the Department before taking an examination?

No. You may directly contact the contractor and complete an application for examination. The contractor and/or ADEQ will determine if you are qualified to take an examination. The department then issues the certificate by inputting the data into the operator certification database. The actual certificate is printed at the beginning of each month and mailed to the address on the certificate obtained from the application.

9. What type of examination is required to become a certified operator?

Examinations are 100 questions in length. Questions pertain to operating a water treatment plant, distribution system, wastewater treatment plant or collection system, and regulatory questions from the appropriate sections of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act. An applicant is required to score a minimum of 70% correct on an examination in order to attain a passing grade.  For all grades of water treatment plant operator or distribution system operator examinations, regulatory questions will be taken from the Safe Drinking Water Act.

For all grades of wastewater treatment plant operator or collection system operator examinations, regulatory questions will be taken from the Clean Water Act.

10. Do I have to take continuing education to maintain my certificate?

No. In lieu of continuing education, an operator may retake and pass a written examination for the same class and grade or, if eligible, the next higher grade.

11. Will the Department notify me before my certificate expires?

No. It is the responsibility of the operator to maintain the requirements associated with certification. This includes notifying the Department of a change of address as well as renewing a certificate on time. If an operator is unsure when a specific certificate expires, the Department will furnish the operator with this information. In addition, the Department has a current database with each active operator’s information available on the ADEQ website.

If you have additional questions that were not covered in this document contact:

William P. Reed

Operator Certification Program

1110 W Washington St.

Phoenix, AZ 85007

Ph (602) 771-4638

Fax (602) 771-4634

E-mail: wpr@azdeq.gov

OR

Noah R. Adams

Operator Certification Program

1110 W Washington St.

Phoenix, AZ 85007

Ph (602) 771-4511

Fax (602) 771-4634

E-mail: nra@azdeq.gov