FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 388

                                  C 357 L 87

BYHouse Committee on Environmental Affairs (originally sponsored by Representatives Rust, Allen, Valle, Cole, Unsoeld and Todd; by request of Department of Ecology)

Changing provisions relating to wastewater treatment facilities.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Senate Committee on Parks & Ecology

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

In 1973, legislation was enacted requiring the certification of sewage treatment plant operators.  The Department of Ecology sets standards for the qualification and certification of those who operate sewage treatment plants.  Plants are classified as to their complexity and operators in charge are required to be certified in relation to plant complexity.  Currently there are approximately 1,600 certified operators in Washington.

Operators who wish to become certified in Washington pay an application fee of $10.  An annual renewal fee of $5 is required to maintain all certification.  These fees are set in statute and have not been increased since the law was enacted in 1973.  The Washington operator certification program is not self-supporting and is subsidized by referendum money.

Many operator certification programs in other states contain a requirement that the fee schedule support all program- related expenses.  The initial certification fee in California ranges from $45 to $50, and the initial fee in Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho is $25.  The annual renewal fee in those states ranges from $10 to $20.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Ecology is directed to establish a sewage treatment plant operator certification fee schedule sufficient to recover the costs of the certification program.  The application fee for operator certification cannot exceed $50 and the annual renewal fee cannot exceed $30.  The renewal period may not exceed three years.  Individuals who fail to renew on time are subject to a 60-day certificate suspension.

The operator in charge of a treatment plant must be certified at a level equal to or higher than the classification level of the plant being operated.  Shift operators must be certified no lower than one level lower than the classification rating of the plant.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 97   0

      Senate    46     0(Senate amended)

      House 96   1(House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987