(1) The department shall establish and collect fees for the issuance and renewal of wastewater treatment plant operator certificates as provided for in RCW 70A.212.090. The department, with the advice of an advisory committee, shall establish an initial fee schedule by rule. Fees shall be established in amounts to fully recover and not to exceed expenses incurred by the department to administer the wastewater operator certification program, to include evaluating applications necessary to verify compliance with certification requirements, maintaining and administering credible examinations, ensuring operators receive necessary training, outreach, and technical assistance, enforcing certification program requirements, providing necessary education and training to program staff, and supporting the overhead expenses related to administering the wastewater operator certification program.

(2) Once the initial fee schedule is adopted by rule, the department shall conduct a workload analysis and prepare a biennial budget estimate for the wastewater treatment plant operator certification program. Thereafter, the department shall assess and collect fees from all wastewater treatment plant operators at a level that fully recovers the costs identified in its biennial operating budget.

(3) If fee increases above the state's fiscal growth factor are proposed, due to an expansion of the wastewater operator certification program, the department must submit a report to the legislature describing the need for the increase.