WSR 17-23-119
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
[Filed November 17, 2017, 9:15 a.m., effective December 18, 2017]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: WAC 246-292-060 Minimum education and experience requirements to become a certified operator. The rule making modifies experience requirements to increase the number of certified operators available to operate Group A public water systems.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-292-060.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 70.119.050.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 17-19-029 on September 11, 2017.
A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Theresa Phillips, P.O. Box 47820, Olympia, WA 98504-7820, phone 360-236-3147, TTY 360-833-6388 or 711, email theresa.phillips@doh.wa.gov, web site https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/DrinkingWater.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: November 16, 2017.
John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH
Secretary
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 14-01-003, filed 12/4/13, effective 1/4/14)
WAC 246-292-060 Minimum education and experience requirements to become a certified operator.
(1) Minimum education and operating experience requirements for a water treatment plant operator are in Table 5.
Table 5
WTPO Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Certification Level
Minimum Education Requirement (see Table 7 for equivalents)
Minimum Experience Requirement
((WTPO - OIT
12 years
One of the following:
 
 
•
3 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system;
 
 
•
3 months water-related experience; or
 
 
•
30 hours of relevant water system training (3 CEUs or 3 college credits).))
WTPO 1
12 years
12 months operating experience in a water treatment plant.
WTPO 2
12 years
•
18 months operating experience in a water treatment plant; and
 
 
•
18 months additional water-related experience.
 
 
•
Relevant excess education may substitute for additional water-related experience requirement.
WTPO 3
14 years
•
24 months operating experience in a Class 2 or higher rated water treatment plant; and
 
 
•
24 months additional water-related experience.
 
 
•
Relevant excess education may substitute for additional water-related experience requirement.
WTPO 4
16 years
•
24 months operating experience in a Class 3 or higher rated water treatment plant; and
 
 
•
24 months additional water-related experience.
 
 
•
Relevant excess education may substitute for additional water-related experience requirement.
(2) Minimum education and operating experience requirements for WDS and WDM certification levels are in Table 6.
Table 6
WDS and WDM Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Certification Level
Minimum Education Requirement (see Table 7 for equivalents)
Minimum Experience Requirement
WDS
12 years
6 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system.
((WDM - OIT
12 years
One of the following:
 
 
•
3 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system;
 
 
•
3 months water-related experience; or
 
 
•
30 hours of relevant water system training (3 CEUs or 3 college credits).))
WDM 1
12 years
12 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system.
WDM 2
12 years
•
12 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system; and
 
 
•
24 months additional water-related experience.
 
 
•
Relevant excess education may substitute for additional water-related experience requirement.
WDM 3
14 years
•
12 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system; and
 
 
•
36 months additional water-related experience.
 
 
•
Relevant excess education may substitute for additional water-related experience requirement.
WDM 4
16 years
•
12 months operating experience in a water treatment plant or distribution system; and
 
 
•
36 months additional water-related experience.
 
 
•
Relevant excess education may substitute for additional water-related experience requirement.
(3) OIT requirements. Applicants for a WTPO or WDM OIT certification must meet the following requirements:
(a) Level 1 must meet the minimum education identified in Table 5 or 6 and either:
(i) Three months operating experience in a distribution system or in a water treatment plant;
(ii) Three months water-related experience; or
(iii) Three relevant college credits or thirty hours (three CEUs) of relevant training.
(b) Levels 2 through 4 must meet the minimum education and water-related experience requirements identified in Table 5 or 6 for the applicable certification level, excluding the operating experience requirements.
(4) The minimum education and operating experience requirements for a CCS are:
(a) Twelve years of education (refer to Table 7 for equivalent education requirements); and
(b) At least six months ((operating)) water-related experience ((in a public water system's water treatment plant, distribution system, or water-related experience implementing a cross-connection control program for a consumer's water system not subject to WAC 246-290-490)).
(((4))) (5) A BAT shall have at least twelve years of education (refer to Table 7 for equivalent education requirements).
Table 7
Minimum Education Requirements and Equivalent Education and Substitutions
Minimum Education Requirement
Equivalent Education and Substitutions
12 years of education
•
High school diploma or GED;
 
•
One year of water-related experience may substitute for each year of education through twelfth grade.
14 years of education
•
High school diploma or GED, and one of the following:
 
 
•
A two-year college degree;
 
 
•
60 college semester credits;
 
 
•
90 college quarter credits; or
 
 
•
90 CEUs from relevant water system training.
 
•
One year of operating experience or water-related experience may substitute for each year of education through twelfth grade.
 
•
Two years of operating experience or water-related experience may substitute for each year of college education.
16 years of education
•
High school diploma or GED, and one of the following:
 
 
•
A four-year college degree;
 
 
•
120 college semester credits;
 
 
•
180 college quarter credits; or
 
 
•
180 CEUs from relevant water system training.
 
•
One year of operating experience or water-related experience may substitute for each year of education through twelfth grade.
 
•
Two years of operating experience or water-related experience may substitute for each year of college education.
(((5))) (6) Water-related experience used to substitute for the minimum education requirements must exceed the minimum experience requirements for certification in Tables 5 and 6 before the experience is used as an equivalent education substitution in Table 7.
(((6))) (7) The department may approve an applicant's relevant excess education or water-related experience that meets the requirements in Tables 5, 6, and 7.