HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 388

BYRepresentatives 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

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (14)

     Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Allen, Brekke, Ferguson, Jesernig, Lux, May, Pruitt, Schoon, D. Sommers, Sprenkle, Unsoeld and Walker.

House Staff:Bonnie Austin (786-7107)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 16, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In 1973 the legislature passed an act requiring the certification of sewage treatment plant operators.  Under this act 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 state operator certification programs contain a statutory provision requiring that the fee schedule support all program- related expenses.  The initial certification fee in California ranges from $45-50, and the initial fee in Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho is $25.  The annual renewal fee in those states ranges from $10-20.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Department of Ecology shall establish by rule a sewage treatment plant operator certification fee schedule sufficient to recover the costs of the certification program.  The renewal period shall be established by rule, not to exceed three years. Individuals who fail to renew on time are subject to a sixty day certificate suspension.

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

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The "owner" of a wastewater treatment plant in the case of a city is the city acting through its chief executive officer or the leasee if operated pursuant to a lease or contract, rather than the mayor or the mayor's designee.

Fiscal Note:    Requested February 3, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Department of Ecology; Washington Association of Cities.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     Certification programs in other states require a self-supporting fee schedule.  Fees in this state have not been increased since 1973 and are below the range of fees required elsewhere.  The current certification program is not self-supporting and is subsidized by referendum money.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.