(a)
Classification of operators
There shall be four classes of operator certification: Class I,
Class II, Class III, and Class IV.
(b)
Language requirement for
certification
An applicant for operator certification shall be able to speak,
read and write the English language to the extent deemed necessary to perform
the duties thereof.
(c)
Minimum requirements for operator certification
(1) Class I Operator
An applicant for Class I Operator certification shall (A)
submit satisfactory evidence of (i) at least one year of experience in the
operation of a wastewater treatment facility of Class I or higher; (ii) a high
school diploma or G.E.D.; and (iii) successful completion of a basic wastewater
treatment facility operation course, approved by the commissioner, equaling at
least nine CEU's; and (B) pass the Class I examination. No substitutions for
the requirements of this subdivision shall be permitted.
(2) Class II Operator
An applicant for Class II operator certification shall (A)
submit satisfactory evidence of (i) at least three years of experience in the
operation of a wastewater treatment facility of Class I or higher; (ii) a high
school diploma or G.E.D.; and (iii) successful completion of higher education
equivalent to at least 30 CEUs in a field determined by the commissioner to be
related to the operation of a wastewater treatment facility, of which at least
18 CEUs are directly related to the operation of a wastewater treatment
facility; and (B) pass the Class II examination.
(3) Class III Operator
An applicant for Class III operator certification shall (A)
submit satisfactory evidence of (i) at least four years of experience in the
operation of a wastewater treatment facility of Class II or higher; (ii) a high
school diploma or G.E.D.; and (iii) successful completion of higher education
equivalent to at least 90 CEUs in a field determined by the commissioner to be
related to the operation of a wastewater treatment facility; and (B) pass the
Class III examination.
(4)
Class IV Operator
An applicant for Class IV operator certification shall submit
satisfactory evidence of (A) at least four years of experience in the operation
of a Class III or IV wastewater treatment facility, of which experience at
least two years are direct responsible charge experience as a chief operator at
a Class III wastewater treatment facility or shift or process control operator
at a Class IV wastewater treatment facility;
(i) a high school diploma or G.E.D.; and
(ii) successful completion of
higher education equivalent to at least 135 CEUs in a field determined by the
commissioner to be related to the operation of a wastewater treatment facility;
and (B) pass the Class IV examination.
(5) Operator-in-training
(A) An applicant for Class I, II or III
operator certification shall be designated by the commissioner, in writing, to
become an operator-in-training in Class I, II, or III, respectively, if such
applicant meets all the requirements for such certification except for the
minimum operating experience requirement under subdivisions (c)(1), (c)(2), or
(c)(3) of this section, respectively. Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of
this subdivision, when the owner of the wastewater treatment facility at which
an operator-in-training is employed notifies the commissioner in writing that
such operator-in-training has satisfied the minimum experience requirements for
the certification at issue, the commissioner shall issue said
certificate.
(B) An
operator-in-training who, within five years after passing the certification
examination does not obtain the required minimum experience for the certificate
applied for shall not be awarded such certificate unless he or she reapplies
therefor, takes the certification exam and passes such examination, and
satisfies the minimum experience requirement.
(d)
Substitution of higher education
for minimum operating experience requirements
(1) General
(A) There shall be no substitution for the
minimum operating experience requirement for Class I operator certification
prescribed in subdivision (c)(1) of this section.
(B) Higher education may be substituted for
up to fifty per cent of the minimum operating experience requirement for
Classes II, III, and IV operator certification prescribed in subdivisions
(c)(2), (c)(3), and (c)(4) of this section.
(C) Higher education shall not be substituted
for the required direct responsible charge experience prescribed in subdivision
(c)(4) of this section.
(D) Higher
education which is substituted for any operating experience requirement
prescribed in subsection (c) of this section shall not also be applied to any
minimum education requirement prescribed by such subsection.
(2) Higher education equivalents
For the purposes of the Wastewater Treatment Operator
Regulations:
(A) Forty-five CEUs are
equivalent to one year of higher education. One semester hour is equivalent to
1.6 CEUs.
(B) Forty-five CEUs are
equivalent to one year of operating experience.
(3) Operator training courses
Any course, seminar, workshop, conference or college course
which the commissioner determines in his sole judgement to be related to
wastewater treatment facility operation may be used to meet the higher
education requirements of subparagraphs (c)(1)(A), (c)(2)(A), (c)(3)(A), and
(c)(4)(A) of this section. The commissioner shall determine in his sole
judgement the number of CEUs to which particular hours of higher education are
equivalent.
(e)
Substitution of other experience for minimum operating experience
requirements
(1) For up to 50 percent
of the minimum operating experience requirement for Class I, II, III, or IV
certification the commissioner may, in his discretion, allow an applicant to
substitute operating experience from the maintenance operation of a wastewater
treatment facility, from operations of a drinking water treatment facility,
from the laboratory operation of a drinking water treatment facility, or from a
wastewater treatment facility which does not utilize biological treatment
processes, provided that the commissioner determines that the proposed
substitute experience is sufficiently related to the operation of a wastewater
treatment facility.
(2) There shall
be no substitution for direct responsible charge experience.
(f)
Substitution of direct
responsible charge experience for higher education CEU requirements
(1) For up to fifteen CEUs of the higher
education requirement in subdivision (c)(3) of this section, the commissioner
may in his discretion allow an applicant to substitute up to four months of
direct responsible charge experience in a Class II wastewater treatment
facility as the chief operator or up to four months of direct responsible
charge experience in a Class III wastewater treatment facility.
(2) For up to thirty CEUs of the higher
education requirement in subdivision (c)(4) of this section, the commissioner
may in his discretion allow an applicant to substitute up to eight months of
direct responsible charge experience in a Class III wastewater treatment
facility as the chief operator or up to eight months of direct responsible
charge experience in a Class IV wastewater treatment facility.
(3) Direct responsible charge experience
substituted for any education requirement in subsection (c) of this section
shall not also be applied to any minimum experience requirement
thereunder.
(g)
Direct responsible charge accumulation. For purposes of
subsections (d) and (f) of this section:
(1)
Direct responsible charge experience for a chief operator shall accumulate at
the rate of 100% of time as a chief operator.
(2) Direct responsible charge experience for
a shift operator shall accumulate at the rate of 100% of time as a shift
operator.
(3) Direct responsible
charge experience for a process control operator shall accumulate at the rate
of 50% of time as a process control operator.
(4) Any certified operator acting as chief or
shift operator for a minimum period of 2 consecutive working days under
subdivisions (b)(8) and (b)(9) of section
22a-416-6
of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies during the absence of the
permanent chief operator or shift operator may accrue direct responsible charge
experience for that time.
Notes
Conn. Agencies Regs. §
22a-416-4
Effective June 25, 1984;
Amended June 5, 2000