1. (a) Except as provided in section 3680.2, each chief plant operator and designated operator-in-charge shall possess a valid operator certificate at a grade level at least equivalent to the following:

   Wastewater Treatment Plant Classification

   Minimum Grade Level of Chief Plant Operator

   Minimum Grade Level of Designated Operator-in-Charge

   I

   I

   I

   II

   II

   I

   III

   III

   II

   IV

   IV

   III

   V

   V

   III

2. (b) Except as provided in section 3680.2, a chief plant operator shall appoint a certified operator to be the designated operator-in-charge for any period of time during which the chief plant operator is unable to carry out the responsibilities of the position of “chief plant operator” as defined in section 3671.
3. (c) All operators shall possess at least a valid Grade I certificate, a valid provisional operator certificate, or a valid operator-in-training certificate. At Class IV and V wastewater treatment plants, at least 50 percent of the operators shall possess valid operator or operator-in-training certificates at the Grade II level or higher.
4. (d) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) through (c), if an owner of a wastewater treatment plant using a sequencing batch reactor or extended aeration treatment for process control submits the reportable items in section 3676(b) and the Office of Operator Certification gives the wastewater treatment plant a higher classification than the wastewater treatment plant's prior classification, the owner shall, within 365 days from the date that the Office of Operator Certification classifies the wastewater treatment plant, staff the wastewater treatment plant with certified operators of the appropriate grade level as set forth in this section.

Except as provided in section 3680.1, this section applies to operators.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 1058 and 13627, Water Code. Reference: Section 13627, Water Code.

History

1. Editorial correction renumbering section 2460 of chapter 3 to section 3680 filed 3-25-82; designated effective 1-6-82 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 82, No. 13).

2. Amendment filed 7-26-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 31).

3. Repealer of Article 3 and section, and new Article 3 and section filed 6-24-92; operative 6-24-92 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 92, No. 26).

4. Amendment of subsections (b)-(c) filed 3-27-98; operative 4-26-98 (Register 98, No. 13).

5. Amendment of article heading, section heading, section and Note filed 1-28-2013; operative 4-1-2013 (Register 2013, No. 5).