IDAPA 24.05.01
This rule applies to applicants, and license holders for:
This rule governs the practice of drinking water and wastewater management in Idaho to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. This rule establishes:
This rule implements the following statute passed by the Idaho Legislature:
Professions, Vocations, and Businesses -
Idaho Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals
Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mountain Time (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
Mailing: PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0063
Physical: 11351 W Chinden Blvd, Bldg 6, Boise, ID 83714
Phone: (208) 334-3233
Fax: (208) 334-3945
E-mail: IBOL@IBOL.IDAHO.GOV
www:IBOL.Idaho.gov
24.05.01 – Rules of the Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals
000. Legal Authority. ... 3
001. Scope. ... 3
002. Definitions. ... 3
003. -- 099. (Reserved) ... 3
100. Licensure. ... 3
101. -- 199. (Reserved) ... 5
200. Practice Standards. ... 5
201. -- 399. (Reserved) ... 6
400. Fees. ... 6
401. -- 999. (Reserved) ... 6
These rules are promulgated pursuant to Sections 54-2406, 54-2607, 67-2614, 67-9406, 67-9609, Idaho Code.
(7-1-24)
These rules govern the practice of drinking water operators, wastewater operators, and backflow assembly testers.
(7-1-24)
01. Very Small Public Drinking Water System. A community or non-transient non-community public water system that serves five hundred (500) persons or less and has no treatment other than disinfection or has only treatment which does not require any chemical treatment, process adjustment, backwashing or media regeneration by an operator (e.g. calcium carbonate filters, granular activated carbon filters, cartridge filters, ion exchangers). (7-1-24)
02. Very Small Wastewater System. A public wastewater system that serves five hundred (500) connections or less and includes a collection system with a system size of six (6) points or less on the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) system classification rating form and is limited to only one (1) of the following wastewater treatment processes: aerated lagoons; non-aerated lagoon(s); primary treatment; or primary treatment discharging to a large soil absorption system (LSAS). (7-1-24)
01. Classifications.
| License Type | Classification |
|---|---|
| Drinking Water Distribution Operator Drinking Water Treatment Operator | Operator-In-Training, Very Small System, Class I Restricted, Class I, II, III, or IV |
| Wastewater Treatment Operator Wastewater Collections Operator | Operator-In-Training, Very Small System, Class I Restricted, Class I, II, III, IV, or Land Application |
| Wastewater Laboratory Analyst | Class I, II, III, or IV |
| Backflow Assembly Tester |
(7-1-24)
02. Examination Requirement. Applicants must pass a written examination for each license type and classification. (7-1-24)
03. Education and Experience Requirements. Applicants must present proof of the following: (7-1-24)
a. Operator-In-Training. Passage of the board-approved examination or enrollment in a board-approved apprenticeship program. The Operator-In-Training license is valid for five (5) years. (7-1-24)
b. Very Small Water. Eighty-eight (88) hours of on-site operating experience at a water system and twelve (12) hours of chlorination and water distribution course(s). (7-1-24)
c. Very Small Wastewater. Eighty-eight (88) hours of on-site operating experience at a wastewater collection or treatment system; six (6) hours of pumps and motors or collection course(s); and six (6) hours of lagoon operation and maintenance, large soil absorption system, or wastewater treatment course(s). (7-1-24)
d. Class I Restricted. Two hundred sixty (260) hours of on-site operating experience at a Class I or higher system during twelve (12) consecutive months with the system and sixteen (16) hours of continuing education relevant to the license. A restricted license is limited to a specific system. (7-1-24)
e. Class I Operator. One thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of on-site operating experience at a Class I or higher system, or 3200 hours of experience at a Very Small Wastewater System, or successful completion of one (1) year of an approved apprenticeship program. (7-1-24)
f. Class II Operator. Four thousand eight hundred (4,800) hours of on-site operating experience at a Class I or higher system or successful completion of an approved apprenticeship program. (7-1-24)
g. Class III Operator. Two (2) years of postsecondary education in environmental control, engineering or related science or successful completion of an approved apprenticeship program and six thousand four hundred (6,400) hours of on-site operating experience, including three thousand two hundred (3,200) hours of responsible charge of a major segment of the system, at a Class II or higher system. (7-1-24)
h. Class IV Operator. Four (4) years of postsecondary education in environmental control, engineering or related science or successful completion of an approved apprenticeship program; and six thousand four hundred (6,400) hours of on-site operating experience, including three thousand two hundred (3,200) hours of responsible charge of a major segment of the system, at a Class III or higher system. (7-1-24)
i. Wastewater Land Application. A wastewater Class I or higher operation license and eight hundred (800) hours of on-site operating experience at a wastewater land application system. A wastewater land application operator who is in responsible charge must be licensed at a class equal to or greater than the wastewater system classification. The wastewater treatment license must be maintained to renew the wastewater land application. (7-1-24)
j. Backflow Assembly Tester. Successful completion of a Board-approved training program and passage of a practical examination using University of Southern California (USC) testing procedures. (7-1-24)
k. Class I Wastewater Laboratory Analyst. One thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of lab experience at a Class I or higher system. (7-1-24)
l. Class II Wastewater Laboratory Analyst. Four thousand eight hundred (4,800) hours of lab experience at a Class I or higher system. (7-1-24)
m. Class III Wastewater Laboratory Analyst. Two (2) years of postsecondary education in environmental control, engineering or related science and six thousand four hundred (6,400) hours of lab experience at a Class II or higher system. (7-1-24)
n. Class IV Wastewater Laboratory Analyst. Four (4) years of postsecondary education in environmental control, engineering or related science and six thousand four hundred (6,400) hours of lab experience at a Class III or higher system. (7-1-24)
04. Substitutions. An applicant may substitute education and experience requirements as follows: (7-1-24)
a. Completion of an apprenticeship program will be accepted in lieu of education or experience requirements as identified in Rule 100.03 if the program provides experience and education related to the operation of Class I-IV systems; is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship; meets the Standards of Apprenticeship developed by the U.S. Department of Labor; and fulfills the requirements in Rules 100.03. (7-1-24)
b. Education for Experience. For Classes I, II, III and IV, postsecondary education in environmental control, engineering or related science can be substituted for up to fifty percent (50%) of the required experience, at a rate of thirty (30) college semester credits or forty-five (45) hours of continuing education for one thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of experience. Education substituted for experience must be in addition to the minimum education requirement. (7-1-24)
c. Experience for Education. One thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of on-site operating experience may be substituted for one (1) year of high school. For Class III and IV, responsible charge experience may be
substituted for postsecondary education at a rate of one thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of experience for one (1) year postsecondary education. Experience substituted for education must be in addition to the minimum experience requirement. (7-1-24)
d. Experience for Experience. (7-1-24)
i. Experience as a laboratory analyst may count towards one-half (1/2) of the required wastewater operating experience and experience as a wastewater operator may count towards one-half (1/2) of the required laboratory analyst experience. (7-1-24)
ii. The following experience may be substituted for one-half (1/2) of the operating experience requirement for Class I, II, III and IV: environmental or operations consultant; environmental or engineering branch of federal, state, county, or local government; wastewater collection system operator; wastewater treatment plant operator; water distribution system operator or manager; and/or waste treatment operation or maintenance. (7-1-24)
iii. The following experience may be substituted for one-half (1/2) of the operating experience requirement for Class I and II: construction of a water or wastewater distribution or collections system if such experience is documented in a declaration from a system owner or licensed operator. (7-1-24)
05. Continuing Education. To renew, a licensee must complete, during the prior licensing period, and retain proof of completion of six (6) classroom hours (0.6 CEUs) of continuing education germane to the license type, except that backflow assembly testers must complete an eight (8) hour refresher course every two (2) years. A licensee holding both drinking water and wastewater licenses must complete six (6) classroom hours for each license type. A remote or distant study course is acceptable if it is germane to the license type, except that backflow assembly testers must complete in-person and board-approved continuing education. (7-1-24)
101. -- 199. (RESERVED)
01. Operator-in-Training. Operators-in-training must practice under the direct supervision of a licensed operator of a type, category, and classification higher than the operator-in-training. No operator-in-training can accept or perform the designated responsible charge duties at any system. (7-1-24)
02. Grandparent License. The licensee may operate in responsible charge of the specific facility identified in the original application. The license is site specific, non-transferable, and does not grant authority for the holder to practice as an operator at any other system. The license becomes invalid when the classification of the system changes to a higher classification. (7-1-24)
03. Operators and Backflow Assembly Testers Code of Conduct. Operators and backflow assembly testers must: (7-1-24)
a. Perform duties with due care and diligence to protect the safety, health, and welfare of the public. (7-1-24)
b. Comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws relating to their respective profession(s). (7-1-24)
c. Perform only those duties within their education, training, and experience and scope of licensure. (7-1-24)
d. Prepare reports which are accurate, objective, and include all relevant information. (7-1-24)
e. Use standard test procedures, operating procedures, methods, and equipment when conducting inspections, sampling, and field tests with calibrated equipment. (7-1-24)
f. Backflow assembly testers will observe or inspect existing installations of backflow prevention
assemblies to identify whether the assembly is properly installed the assembly is adequate for the degree of hazard. (7-1-24)
g. When a backflow prevention assembly passes a field test, the report will be submitted to the consumer and relevant public water system within fifteen (15) business days of the field test. When a backflow prevention assembly is defective or fails to pass the field test, the report will be submitted to the consumer and relevant public water system within two (2) business days of the field test. (7-1-24)
201. -- 399. (RESERVED)
400. FEES.
| TYPE | AMOUNT (Not to Exceed) |
|---|---|
| Application | $25 |
| License or Certificate | $30 annually |
| Reinstatement | $35 |
(7-1-24)
401. -- 999. (RESERVED)