Wyo. Code R. 020-0011-5
Effective Date: 10/01/1984 to 11/21/1997
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 020.0011.5.10011984
Date Filed 10/01/84
Expr Date
Supr Date
Repeal Date
Document Type RULES
Section 1. Authority. These regulations are promulgated pursuant to W.S. 35-11-101 through 1207, specifically 302, which states that no person shall operate a public water or public wastewater treatment plant, public collection, or public distribution system in violation of the requirements contained herein.
Section 2. Definitions. The following definitions supplement those definitions contained in Section 35-11-103 of the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act.
(a) 'Act' means the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act as amended (W.S. 35-11-101 et. seq.).
(b) 'Activated sludge' means a biological wastewater treatment process in which a mixture of wastewater and activated sludge is agitated and aerated and includes extended aeration and oxidation ditch treatment processes.
(c) 'Administrator' means the administrator of the Water Quality Division, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality or his authorized agents.
(d) 'Contact hour' means one hour of administrator approved operator training including but not limited to technical seminars, college courses, lectures, workshops, correspondence courses, hands-on-training, and in-house training programs which are related to the fields of water and wastewater treatment, collection and distribution.
(e) 'Experience' means employment as an operator or employment in other administrator-recognized professions closely related to the water/wastewater operator profession.
(f) 'Fixed growth' means a biological wastewater treatment process in which the wastewater is treated by contact with biological growth affixed to a media and includes trickling filter, rotating biological contactor, and biological tower treatment processes.
(g) 'Hands-on responsibility' means the on-site responsibility for the operational decisions necessary for the proper functioning of plants and systems.
(h) 'Municipality' means any city, town, county, district, association, or other public body including state and federal government.
(i) 'Non-municipal public water supply' means any public water treatment plant and/or public water distribution system not operated by a municipality.
(j) 'Operator' means, for systems, any person who is directly involved in the on-site operation, maintenance, and repair of a system, or, for plants, any person who is directly involved in the on-site operation of the plant, but not those whose duties are related only to laboratory, maintenance, or other non-operational functions.
(k) 'Owner' means in the case of a town or city, the mayor or his agent; in the case of a county, the chairman of the county commissioners or his agent; in the case of a water and sewer district, board of public utilities, association, or other public body, the president or chairman of the board or his agent; in the case of a non-municipal public water supply, the legal owner.
(l) 'Physical/chemical' means a wastewater treatment plant which operates through the addition and removal of chemicals and alteration of physical properties and does not include any biological treatment processes.
(m) 'Plant' means water treatment works or wastewater treatment works.
(n) 'Public wastewater collection system' means any system of lines, pipes, manholes, lift stations or other facilities operated by a municipality for the purpose of collecting and transporting wastewater.
(o) 'Public wastewater treatment plant' means any structure(s), pond(s), lagoon(s) or combination thereof, but not including individual septic tanks, which is/are operated by a municipality for the purpose of treating wastewater.
(p) 'Public water distribution system' means any system of pipes, pumps, wells, storage tanks, or other facilities for the purpose of conveying potable water to a minimum of 20 service connections. Such a system shall not include any treatment methods included under Section 6(a) except disinfection and fluoridation.
(q) 'Public water treatment plant' means any structures, equipment, or facilities for the purpose of treating or conditioning raw water but not including systems consisting only of well(s), disinfection, and/or fluoridation. The plant must provide finished water to a distribution system with a minimum of 20 service connections.
(r) 'Service connection' means any line or pipe connected to a distribution supply main or pipe for the purpose of conveying potable water to a building, or campsite.
(s) 'System' means wastewater collection facilities or water distribution facilities.
(a) The individual who is designated by the owner as the operator having the primary hands-on responsibility for the operation of each plant or system must hold, at a minimum, certification at the same level as the classification of the plant or system for which he is responsible. Certification must be in the same area as the plant or system for which the operator is responsible.
(b) Individual(s) who is/are designated by the owner to function in the role of the operator described in item (a) above when that individual is absent must hold, at a minimum, certification at one level below the classification of the plant or system for which he may be held responsible. In the case of a Class I plant or system, this operator must hold a level I certification. Certification must be in the same area as the plant or system for which the operator is responsible.
(a) Within 60 days of adoption of these regulations all owners shall provide the administrator with a written listing of those operators described in Sections 3(a) and 3(b) as well as all other operators employed by the owner, except the owner of a Class I non-municipal public water supply need not designate operators under Section 3(b).
(b) Within 60 days of any change of the listing referred to in item (a) above, the owners shall inform the administrator of that change in writing.
(c) All certified operators shall, within 60 days of any change in place of employment or alteration of responsibilities, inform the administrator in writing of such change(s).
Section 5. Regulation compliance.
(a) All municipalities and non-municipal public water supplies in Wyoming shall be in compliance with the requirements of these regulations within one year of the date of adoption.
(b) If a municipality or non-municipal public water supply is unable to comply with these regulations, the administrator will negotiate a schedule of compliance which shall state action(s) to be taken towards compliance and date(s) by which compliance will be attained.
(c) It shall be the responsibility of the owner to insure compliance with the requirements of these regulations.
Section 6. Criteria for classification of plants and systems. Plants and systems will be classified by the administrator according to the criteria below; however, the administrator may, after negotiation with the owner, alter the classification of an individual plant or system because of special conditions including the ease or difficulty of operation or extraordinary environmental or public health factors.
(a) Public water treatment plants. All public water treatment plants shall be classified according to the following criteria:
| Size | Points |
|---|---|
| Population served 7,500 or less, or | 1 |
| Population served 7,501 or more | 2 |
| Treatment* | |
| Coagulation and/or sedimentation | 2 |
| Filtration other than diatomaceous earth | 2 |
| Diatomaceous earth filtration | 3 |
| Chemical precipitation softening | 2 |
| Disinfection and/or fluoridation | 1 |
| Electrodialysis or reverse osmosis | 6 |
| Ion exchange | 2 |
*For purposes of plant classification, treatment unit(s) must be under the direction of plant personnel.
CLASSIFICATION
| Class IV | 8 points or more |
|---|---|
| Class III | 6 or 7 points |
| Class II | 5 points or less |
(b) Public wastewater treatment plants. All municipal wastewater treatment plants shall be classified according to the following criteria:
| Size | Points |
|---|---|
| Population served 7,500 or less, or | 1 |
| Population served 7,501 or more | 2 |
| Treatment* | |
| Non-aerated stabilization pond(s), or | 1 |
| Aerated stabilization pond(s), or | 2 |
| Chemical/physical, or | 4 |
| Fixed growth, or | 5 |
| Activated sludge | 6 |
| Receiving Water | |
| Class IV surface water, or | 1 |
| Class I, II, or III surface water, or | 2 |
| Class IV | 9 points or more Class III | 7 or 8 points |
|---|---|---|
| Class II | 5 or 6 points Class I | 4 points or less |
(c) Public water distribution systems. All public water distribution systems shall be classified in accordance with the following criteria:
| Size | Points |
|---|---|
| Population served 7,500 or less, or...1 | |
| Population served 7,501 or more...2 | |
| Treatment* | |
| Chlorination and/or fluoridation...1 | |
| Flow* | |
| Gravity, or...1 | Pressure provided by well pump(s), or...1 |
| Booster station(s)...2 |
*For purposes of system classification, flow and treatment unit(s) must be under the direction of distribution personnel.
| Class II | 4 points or more Class I | less than 4 points |
|---|---|---|
(d) Public wastewater collection systems. All public wastewater collection systems shall be classified according to the following criteria:
| Size | Points |
|---|---|
| Population served 7,500 or less, or...1 | |
| Population served 7,501 or more...2 | |
| Lift Stations | |
| Lift station(s)...2 |
| Class II | 4 points or more Class I | less than 4 points |
|---|---|---|
(a) Within 60 days of receipt of a plant/system configuration form, the owner shall complete said form and return it to the administrator.
(b) Within 60 days of receipt of a properly completed plant/system configuration form, the administrator shall classify the plant(s) and/or systems(s) and submit such classification(s) to the owner.
(a) To attain certification, an operator must receive a passing score on an examination which is prepared by the administrator.
(b) Scheduled examinations will be given during the first full week of May and the second full week of September each year, and at other times as approved by the administrator.
(c) All applicants will take regularly scheduled written examinations except in cases which the administrator decides represent proper exceptions.
(d) Examination scores will be provided to the applicant in writing within 60 days of the date of the examination.
(e) Within 60 days of the date of the examination the employer of each applicant who passes the examination will be so informed.
(f) Applicants may review their graded examinations at a location mutually acceptable to the administrator and the applicant.
(g) Separate examinations will be prepared to cover the basic differences in duties and responsibilities associated with the varying complexities and sizes of water and wastewater treatment plants and collection and distribution systems. A separate examination will be prepared for each plant or system classification described in Section 6, except a single water system examination will be prepared for class I public water distribution systems, and a single wastewater system examination will be prepared to include both class I public wastewater treatment plants and class I public waste water collection systems.
(a) No later than March 1 and July 15 of each year the administrator shall establish the exact dates, times, locations, and passing scores for the next examinations and shall make available, application forms for persons who wish to take the examinations.
(b) Any person wishing to take an examination must have submitted to the administrator a properly completed application form postmarked no later than August 15 for the September examinations and April 1 for the May examinations.
(c) The administrator shall send a letter postmarked no later than September 1 for the September examinations and April 15 for the May examinations to all applicants advising them of their eligibility to take the requested examination(s).
Section 10. Eligibility to take examinations. An applicant shall be authorized to take any level examination for which he meets the requirements given in the table below:
Experience* Contact
Hours
Operator-in training*
None
and
| Level I | 1 year | and | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| or | |||
| 6 months | and | 20 | |
| Level II | 4 years | and | 0 |
| or | |||
| 3 years | and | 50 | |
| or | |||
| 2 years | and | 100 | |
| or | |||
| 1 year | and | 150 |
| Level III | 6 years total, 4 at Class II or higher facility(s) | and | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| or | |||
| 4 years total, 3 at Class II or higher facility(s) | and | 100 | |
| or | |||
| 3 years total, 2 at Class II or higher facility(s) | and | 200 | |
| Level IV | or | ||
| 2 years total, 1 at Class II or higher facility(s) | and | 300 | |
| 8 years total, 5 at Class III or higher facility(s) | and | 0 | |
| or | |||
| 6 years total, 3 at Class III or higher facility(s) | and | 150 | |
| or | |||
| 4 years total, 3 at Class III or higher facility(s) | and | 225 | |
| or | |||
| 3 years total, 2 at Class III or higher facility(s) | and | 300 | |
| or | |||
| 2 years total, 1 at Class III or higher facility(s) | and | 400 |
*Experience must be earned at the type of plant or system for which certification is desired.
Contact hours must be specific to the area for which certification is desired.
*An applicant who desires to earn operator-in-training status shall be eligible to take level I exams only.
(a) Within 60 days of attaining a passing score on a certification examination, the administrator shall issue the applicant a certificate designating the level and type of plant/system for which certification has been earned. Such certification shall expire on December 31 of the third full year following the date of certification issuance unless revoked according to the provisions of Section 16 of these regulations.
(b) Whenever a higher level of certification is earned in the same area, the lower level certification is inactivated; except (i) A level I certification shall not be inactivated (except in instances of failure to renew) until a higher level of certification is earned in all applicable plant and/or system types; or
(ii) When a higher level of restricted certification is held, a lower level of certification in the same area is not inactivated.
Section 12. Certification renewal.
(a) An operator's certification shall be renewed according to the following criteria:
| Contact Hours* | |
|---|---|
| Level I | 14 (per area certified) |
| Level II (distribution and collection) | 14 (per area certified) |
| Level II (water and wastewater treatment) | 21 (per area certified) |
| Level III | 28 (per area certified) |
| Level IV | 28 (per area certified) |
*Contact hours must be earned during the three years previous to the certification expiration date and must be specific to the area for which certification is desired.
(b) At least 120 days prior to the expiration date of an operator's certification, the administrator shall send to the operator's most recent address a certification renewal form. Failure to receive said form does not relieve the operator of the responsibility of renewing by the certification expiration date.
(c) The operator shall submit to the administrator a completed certification renewal form which is postmarked at least 60 days prior to the expiration date of the operator's certification.
(d) If an operator fails to renew his certification, the operator's employer will be notified within 60 days of certification expiration.
(e) An operator who fails to renew his certification may become recertified only by meeting the provisions of Sections 8, 9, and 10 of these regulations.
(f) When restricted and non-restricted certifications are held in the same area, renewal requirements shall be based upon the restricted certification (see section 14d).
(a) Contact hours shall be earned through successful completion of administrator approved operator training programs including but not limited to technical seminars, college courses, lectures, workshops, correspondence courses, hands-on training and in-house training programs.
(b) At least once a year the administrator shall make available to each certified operator a listing of approved operator training programs, and the anticipated number and type(s) (collection, distribution, wastewater, or water treatment) of contact hours which will be earned for successfully completing each program.
(c) Operator attendance is mandatory for the duration of any training session for contact hours to be awarded.
(d) Attendance at the same course in two consecutive renewal periods, or completion of the same correspondence course more than once, will be counted only once for the purpose of earning contact hours.
(e) Any person who desires to obtain contact hours for a training program which is not included on the list described in item (b) above, shall submit to the administrator the documentation necessary to evaluate the program. The administrator shall provide a determination of the number and type(s) of contact hours which will be earned for successfully completing the program as submitted.
(a) Upon receiving a written request from an owner, the administrator may, after making a determination of technical competency, and after considering other relevant factors, issue an operator of a specific plant or system a restricted certification. Such certification shall be limited to that specific plant or system and shall not be transferable to any other plant or system.
(b) When issuing restricted certifications the administrator may waive the eligibility requirements of Section 10 of these regulations.
(c) A restricted certification shall expire if the plant or system is significantly modified, but may be reinstated upon evaluation by the administrator.
(d) An operator holding a restricted certification shall be required to meet the renewal requirements described in Section 12.
Section 15. Operator position vacancy. In the event that a municipality or non-municipal public water supply loses or terminates an operator with the result that the entity cannot comply with Section 3, that entity shall have 60 days to either achieve compliance or submit a compliance schedule to the administrator for approval. The compliance schedule shall state action(s) to be taken and date(s) by which compliance will be attained.
Section 16. Certification revocation. When in his judgment it is deemed to be necessary, the administrator may revoke an operator's certification. Appeal of the administrator's decision may be made as specified in the act. A copy of the act and appeal procedures will be provided to the operator and the owner.
Section 17. Reinstatement of certification. If an operator's certification is revoked according to Section 16, that person may, at the discretion of the administrator, be allowed to become recertified by meeting the requirements of Sections 8, 9, and 10.
Section 18. Renewal of certification earned prior to adoption of these regulations.
(a) Operators whose certifications were earned prior to the effective date of these regulations but whose certifications expire after the effective date of these regulations, must renew their certifications according to Section 12 of these regulations, except that for their first renewal under these regulations, such operators need prove only that a minimum of 10 contact hours of operator training was earned during the previous year or that 40 contact hours of operator training were earned during the previous three years.
(b) Level III collection and/or distribution certifications earned prior to the adoption of these regulations shall become level II certifications unless the operator holding such certifications specifically requests that his certification(s) be maintained at level III. If said operator retains his level III collection/distribution certifications, he must meet the level III renewal requirements of Section 12.
Section 19. Reciprocity. The administrator shall have the authority to enter into a reciprocal agreement with any other state, association or Canadian province regarding operator certification. Such agreement shall be made only after the administrator has determined that the certification requirements of that state, association, or province are equivalent to or greater than those of the state of Wyoming.