18 AAC 74.010 - Certified Operator Requirements

(a) At all times, a public water system, public wastewater system, and a private wastewater system must have an operator, certified a level equal to or greater than the classification of the system, and

(1) on-site at the system; or

(2) able to be on-site at the system within one hour; if off-site under this paragraph, the operator shall be available by radio or telephone.

(b) The owner of a water system or wastewater system may establish shifts to best meet the needs of the system and to ensure public health protection, in accordance with the following:

(1) a primary shift

(A) is the longest shift during a 24-hour period;

(B) is the shift in which operational decisions are made and may be implemented;

(C) must be not less than six hours in duration, if more than one shift exists within a 24-hour period; and

(D) shall be supervised by an on-site operator certified at a level equal to or greater than the classification of the system;

(2) a secondary shift

(A) is a shift in which operational decisions made during the primary shift may be implemented;

(B) shall be supervised by an on-site operator certified at a level no less than one level below the level equal to the classification of the system; and

(C) may not occur more than two times in a seven-day period without a corresponding primary shift on that same day;

(3) a reduced operations shift

(A) is a shift of short duration;

(B) is a shift in which an operator may conduct system checks to ensure the system is operating within established parameters, but no operational changes are made unless directed by an operator certified at a level equal to or greater than the classification of the system; and

(C) shall be conducted by an on-site operator

(i) certified at not less than a provisional level in the same system type as the system under that operator's control; and

(ii) who possesses adequate training to conduct the duties assigned.

(c) An individual may provide first-response services for a public water system, public wastewater system, or a private wastewater system if the individual, at a minimum,

(1) is adequately trained to identify issues and contact the supervising operator for further direction, and

(2) holds a provisional or higher level certificate if providing response to a class 1- class 4 water treatment, water distribution, wastewater collection, or wastewater treatment system.

(d) Department approval is required for a method of system supervision other than that described in (b) and (c) of this section. The department will approve, with terms and conditions, or will deny a request under this subsection after considering recommendations of the board. The department may provide interim approval of a request made under this subsection until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board.

Notes

18 AAC 74.010

Eff. 8/21/78, Register 67; am 8/24/85, Register 95; am 5/29/93, Register 126; am 1/18/2001, Register 157; am 12/3/2006, Register 180; am 11/26/2016, Register 220, January 2017

Authority:AS 46.30.040

AS 46.30.080

AS 46.30.120