401 KAR 11:040 - Water treatment and distribution system operators; classification and qualifications
RELATES TO: KRS 223.160 - 223.220, 224.10-100, 224.10-110
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 224.10-100 authorizes the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations concerning the certification of water operators. KRS 224.10-110 requires the cabinet to establish programs and enforce cabinet administrative regulations for the certification of water plant operators. KRS 223.160 through 223.220 authorizes the cabinet to establish qualifications and examinations, and issue certificates for, water plant operators. This administrative regulation establishes classification of water treatment and distribution operator certifications and establishes the qualifications for certification.
Section 1. Classification of Water Operator
Certifications.
(1) Water treatment
certifications.
(a) Limited certification. An
operator issued a limited certificate may have primary responsibility for a
water treatment facility for a school and for a semipublic water supply as
established in
KRS 223.160.
(b) Class IA-D treatment certification. A
Class IA-D treatment operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class IA-D or Class IB-D water treatment plant
as established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water treatment plant with a larger design capacity.
(c) Class IB-D treatment certification. A
Class IB-D treatment operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class IB-D water treatment plant as established
in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water treatment plant with a larger design capacity.
(d) Class IIA treatment certification. A
Class IIA treatment operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class IIA water treatment plant or a Subclass A
or B water treatment plant of an equal to or smaller design capacity as
established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water treatment plant with a larger design capacity.
(e) Class IIB-D treatment certification. A
Class IIB-D treatment operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class IIB-D water treatment plant or a Subclass
B water treatment plant of a smaller design capacity as established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water treatment plant with a larger design capacity.
(f) Class IIIA treatment certification. A
Class IIIA treatment operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class IIIA water treatment plant or a Subclass
A or B water treatment plant of an equal to or smaller design capacity as
established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water treatment plant with a larger design capacity.
(g) Class IIIB treatment certification. A
Class IIIB treatment operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class IIIB water treatment plant or a Subclass
B water treatment plant of a smaller design capacity as established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water treatment plant with a larger design capacity.
(h) Class IVA treatment certification. A
Class IVA treatment operator may be in direct responsible charge of any
Subclass A or B water treatment plant as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
(i) Class IVB treatment certification. A
Class IVB treatment operator may be in direct responsible charge of any
Subclass B water treatment plant, as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
(2) Water distribution certifications.
(a) Class ID distribution certification. A
Class ID distribution operator:
1. May be in
direct responsible charge for a Class ID water distribution system as
established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water distribution system serving a larger
population.
(b) Class IID
distribution certification. A Class IID distribution operator:
1. May be in direct responsible charge for a
Class IID water distribution system as established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water distribution system serving a larger
population.
(c) Class
IIID distribution certification. A Class IIID distribution operator:
1. May be in direct responsible charge for a
Class IIID water distribution system as established in
401 KAR 8:030; and
2. Shall not be in direct responsible charge
for a water distribution system serving a larger
population.
(d) Class IVD
distribution certification. A Class IVD distribution operator may be in direct
responsible charge of any water distribution system.
(3) Bottled water certification. A bottled
water operator may be in direct responsible charge for a bottled water system
that bottles water for sale.
(4)
Operator in Training designations.
(a) A
certified operator with an Operator in Training designation shall not be in
direct responsible charge of a water treatment plant or distribution system as
established in this subsection and in
401 KAR 8:030.
(b) A Class I Operator In Training shall not
be in direct responsible charge of a water treatment, distribution, or bottled
water system except as established in
401 KAR 8:030 and paragraph (d) of this section.
(c) A certified operator with an Operator in
Training designation shall work under the direct supervision of a certified
operator who:
1. Works at the same facility;
and
2. Has obtained a certification
level that is equal to or greater than the certification level required to
serve in direct responsible charge of the facility.
(d) An Operator In Training may have direct
responsible charge for a water treatment or distribution system for which the
operator holds an active Class II through Class IV certification required for
the system as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
Section 2. Water Operator Qualifications:
Experience, Education, and Equivalencies. An individual desiring to become a
certified operator shall meet the minimum education and experience requirements
established in this section prior to the cabinet approving the individual to
take a certification examination as established in
401 KAR
11:050.
(1) The
minimum education and experience requirement for each class of water treatment
certification shall be as established in this subsection.
(a) Limited certification The cabinet shall
issue a limited certificate as established in
KRS 223.160 if the applicant demonstrates the
knowledge and experience required to properly operate the particular water
treatment facility for which the applicant is responsible..
(b) Class IA-D treatment certification.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. One (1) year of operation of a Subclass A
public water system with any design capacity as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
(c) Class IB-D treatment certification.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. One (1) year of operation of a Subclass A
or B public water system with any design capacity as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
(d) Class IIA treatment certification.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. Two (2) years of operation of a water
treatment plant, with six (6) months in a Class IIA, IIIA, or IVA water
treatment plant, as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
(e) Class IIB-D treatment certification.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. Two (2) years of operation of a public
water system, with six (6) months in a Class IA-D, II B-D, or higher water
treatment plant, as established in
401 KAR 8:030.
(f) Class IIIA treatment certification.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. Three (3) years of operation of a public
water treatment plant with one (1) year in a Class IIA, IIIA, or IVA water
treatment plant, as established in
401 KAR 8:030, Section 2.
(g) Class IIIB treatment certification.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. Three (3) years of operation of a public
water treatment plant with one (1) year in a Class IIA, IIB-D, IIIA, IIIB, IVA,
or IVB water treatment plant, as established in
401 KAR 8:030, Section 2.
(h) Class IVA treatment certification.
1. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally
accredited college or university in engineering, or biological, environmental,
physical, or chemical science, or equivalent; and
2. One (1) year of operation of a Class IIIA
or IVA public water treatment plant as established in
401 KAR 8:030, Section 2.
(i) Class IVB treatment certification.
1. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally
accredited college or university in engineering, or biological, environmental,
physical or chemical science, or equivalent; and
2. One (1) year of operation of a Class IIIA,
IIIB, IVA, or IVB public water treatment plant.
(2) The educational and experience
requirements for water distribution certifications shall be as established in
this subsection.
(a) Class ID distribution
certification.
1. A high school diploma or
general education development (GED) certificate; and
2. One (1) year of operation of a water
distribution system.
(b)
Class IID distribution certification.
1. A
high school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate;
and
2.
a. Two (2) years of operation of a water
distribution system; and
b. Six (6)
months of the required experience shall be in a water distribution system
serving a population greater than or equal to 1,500.
(c) Class IIID distribution
certification.
1. A high school diploma or
general education development (GED) certificate; and
2.
a. Three
(3) years of operation of a water distribution system; and.
b. One (1) year of the required experience
shall be in a water distribution system serving a population greater than or
equal to 1,500.
(d) Class IVD distribution certification.
1. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally
accredited college or university in engineering, or biological, environmental,
physical, or chemical science, or equivalent; and
2. One (1) year of operation of a water
distribution system serving a population greater than or equal to
15,000.
(3)
Bottled water certification. The educational and experience requirements for
bottled water certifications shall be:
(a) A
high school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate;
and
(b) One (1) year of operation
of a bottled water system.
(4) The educational and experience
requirements for Operator in Training designations shall be as established in
this subsection.:
(a) Class IA-D Treatment,
Class IB-D Treatment, Class ID Distribution, and Bottled Water certifications.
1. A high school diploma or general education
development (GED) certificate; and
2. Experience shall not be
required.
(b) All other
applicants for the classifications established in subsections 1(1) and 1(2) of
this administrative regulation:
1. Shall have
successfully qualified for and passed the certification exam of the same type
classification at one (1) level lower than the Operator in Training designation
being pursued; and
2. Shall not
have been subject to disciplinary action as established in
401 KAR 11:050, Section 4.
(5) Substitutions. The cabinet shall allow
substitutions as established in this subsection for education and experience
requirements as established in subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section.
(a) Education from a regionally accredited
college or university in engineering, or biological, environmental, physical,
or chemical science, or equivalent shall be substituted if the substitution
does not exceed fifty (50) percent of the required experience.
1. An associate degree shall be considered
equivalent to two (2) years of experience.
2. A baccalaureate degree shall be considered
equivalent to four (4) years of experience.
3. Ten (10) contact hours, one (1) Continuing
Education Unit, or one (1) postsecondary education quarter hour in any subject
with a passing grade of C or higher shall substitute for 0.022 years of
experience.
4. One (1)
postsecondary education semester hour in any subject with a passing grade of C
or higher shall substitute for 0.033 years of experience.
(b) Education from a regionally accredited
college or university that did not result in a degree in engineering or
biological, environmental, physical, or chemical science, or equivalent may be
substituted if the substitution does not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of the
required experience.
1. An associate degree
may substitute for a maximum of one (1) year of experience.
2. A baccalaureate degree may substitute for
a maximum of two (2) years of experience.
3. Ten (10) contact hours, one (1) Continuing
Education Unit, or one (1) post-secondary education quarter hour in any subject
with a passing grade of C or higher shall be considered equivalent to 0.011
years of experience.
4. One (1)
postsecondary education semester hour with a passing grade of C or higher in
any subject shall be considered equivalent to 0.016 years of
experience.
5. Ten (10) contact
hours, one (1) Continuing Education Unit, or one (1) postsecondary education
quarter hour in engineering, mathematics, or biological, environmental,
physical, or chemical science with a passing grade of C or higher shall
substitute for 0.022 years of experience.
6. One (1) postsecondary education semester
hour in engineering, mathematics or biological, environmental, physical, or
chemical science with a passing grade of C or higher shall substitute for 0.033
years of experience.
(c)
Education applied to the experience requirements established in subsections (1)
and (2) of this section shall not be applied to the education
requirement.
(d) Treatment and
distribution experience may be substituted for the educational requirement as
established in this paragraph.
1. One (1) year
of operational experience at a water system may substitute for one (1) year of
education.
2.
a. The cabinet may allow partial substitution
of the education requirement by experience in:
(i) Maintenance;
(ii) Laboratory analysis; or
(iii) Other work related to the collection,
treatment, or distribution of drinking water or wastewater.
b. To establish the amount of
experience that shall be accepted, the cabinet shall determine the degree of:
(i) Technical knowledge needed to perform the
work; and
(ii) Responsibility the
applicant had in the operation of the system.
3. Experience applied to the education
requirement established in subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall not be
applied to the experience requirement.
(e) Water treatment, distribution and
collection experience may be substituted as established in this paragraph.
1. Two (2) years of distribution system
experience may be considered equivalent to one (1) year of treatment
experience.
2. One (1) year of
treatment experience may be considered equivalent to one (1) year of
distribution system experience.
3.
One (1) year of collection experience may be considered equivalent to six (6)
months of distribution experience.
4. Substitutions under this paragraph shall
not account for more than fifty (50) percent of the experience
requirement.
(f)
Experience that is not related to water collection, treatment, or distribution
may be substituted as established in this paragraph.
1. Two (2) years of experience in laboratory
analysis may be considered equivalent to one (1) year of treatment experience
or six (6) months of distribution experience.
2. Two (2) years of experience in the
construction trades, construction management, engineering, plumbing, or
electronics may be considered equivalent to one (1) year of distribution
experience or six (6) months of treatment experience.
3. Work experience in an area or specialty
unrelated to those established in this paragraph may be substituted for up to
six (6) months of collection or treatment experience.
4. To establish the amount of experience that
shall be accepted, the cabinet shall determine the degree of:
a. Technical knowledge needed to perform the
work; and
b. Responsibility the
applicant had in performing the work.
5. Substitutions under this paragraph shall
not account for more than fifty (50) percent of the experience required by this
administrative regulation.
(6) Apprenticeships. An applicant who
completes a state-approved treatment or distribution apprenticeship program as
established in
401 KAR 11:050 may be eligible for treatment or distribution
certification if the applicant also achieves a passing score of seventy (70)
percent or above on a cabinet-administered examination.
(7) Equivalency. An operator who has received
water operator certification in a state, territory, or possession of the United
States may be given an equivalent certification in Kentucky based on the:
(a) Level of certification obtained in the
other state, territory, or possession of the United States;
(b) Number of years of water operator
experience obtained while holding valid certification from another state,
territory, or possession of the United States; and
(c) Type, size, and capacity of the water
plant or plants at which the certified operator obtained experience.
(8) Reciprocity. The cabinet may
establish a reciprocal agreement for operator certification with any other
state, territory, or possession of the United States if the cabinet determines
that operator certification requirements of the other state are at least as
stringent as those established in this administrative regulation.
Notes
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 223.160 - 223.220, 224.10-100, 224.10-110
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