Ohio Admin. Code 3745-7-05 - [Effective 7/3/2025] Classification of professional operator certification

(A) The following are classifications for which professional operators may be certified under this chapter:

(1) Class A water supply professional operator.

(2) Class I water supply professional operator.

(3) Class II water supply professional operator.

(4) Class III water supply professional operator.

(5) Class IV water supply professional operator.

(6) Class I water distribution professional operator.

(7) Class II water distribution professional operator.

(8) Class A water reclamation professional operator.

(9) Class I water reclamation professional operator.

(10) Class II water reclamation professional operator.

(11) Class III water reclamation professional operator.

(12) Class IV water reclamation professional operator.

(13) Class I wastewater collection professional operator.

(14) Class II wastewater collection professional operator.

(15) Class I facility specific water supply operator.

(16) Class II facility specific water supply operator.

(17) Class III facility specific water supply operator.

(18) Class I facility specific water reclamation operator.

(19) Class II facility specific water reclamation operator.

(20) Class III facility specific water reclamation operator.

(B) A class I, II, or III facility specific operator may not operate any other facilities or transfer the certificate to a different facility.

(C) The certification of any individual to operate a particular class of public water system, sewerage system, or treatment works shall also authorize such individual to be the professional operator of record of any other public water system, sewerage system, or treatment works as indicated in the following tables.

Public water systems: If a professional operator holds a certification of the level in the following chart they may be the professional operator of record of those public water systems marked with an "X":

Classification of system	Class A/ limited class A water supply professional operator	Class I water distribution professional operator	Class II water distribution professional operator	Class I water supply profession operator	Class II water supply aplrofessiona operator	Class III water supply lprofession operator	Class IV water supply aplrofessional operator
Class A public water system	x			x	x	x	x
Class I water distribution		x	x	x	x	x	x
Class II water distribution			x		x	x	x
Class I public water system				x	x	x	x
Class II public water system					x	x	x
Class III public water system						x	x
Class IV public water system							x

Sewerage systems and treatment works: If a professional operator holds a certification of the level as follows, they may be the professional operator of record of those sewerage systems or treatment works with the classifications marked with an "X" as follows:

Classification of facility	Class A/ limited class A water reclamatio professional operator	Class I wastewate collection professional noperator	Class II wastewater collection professional operator	Class I water reclamation professiona operator	Class II water reclamation l professional operator	Class III water reclamatio professional operator	Class IV water nreclamation professional operator
Class A treatment works	x			x	x	x	x
Class I sewerage system		x	x	x	x	x	x
Class II sewerage system			x		x	x	x
Class I treatment works				x	x	x	x
Class II treatment works					x	x	x
Class III treatment works						x	x
Class IV treatment works							x

(D) A limited class A professional operator holds a facility-specific certificate and may not operate any other facilities or transfer the certificate to a different facility.

(E) The following charts demonstrate the hierarchy of water and wastewater certificates. The highest level of certification is at the top of the chart and certificates supersede any of the certificates listed in the chart. Once a professional operator achieves a level of certification that supersedes the certificate that is currently held, the lowest level of certificate will be invalid.

Drinking Water Certificate Hierarchy Table

Class IV water supply
Class III water supply
*Class II water supply
Class I water supply			Class II water distribution
Class A water supply	Class I water distribution		Class I water distribution
Limited class A water supply

* Once a professional operator has earned a class II water supply certificate, the professional operator will not be able to hold additional water or distribution certificates below a class II level.

Wastewater Certificate Hierarchy Table

Class IV water reclamation
Class III water reclamation
*Class II water reclamation
Class I water reclamation			Class II wastewater collection
Class A water reclamation	Class I wastewater collection		Class I wastewater collection
Limited class A water reclamation

* Once a professional operator has earned a class II water reclamation certificate, the professional operator will not be able to hold additional water reclamation or wastewater collection certificates below a class II level.

(F) A facility specific certificate does not supersede any professional operator certificate.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 3745-7-05

Effective: 7/3/2025
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/7/2029
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 6109.04, 6111.46
Rule Amplifies: 6109.04, 6111.46
Prior Effective Dates: 02/01/1964, 04/17/1986, 01/01/1999, 02/12/2001, 12/21/2006, 02/23/2012, 08/15/2018, 11/07/2024