Drinking water and wastewater operator certification programs.

Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to examine and certify persons as to their qualifications to operate water treatment plants and water distribution systems. Existing law requires the certification to indicate the classification of water treatment plant or water distribution system that the person is qualified to operate. Existing law requires the board to issue a water treatment operator certificate and water distribution operator certificate by reciprocity to any person holding a valid, unexpired, comparable certification issued by another state, the United States, prescribed territories or tribal governments, or a unit of any of these. Existing law requires the board to classify types of wastewater treatment plants for the purpose of determining the levels of competence necessary to operate them. Existing law requires a person who operates a nonexempt wastewater treatment plant to possess a valid, unexpired wastewater certificate or water treatment operator certificate of the appropriate grade. This bill would require the board to evaluate opportunities to issue a water treatment operator certificate or water distribution operator certificate by reciprocity, or a wastewater certificate by examination waiver, to persons who performed duties comparable to those duties while serving in the United States military, as specified. The bill would require the board to evaluate opportunities to award experience and education credits to persons who performed duties comparable to the duties of an operator at a water treatment facility, water distribution system, or wastewater treatment plant while serving in the United States military. The bill would require the board, if it identifies opportunities and where appropriate, to issue those certificates by reciprocity or examination waiver to those persons or to award experience or education credits to those persons. Existing law requires the board to appoint an advisory committee of 10 members, as prescribed, to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities to examine and certify people to operate water treatment plants and water distribution systems. Existing law requires the advisory committee to review all proposed regulations and make recommendations to the board. This bill would add an additional member to the advisory committee who is an active or former member of the United States military with water treatment or distribution experience within their military service, as specified. Existing law requires the board to appoint an advisory committee to assist it in carrying out its wastewater treatment plant classification and operator certification responsibilities. This bill would add an additional member to the advisory committee who is an active or former member of the United States military with wastewater treatment or distribution experience within their military service, as specified.