Treatment Plant Operator Certification

[royal flush]

Has anyone out there had recent success in obtaining Wastewater Treatment Plant operator certification with a PE license? I'm trying to decide which exam to take -- looks like I might be eligible for the Grade V in California with a PE, or at least a Grade IV with my BS in Civil. I was planning to pass the test, then get an OIT certificate at that level so I could start operating...

I would love to know other's experiences in CA. Is the Grade V exam insanely hard without "real" operations experience?

 

[Desert Engineer]

Have you worked as an operator at WWTP? The state is very inflexable when it comes to time spent as an operator. I'm working on the water treatment operator and distribution certs, but I hit a ceiling because I don't operate the system, I ONLY design/engineer the system.

Other than that, you want to have the highest level possible. Also, the tests are not designed for people with the PE or a degree, so you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[royal flush]

Have you worked as an operator at WWTP? The state is very inflexable when it comes to time spent as an operator. I'm working on the water treatment operator and distribution certs, but I hit a ceiling because I don't operate the system, I ONLY design/engineer the system.
Other than that, you want to have the highest level possible. Also, the tests are not designed for people with the PE or a degree, so you shouldn't have a problem.

I've been doing process engineer type stuff, but I work at a treatment plant so I was hoping to start getting the experience once I have an OIT certificate. Don't know what my employer will think about that, but I'm thinking of giving the exam a shot.

Have you already taken some of the exams? I'm really comfortable with the wastewater math but I'm not good at all the terminology/definitions since I don't have the experience...

thanks for the reply!!!

 

[Dleg]

I've been teaching a wastewater operator exam review course over the summer, but we are mostly just trying to get our guys certified up to Level 2. We are using the ABC exams and certification program, and on the basis of our regulations we had to come up with to obtain our accreditation from ABC, I was only aware of levels 1-4. Maybe CA uses a different system? We don't have anyone certified up to level 4, and we have no need for it. The highest classified system we have out here is an MBR plant that's effluentis re-used for golf course irrigation, which earned it only a level 3 certification requirement. A PE recently took the level 3 exam and passed, but he's a guy with probably 20 years of actual operations experience.

Anyhow, I think you could handle it with some studying - the exams certainly cover a lot of stuff that is not on the PE exam or engineering curriculum, like safety, pumps, management and maintenance issues, but there are excellent review materials available out there. From what I've experienced and been told, the best review material (and review courses) are available from Sacramento State - http://www.owp.csus.edu/ You would want the advanced wastewater treatment book(s) for your study effort.

WEF also has good stuff, including exam review stuff and practice problems - they are partnered up with ABC, so their practice problems are as close as you can get to the real thing.