Facility Operator Certification

The Water and Wastewater Facility Operator Certification Board is a governor-appointed body of professionals and maintains a program for the certification of operators of water treatment plants, domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants, water distribution systems and wastewater collection systems in order to assure protection of public health and the environment.

• The statutory authority for Operator Certification and the Board

• Regulation 100

• Board policies

• Meetings and hearings

• Process and requirements for bringing an appeal to the Board

• Disciplinary actions regarding operator misconduct

Please contact the Operator Certification Program Office (OCPO) or

Refer to the Operator Certification Program (OCPO) web for additional information regarding:

• Certification Examinations

  • Dates, times, and locations of upcoming exams

  • Instructions and application forms

  • Experience and education requirements

  • Study materials

  • Online/Computer based testing

• Certification Renewals

  • Certification renewal application and required documentation

• Certification by Reciprocity

• Duplicate Certificates or certificate replacement for lost/stolen certificates

• Expired or Revoked Certificates

• Fees

• Training Units

  • Training units summary form (for certificate renewal)

  • Training units approval (Course providers)

  • Searchable database of Board approved courses for training units

  • Trainings available in Colorado

The ORC is the person designated by the owner of the water or wastewater facility and has supervisory responsibility for the operation of the facility and for the operational activities and functions of other facility operators.  The ORC of a water or wastewater facility must hold a valid certificate equal to or greater than the classification of the water or wastewater facility he or she operates.

The ORC is charged with protecting the public health and the environment in the conduct of his or her duties. These duties include the following:

1. The management or administration of the operation of the water or wastewater facility;

2. The accountability for the proper operation and maintenance of the water or wastewater facility for compliance with applicable regulations and/or permit requirements, including monitoring and reporting requirements;

3. The control of, supervision over, or active participation in the daily planning, operation or maintenance of a water or wastewater facility;

4. Authority to make day-to-day process control and system integrity decisions on the operation and maintenance of the water or wastewater facility;

5. The availability to make decisions and initiate actions regarding the operation of the water or wastewater facility in a timely manner; and

6. The performance of other functions of direct responsibility.

ORC Report Forms: 

The system or permitted facility owner is responsible for reporting the person designated as the ORC for their facility to the Division.

• Wastewater Facility ORC Update Form

• Drinking Water Contact Update Form

Contract Operators Providing Services in Colorado

• List of Contract Operators  (Disclaimer: This is a Voluntary listing of organizations and individuals. Participation does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the Department.
  
  • If you would like to be included on this list, please complete the  Contract Operator Listing Form

  List of Current ORC's

• Public Water System ORCs
• Wastewater Facility ORCs

The Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) is the person designated by the owner of the water or wastewater facility and has supervisory responsibility for the operation of the facility and for the operational activities and functions of other facility operators.   The ORC of a water or wastewater facility must hold a valid certificate equal to or greater than the classification of the water or wastewater facility he or she operates.

ORC Report Forms

• Wastewater Facility ORC Update Form

• Drinking Water Contact Update Form  

Facility Classification 

 All drinking water treatment facilities, domestic and industrial wastewater treatment facilities, drinking water distribution systems, and wastewater collection systems are classified by the Division. Classification criteria are outlined in sections 100.4, 100.5, 100.6, 100.7, and 100.8, Regulation 100.

• Treatment facilities: Water and wastewater treatment facilities are classified as Class D, Class C, Class B, or Class A. Class A is the highest level of classification and Class D is the lowest level of classification.

• Distribution and collections systems are classified as Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 or Class 4. Class 4 is the highest level of classification and Class 1 is the lowest level of classification.

• Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facilities
  

  • Industrial wastewater treatment facilities are classified as either a Class 1 or Class 2.

    • Class 1 industrial facilities are further classified as Class D, Class C, Class B, or Class A. Class A is the highest level of classification and Class D is the lowest level of classification.

    • Requests for reclassification to Class 2 industrial facility-contact the Water and Wastewater Facility Operators Certification Board

    • Class 2 industrial facilities are facilities that are designated by the Board and meet the requirements of section 100.6.1(b)(i).

      • Class 2 facilities are exempt from operating under the supervision of a certified operator. NOTE: This exemption does not apply to the permittee’s responsibilities to comply with all other applicable rules, regulations, or permits.

      • On April 24, 2012, Regulation 100 was amended. Effective June 30, 2012, facilities classified as industrial class 2 facilities are no longer required to apply for ORC exemption or submit annual certifications of eligibility.

      • If at any time the facility does not meet the conditions of section 100.6.1(b)(i), the facility must notify the Division, in writing, and begin operating under the supervision of an appropriately certified operator within 30 days of the change in operations.

The form below should be used to file complaints about operator misconduct. The identity of a complainant will remain confidential and will not be disclosed without the complainant's permission.

• Certified Operator Complaint Form

Please submit the form to the Water Quality Control Division's Facility Operator Certification program by email to cdphe.FacilityOperator@state.co.us or by mail to:

Facility Operator Certification 
Water Quality Control Division
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246

After an investigation of allegations of misconduct, the Division may recommend that the Water and Wastewater Facility Operators Certification Board take discipinary action against an operator.  Disciplinary actions taken by the Board are posted on the Board's website.

• Beginning in 2012, Facility Operator Certification NOVs for ORC violations are issued in a category separate from other Division enforcement actions
• List of NOVs issued is available on the Division Enforcement Page within the year that the action occurred
• Penalties: a penalty may or may not be assessed with the NOV for up to $300 per day per violation

Professional Development

These lists do not imply a recommendation or endorsement by the Division.  They are not all inclusive and are provided as assistance only. For Board approved courses for recertification training units (TUs), please contact the Operator Certification Program Office (OCPO) at www.ocpoweb.com.

Training Opportunities

• Capacity Building Unit, Water Quality Control Division (www.colorado.gov/wq) (click on Assistance and Information for Public Water Systems then Training Opportunities page)

• Montana University System Water Center—2005 Operator Basics Series for download (http://watercenter.montana.edu/training/ob2005)

• California State University, Sacramento Water Office of Water Programs (http://www.owp.csus.edu/)

• Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Local Government Water and Wastewater Management (http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/DOLA-Main/CBON/1251594652627)

• Rocky Mountain Water and Wastewater Schools –fundamentals, intermediate, and advanced (http://waterwastewater.org)

• Colorado Rural Water Association (www.crwa.net)

• Colorado Community Colleges

  • Otero Junior College (www.ojc.edu/ProgramsOfStudy.aspx)

  • Pikes Peak Community College (www.ppcc.edu/programs/program-directory)

  • Red Rocks Community College (www.rrcc.edu/wqm)

• EPA Webinars and Trainings

  • Veterans in the Water Sector

  • Veterans in the Water Sector Webinar Registration

• Rocky Mountain Section American Water Works Association (www.rmsawwa.net)

• Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (www.rmwea.org)

 Study Topics

• Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) Need to Know Criteria (www.abccert.org/testing_services) 

Employment

• Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (www.rmwea.org )

• Colorado Workforce Centers (www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDLE-EmployTrain/CDLE/1248095319018)

• Get Into Water! (www.getintowaterco.org/ )

1. The first to address topics that are primarily clarifications and administrative in nature, such as, defining and clarifying the requirements for delegation of duties by the ORC, clarifying the ORC requirements for pretreatment permitted facilities, and clarifying the exam requirements for a certified operator that allowed a certification to expire for more than two years.
2. The second would address updating the facility classification matrixes.

Additional Information 

• Resources  
• Operator Certification General Information  
• Who Do I Call If...   

• Facility Operator Certification
  • Phone: 303-692-3510
  • Fax: 303-758-1398
  • Email: cdphe.facilityoperator@state.co.us
  • Mail: 

• Jackie Whelan, Supervisor
• Desiree Jones, Compliance Specialist