Water and Wastewater Operator Certification

Education Requirements

• High School Diploma or College Diploma or Transcripts or GED. If no Education, a Competency Assessment must be taken.
• Two days of education in post-secondary engineering training or the equivalent may be substituted for each day of experience, up to one-half of the experience requirement.

Work Experience Requirements for Full Certification

• Class 4 - 1 year
• Class 3 - 1.5 years
• Class 2- 2 years
• Class 1 - 2.5 years

Certificates are issued for the following categories:

• Class 1A-4A: Water Distribution System Operator
• Class 1B-4B: Water Treatment System Operator
• Class 1C-3C: Wastewater System Operator
• Class 1D-4D: Industrial Wastewater Treatment Operator
• Class 2E-4E: On-site Wastewater System Operator

Applicants for reciprocity certification must show they have met certification requirements which are at least equivalent to the Montana requirements.

To apply for certification in Montana by reciprocity, an applicant must:

1. Hold a valid water or wastewater certification in another state.
2. Meet Montana’s minimum experience requirements for the type of certification you are requesting.
3. Be in responsible charge of a system in Montana.
4. Have an approved Montana certification application on file. To have your application approved, you must fully complete a Montana application for the classification and type that is comparable to the certification you currently hold in another state.
5. Submit with your application:
   1. A letter outlining the requirements for the certification you hold in another state, how you met those requirements, and the amount of experience you have had with specific types of systems or treatment processes.
   2. Copies of your credentials of certification and any other supporting documents, including the name and phone number of the certification contact in the other state
   3. $70 reciprocity fee and $70 application fee for each water and wastewater application.

If your request for reciprocity is approved, you will receive the appropriate certification in the mail. Note that since other state agencies must be contacted to verify information, this process may take up to six weeks to complete.

Montana Water Operator exam to ABC equivalent for Water System Operators

WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR EXAMS
Montana Water Distribution System Operator Exam	ABC Water Distribution System Operator Equivalent
Class 1A	Class III Water Distribution
Class 2A	Class II Water Distribution
Class 3A	Class 1 Water Distribution
Montana Water Treatment System Operator Exam	ABC Water Treatment System Operator Equivalent
Class 1B	Class III Water Treatment
Class 2B	Class II Water Treatment
Class 3B	Class 1 Water Treatment
Montana Small Water System Class 4AB	ABC Very Small Water System Operators

 

Montana Water Operator exam to ABC equivalent for Wastewater System Operators

WASTEWATER SYSTEM OPERATOR EXAMS
Montana Municipal Wastewater Exam	ABC Wastewater Equivalent
Class 1C	Class II Wastewater Treatment
Class 3C	Small Wastewater System Operator
Montana Industrial Wastewater Exam	ABC Industrial Equivalent
Class 1D	Physical/Chemical Class IV
Class 2D	Biological Class III
Class 3D	Physical/Chemical Class II
Class 4D	Biological Class I
Class 2E-4E	No conversion

See Training section below for a complete list of available materials.

• • American Water Works Association (AWWA)
  • Lagooniversity by Triplepoint Environmental (Wastewater)
  • Operator Basics Training Series
  • Sacramento State Online Water and Wastewater Training
  • FEMA (ICS-100, 1CS-200, IS-700.b, IS-800.C are approved)
  • CEU Plan
  • 360water
  • Technical Learning College
  • List of Approved Online Training Providers

  *Completion certificates can be emailed to OperatorCertification@mt.gov 

Study Materials

Exam Prep

Please review the additional training resources available in the side panel.

• Association of Boards of Certification Testing Services
• American Water Works Association (AWWA) Exam Prep App
• 360water

Water Distribution Operator Exam References

The following are approved as reference sources for WPI’s standardized water distribution operator examinations. Operators should use the latest edition of these reference sources to prepare for the exam.

American Water Works Association (AWWA)

• *WSO: Water Distribution Series (Grades 1 & 2, Grades 3 & 4)
• **Water Quality & Treatment
• Water Distribution Operator Training Handbook
• Basic Science Concepts and Applications
• Water System Security, A Field Guide
• M68 Water Quality in Distribution Systems

*These WSO texts replace the previous AWWA title, Water Transmission and Distribution

**This WSO text replaces previous AWWA title, Water Quality, 3rd Edition

Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) and National Rural Water Association (NRWA)

• Security Vulnerability Self Assessment Guide for Small Drinking Water Systems

California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) Foundation, Office of Water Programs

• Water Distribution System Operation and Maintenance
• Small Water System Operation and MaintenanceUtility Management
• Water Treatment Plant Operation, Volume Iand Volume II
• Utility Management
• Manage for Success

Water Treatment Operator Exam References

The following are approved as reference sources for WPI’s standardized water treatment operator exams. Operators should use the latest edition of these reference sources to prepare for the exam.

American Water Works Association (AWWA)

• *WSO: Water Treatment Series (Grade 1, Grade 2, Grades 3 & 4)
• **WSO: Water Distribution Series (Grades 1 & 2, Grades 3 & 4)
• ***Water Quality & Treatment
• Water System Security, A Field Guide
• Basic Science Concepts and Applications
• Water System Security: A Field Guide

*These WSO texts replace previous AWWA titles, Water Treatment, and Water Sources

**These WSO texts replace previous AWWA title, Water Transmission and Distribution

***This WSO text replaces previous AWWA title, Water Quality

Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) and National Rural Water Association (NRWA)

• Security Vulnerability Self Assessment Guide for Small Drinking Water Systems

California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) Foundation, Office of Water Programs

• Water Treatment Plant Operation, Volume Iand Volume II
• Manage for Success

 

Wastewater Treatment Operator Exam References

The following are approved as reference sources for WPI’s standardized wastewater treatment operator examinations. Operators should use the latest edition of these reference sources to prepare for the exam.

California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) Foundation, Office of Water Programs

• Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants, Volume Iand Volume II
• Advanced Waste Treatment
• Utility Management
• Manage for Success

Michigan State University

• Supervisory Management in the Water/Wastewater Field

National Environment Training Center for Small Communities (NETCSC)

• Protecting Your Community’s Assets: A Guide for Small Wastewater Systems

Water Environment Federation (WEF)

• *Operation of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, MOP 11
• **Safety, Health, and Security Standards for Water Resource Recovery, MOP 1, 7th Edition
• ***Activated Sludge and Nutrient Removal
• ****Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals
• Managing the Water and Wastewater Utility

*This WEF text replaces the previous WEF title, Operation of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants – Manual of Practice No. 11

**This WEF text replaces the previous WEF title, Safety & Health in Wastewater Systems, Manual of Practice No. 1

***This WEF text replaces the previous WEF titles, Activated Sludge: Manual of Practice OM-9, and Operation of Nutrient Removal Facilities

****During the exam development process in 2017 & 2018, WPI’s Subject Matter Expert volunteer exam item writers had the opportunity to evaluate and incorporate information from the first volume of the Water Environment Federation’s Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals which at the time was set for release in August 2018.

Please review the Upcoming Training and Exams panel to the right for upcoming exams, as our offices are currently scheduling limited in-office exams. To register for an exam, contact Jen VandenBos at (406) 444-4584. New applicants must submit an application a minimum of 30 days before an exam date. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive exam results in the mail.

DEQ may issue a Temporary Operator Certification to an operator responsible for a specific system who does not meet the full certification requirements. A temporary certificate can be granted upon:

• (a) Written request to DEQ by the system owner and verification by the owner that the system is unable to employ a fully certified operator; and
• (b) A finding by DEQ that the operator has the basic knowledge necessary to operate the system and that public health will be protected.

The department shall base its decision on:

• the results of any on-site inspection of the system;
• review of the plans and specifications of the system;
• review of the operator's records, experience and training; and examination of any other reasonably available and relevant information.

A temporary certificate is effective for six months from the date of issuance, or until the operator becomes fully certified, whichever occurs first. A temporary certificate is valid only for the person to whom it is issued, for the system identified on the certificate, and for the period of time identified on the certificate.

Temporary Operator Certification Application

• Contract Operator Designation Sheet

Certification Renewals

Certified operators must renew their certificates yearly. Every even-numbered year, appropriate CEC requirements must be met by May 31. A surplus of CECs earned during one biennium will not be applied to the following biennium. All training classes must be approved by DEQ.

Renewal fees

Drinking Water Certificate: $30

Wastewater Certificate: $40

Course Approval

Before CECs can be earned for a course, the course must be approved for credit by the Montana Certification Office by submitting an Individual Course Application.

Courses Approved for Dual CECs

Operators who hold certification in both water and wastewater can earn CECs for both certifications when attending a course DEQ has approved as a dual CEC course.

Courses Only Approved for One-Half CECs

Training not directly applicable to water or wastewater plant operation can be approved for training but may only earn one-half the amount of CECs. Remember a CPR class is only good for credit the first time you take it.

CEC Requirements by Class:

CEC Requirements for each class of operator.

Class	Experience Needed	FC CEC Requirements	OT CEC Requirements
Class 1	2.5 Years	20 Hours (2.0)	10 Hours (1.0)
Class 2	2 Years	10 Hours (1.0)	5 Hours (.50)
Class 3	1.5 Years	10 Hours (1.0)	5 Hours (.50)
Class 4	1 Year	10 Hours (1.0)	5 Hours (.50)
Class 5	NA	4 Hours (.40)	2 Hours (.20)

• There is no longer a Class 5AB operator (class 4 & 5 are now combined)

• Approved Training Provider and Individual Training Course Approval Policies
• Become an Approved Training Provider
• Sponsor a Course (ATP Application)
• List of Approved Online Training Providers

• American Water Works Association (AWWA)
• Lagooniversity by Triplepoint Environmental (Wastewater)
• Operator Basics Training Series
• Sacramento State Online Water and Wastewater Training
• FEMA (ICS-100, 1CS-200, IS-700.b, IS-800.C are approved)
• CEU Plan
• 360water
• Technical Learning College

• List of Approved Online Training Providers

*Completion certificates can be emailed to OperatorCertification@mt.gov 

The first step will be to fill out either the drinking water application or wastewater operator application. Once this is filled out and submitted, it will start the process to become certified. Once our office receives your application, we will send out a small welcome packet.

There is a $70.00 drinking water application fee, $70.00 wastewater application fee. Each exam you take is $70.00. Fees are non-refundable. For example, you submit a drinking application and are going to take the 2A and 3B exam. Your total fees will be $210.00.

Exams are offered at the MRWS Conference, Spring Water School, and Fall Water School. The exam sign up is located in the Upcoming Training and Exams panel. You can also schedule an exam at one of our DEQ offices located in, Helena, Billings, Missoula, or Kalispell. Just a reminder, applications need to be received 30 days prior to taking an exam. No exceptions!

Yes! You must be employed by a water or wastewater system in Montana in order to apply for reciprocity.

CECs are due every even numbered year. The current biennium started on June 1, 2022 and ends May 31, 2024.

CECs can be checked in the Quick Links panel. You will need to know your operator ID number. If there is a class you took and it is not showing, please send us an email at operatorcertification@mt.gov.

Certifications are renewed annually. They are due by June 30th. Renewal notices will be mailed out at the end of April/beginning of May. Water certifications are $30.00 and wastewater certifications are $40.00. If you fail to pay your renewal fee by June 30th, you will be assessed a late fee of $30.00.