Title 18 . Environmental Conservation

Chapter 74 . Administrative Enforcement

Section 440. Experience and education requirements for operators of small, untreated or small, treated water systems

18 AAC 74.440. Experience and education requirements for operators of small, untreated or small, treated water systems

(a) The department will use the minimum education and experience requirements and substitution provisions of this section to evaluate an applicant's qualifications to operate a water system classified as a small, untreated or small, treated water system under 18 AAC 74.450.

(b) To be eligible to take an examination and receive certification, an applicant for certification to operate a small, untreated water system must have at least

(1) a high school or general equivalency diploma, or have completed at least 12 years of education; and

(2) three months of operating experience at a system classified as a small, untreated water system or a greater classification.

(c) To be eligible to take an examination and receive certification, an applicant for certification to operate a small, treated water system must have at least

(1) a high school or general equivalency diploma, or have completed at least 12 years of education; and

(2) six months of operating experience at a system classified as a small, treated water system or a greater classification.

(d) The minimum education requirements in (b)(1) and (c)(1) of this section are subject to the following provisions:

(1) the applicant must attest in the application to completion of the required education and must provide verification if requested by the department;

(2) if an applicant does not have a high school diploma, general equivalency diploma, or 12 years of education, the applicant may achieve the equivalent of 12 years of education through the following substitutions:

(A) one calendar year of experience operating a system classified at a level equal to or greater than the classification for which the applicant requests certification, may be substituted for either two years of education in grades one through eight or one year of education in grades nine through 12;

(B) 45 continuing education units (CEUs) of approved training may be substituted for one year of high school education; 10 hours of coursework equals one CEU; the department will approve training if that training is directly related to, or can be applied to, the operation, maintenance, or management of a water system;

(C) for small, untreated and small, treated water systems, the department will waive the minimum education requirements of (b)(1) and (c)(1) of this section for an applicant who passes a written examination and an oral or practical examination;

(3) experience substituted under (2) of this subsection for an education requirement may not also be applied to satisfy the minimum experience requirements in (b)(2) and (c)(2) of this section.

(e) The minimum experience requirements in (b)(2) and (c)(2) of this section are subject to the following provisions:

(1) the applicant must attest in the application to satisfying the experience requirements, and must provide verification of required experience if requested by the department; and

(2) if an applicant does not have the required experience, the completion of an approved training course may be substituted; the department will approve training if that training is directly related to, or can be applied to, the operation, maintenance, or management of a water system.

History: Eff. 1/18/2001, Register 157

Authority: AS 46.30.010

AS 46.30.080