Operator Certification & Licensing
Water & Wastewater Certification

Renewing Your Certification

Your certification must be renewed every three years. The number of continuing education hours required varies according to type of certification and grade level:

• Wastewater operators
  • Grades T, 1 and 2 require 18 hours of continuing education.
  • Grades 3 and 4 require 24 hours of continuing education
• Water supply operators
  • Both Grade T and Grade 1 require 18 hours of continuing education, with the exception of surface water operators designated as operator-in-charge.
  • Surface water operators designated as operator-in-charge are required to have 24 hours of continuing education.

A maximum of 6 hours of continuing education each renewal period may be health and safety related.

Six weeks before your certification expires, you will receive a courtesy renewal letter (please notify your regional coordinator of any change in address). This letter serves as a courtesy reminder only. It is your responsibility as an operator to keep track of your certification expiration date. When you are ready to renew, mail the renewal letter, the continuing education slips, and the $45 renewal fee to the Operator Certification Coordinator at:

WI DNR - Operator Certification Program
PO BOX 7921
MADISON WI 53707-7921

The renewal materials must be postmarked by the expiration date on your certificate (there is no grace period). Any renewal postmarked after the expiration date should also include the $25 penalty fee.

Once a certificate expires, you have one year from the expiration date to reinstate your lapsed certification. You are NOT considered a certified operator during this lapse of your certification. If your certification is not renewed within that one year time period, you will need to re-take the written exams as a new operator.

Continuing Education

Ch. NR 114, Wis. Adm. Code [PDF exit DNR], requires that certified operators earn continuing education credits to maintain an active certification. This continuing education requirement is designed to help you keep current on new requirements and technical innovations. Continuing education also helps you acquire additional knowledge and skills, enabling you to upgrade your certification.

The continuing education requirements may be obtained in a number of different ways including attendance at professional organization meetings, waterworks and wastewater related courses, EPA and DNR training courses, in-house and self-study courses, and courses offered by technical schools, universities, etc.

Credit for courses is determined by the following criteria:

1. Each hour spent in course learning constitutes one credit hour of continuing education credit.
2. Accredited courses at technical schools or universities - 1 Continuing Educational Unit (CEU) is equal to 10 hours continuing education credit.
3. Attendance at the entire course and successful completion of the course is required to receive any credit.
4. Credit for a course cannot be split between water and wastewater - it has to be one or the other (except statewide conventions).
5. Credit for CPR and first aid is given on an hour-for-hour basis with a maximum of 6 hours per renewal period.

An individual Operator Training Report Form [PDF 662KB] is available to print and fill out for training you have attended that did not provide you with a continuing education credit slip.

If you have a question about whether a course will satisfy the continuing educational requirements contact your regional coordinator. To receive continuing education credits for completed courses, the following information must be provided to your region certification coordinator:

• the course title
• course content (outline or pamphlet describing course)
• course date(s)
• beginning and ending times
• where course was taken
• number of CEU's earned if technical school or university
• proof that the course was actually attended (copy of grade report or statement signed by instructor)

Upon receiving proof of course attendance, a signed and dated slip for "Continuing Education Credits (CEC) for Certified Operators" will be sent to you. You should complete the form and sign it. You should keep your CEC slips until renewal time. Credits must be earned in the three year period prior to renewal.

For example: If July 1, 2008 is the expiration date of your certification. Continuing education credits must be earned between July 1, 2005 and July 1, 2008 to be valid for your renewal in July of 2008. Extra credits do not carry over

For more information or questions on the water & wastewater operator certification program, please contact your regional coordinator.

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