Test Yourself—Donna Kaluzniak

Test Yourself What Do You Know About Water and Wastewater Operator Certification?

Donna Kaluzniak

Per the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Drinking Water, Domestic Wastewater, and Water Distribution System Operator Program Handbook, April 2020 (OCP handbook) the minimum requirement to take a class C water or wastewater treatment plant operator or level 3 distribution operator examination is a high school diploma or equivalent. To document successful completion of a department-approved training course, it can be taken no more than how many years prior to the exam? a. One year b. Two years c. Three years d. Five years

Per FDEP’s Operator Certification Program (OCP) website, an often-used FDEP-approved training course from California State University at Sacramento (CSUS) has changed enrollment for the Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants Volume 1 course. While the course is still one volume, it is broken into how many enrollments that must all be completed? a. Two enrollments – A and B b. Three enrollments – A, B, and C c. Four enrollments – A, B, C, and D d. Five enrollments – A, B, C, D, and E

Per FDEP’s OCP handbook, FDEP only accepts general equivalent development (GED) for high school equivalence issued by the American Council on Education through the Florida Department of Education and through public schools and adult education centers. Most reputable GED programs are a. expensive and only available online. b. free and locally available. c. programs that allow you to take open-book tests to receive a diploma. d. those that allow you to obtain a GED in just a few days. 4.

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8. Per FDEP’s OCP website, all operator certification exams, with the exception of wards of the state, are administered via a. computer-based testing (CBT) through FDEP’s vendor. b. CBT from the applicant’s home through the internet. c. paper and pencil testing at assigned times and locations. d. paper and pencil testing through FDEP’s vendor.

Per FDEP’s OCP website, under the exam application overview section, if an applicant fails an exam it can be retaken. How long must the applicant wait from the date of the failed exam before scheduling the next exam? a. 30 days b. 60 days c. 90 days d. 180 days

Per FDEP’s OCP handbook, after passing the exam, the licensure application can be completed if the applicant can document the appropriate hours of operational experienced signed by a. an FDEP licensed operator. b. a licensed professional engineer. c. the human resources manager. d. the utility director.

Per Florida Administrative Code (FAC) 62-602, Water or Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Distribution System Operators, continuing education units (CEUs) are required for renewal of operator licenses, depending on the type and level of license. Per FDEP’s OCP website, regarding dual-licensed operators, a. CEUs earned can be split between two different licenses. b. CEUs earned can be split only if the two licenses are the same level. c. CEUs earned can be split except for

Distribution licenses. d. CEUs can no longer be split. Per FAC 62-602, Water or Domestic Wastewater c. Within three years of the deadline for the last renewal cycle. d. Within five years of the deadline for the last renewal cycle.

9. Per FAC 62-602, Water or Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Distribution System Operators, FDEP shall suspend a license for submitting false or misleading information in an application for a license for how long? a. Permanently. b. Up to one year. c. Up to two years. d. Up to five years.

10. Per FAC 62-602, Water or Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Distribution System Operators, FDEP shall permanently revoke a license for a. cheating on an examination. b. determination that an operator falsified data. c. failure to submit required reports. d. incompetence in the performance of operator duties.

Answers on page 62

References used for this quiz: • FAC 62-602, Water or Domestic Wastewater

Treatment Plant Operators and Distribution System

Operators. • FDEP’s Operator Certification Program (OCP) website: https://floridadep.gov/water/certification restoration/content/water-and-domesticwastewater-operator-certification-program. • FDEP’s Drinking Water, Domestic Wastewater, and Water Distribution System Operator Program

Handbook, April 2020 (OCP handbook; available on

Send Us Your Questions

Treatment Plant Operators and Distribution System Readers are welcome to submit questions Operators, a license that is not renewed shall revert or exercises on water or wastewater to inactive status. A license with an inactive status treatment plant operations for publication may renew within what time period? in Test Yourself. Send your question (with a. At any time, provided renewal fees are paid. the answer) or your exercise b. During the two-year period following the (with the solution) by email to: deadline for the last renewal cycle. donna@h2owriting.com the OCP website). Florida Water Resources Journal • August 2020 51