Department of
Environmental Quality

Idaho's Rules for Public Drinking Water Systems require the owners of all public drinking water systems (except transient systems served by ground water) to have a "responsible charge operator" and, when the responsible charge operator is not available, to designate a "substitute responsible charge operator" to replace the responsible charge operator. The operators must be licensed at a type and class equal to or greater than the classification of the system. "Responsible charge" means active daily on-site or on-call responsibility for the performance of operations or active, on-going, on-site or on-call directions of employees and assistants. The responsible charge operator and the substitute responsible charge operator must be two different persons. DEQ is responsible for ensuring that public water systems comply with this requirement.

Note: The Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses (IBOL) is responsible for ensuring that operators are properly trained and for issuing operator licenses. For information on operator licensure requirements, education and continuing education requirements, and fees, and to apply for an operator license, visit the IBOL website.

System and Operator Licensure Classes

The class of licensed operator required is based on the type and class of the public water system. There are nine different types and classes of drinking water systems and thirteen different types and classes of drinking water operator classes for which licenses are issued as shown in the table below.

*  An individual may obtain an operator-in-training permit with no prior experience or when beginning to work at any type and class of drinking water system. There is no one system classification that matches this operator class. The purpose of obtaining an operator-in-training permit is to gain supervised on-the-job experience. 

How to Meet the Licensed Operator Requirement

Systems may choose how to meet the licensed operator requirement. Larger systems usually designate an employee of the system to fulfill this role. Smaller systems may choose to obtain a volunteer (either an unpaid association member or an individual served by the system) who agrees to become licensed and provide supervision.

Systems also have the option of contracting for this service. Systems may contract with a licensed public drinking water operator or with another drinking water system that has licensed operators. In all cases, because the contracted operator or the contractor employed by the system will be serving as the responsible charge operator, he or she must be licensed at the grade equal to or greater than the classification of the system.

If the decision is made to contract with a licensed operator, the terms of the contract or agreement should outline the supervision or responsible charge duties assigned to the contract individual, state the specific duties to be performed, and identify situations when the contractor must get prior permission from the system owner for a situation not covered in the contract.

• Responsible Charge Operator Report Form: Use this form to report designated responsible charge and substitute responsible charge operators to DEQ for each treatment and distribution system.

Hiring Recommendations

To assist systems in finding and hiring independent licensed operators, DEQ has prepared a summary of contract issues that should be discussed when interviewing potential contract operator candidates.

• Recommendations for Hiring a Contract Operator

Contract Operators for Hire

A number of operators have indicated interest in hiring out their services for contract work at drinking water systems. Search for a contract operator for hire or, if you are a licensed operator interested in contracting out your services, submit your name below.

• Search for contract operator for hire
• Submit name as a contract operator available for hire