Q. What are the responsibilities of the Idaho Department of Environmental

 Quality (DEQ) and the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses (IBOL) regarding

 drinking water operator licensing?

 A. DEQ - Drinking Water Facility Responsibilities. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) determines which public water systems must have licensed drinking water operators (IDAPA 58.01.08).  DEQ requires public water systems (with the exception of transient ground water systems) to place the supervision and operation of their systems under a properly licensed operator.  (Note: Operators are licensed by the Idaho State Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals [WWP]).

IBOL - Licensed Operator Responsibilities.  The Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses (IBOL) serves as an umbrella agency, which contracts with the state’s professional and occupational licensing boards (IDAPA 67.26.02).  In the case of drinking water, IBOL contracts the Idaho Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals (WWP), which in turn establishes requirements for operator licenses, sets fees, reviews applications, issues licenses, and determines education and continuing education requirements (IDAPA 24.05.01). 

 A. DEQ makes all drinking water system classification determinations.  The owner of each system submits a classification worksheet to DEQ, which determines the system's classification.  It is the owner's responsibility to ensure that the responsible charge operator and the substitute responsible charge operator have the appropriate level of licensing that is equal to or greater than the system's classification.

Worksheets are available for both treatment and distribution systems to assist owners in determining their system classification.  The worksheet must be filled out and submitted to DEQ for verification of the system’s official classification.  Classification worksheets must be submitted every five years or anytime a substantive change or upgrade is made to the treatment or distribution system.

 A. 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 to contracting for this service.  Systems may contract with a licensed public drinking water operator or with another drinking water system that has licensed operators. 

 A. All surface water systems serving more than 500 people must have a licensed "responsible charge operator" for both distribution and treatment.  One operator can be "cross-licensed" for both treatment and distribution operator tasks.  Surface water systems serving 500 or fewer people only need to have a licensed treatment operator.

All ground water systems serving more than 500 people, and that treat their water, must have a licensed "responsible charge operator" for both distribution and treatment.  One operator can be "cross-licensed" by holding two licenses—one for treatment and one for distribution.  Ground water systems serving 500 or fewer people, and that treat their water, only need to have a licensed treatment operator.

 A. If any of your licensed operators fail to renew their licenses prior to the expiration date, your system is out of compliance with the state's drinking water regulations.  It is important for system owners to be aware of their operators' license renewal dates and Continuing Education Units (CEUs), and to make sure that the operators renew their licenses.

 A. A system that loses a licensed operator should immediately hire another licensed operator or contract with a licensed operator, or your system will be out of compliance with the state’s drinking water regulations.

 A. Yes.  As a water system owner, you must file a Responsible Charge Operator Report form with DEQ for the system’s responsible charge operator and the substitute responsible charge operator (the form has sections for both operators).  This form must be filed whenever there is a change in operators.  Return the form to DEQ using the postage-paid mailer provided at the form site above.

 Q. What is a responsible charge operator?

 Q. What are the responsibilities of a responsible charge operator?

 Q. Where can I get a copy of the operator licensing rules?

 A. For specific operator licensing rules and requirements such as education, fees, exams, operator classifications, etc., go to Rules of the Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals.  For information regarding which public water systems are required to have a licensed operator, go to Idaho Rules for Public Drinking Water Systems.

 Q. Who must be licensed?

 A. All "operating personnel" must be licensed.  According to the Idaho Rules for Public Drinking Water Systems (IDAPA 58.01.08.554.05): "All operating personnel at public drinking water systems...making process control/system integrity decisions about water quality or quantity that affect public health must hold a valid and current license."

 Q. Who does not need to be licensed?

 A. Not all people working at a water system are "operating personnel," and only operating personnel must be licensed.  Examples of staff that generally do not qualify as operating personnel include receptionists, billing clerks, meter readers, and sample collectors.  If these individuals do not (in addition to their regular assignments) make process control or system integrity decisions about water quality or quantity, they do not need to be licensed.  (Note:  Although sample collectors may not need a license, they should receive training on proper sample collecting, including how to implement a sampling plan.)

 Q. What are the education requirements necessary to apply for a license as a

 drinking water operator?

 A. See the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses (IBOL) for the application requirements.  For entry level licensing, you must possess a high school diploma, or a GED( General Educational Diploma), "or the equivalent" according to the Idaho State Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals (WWP). 

 Q. How do I become licensed?

 A. Contact the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses for specific information.  Four general steps must be taken to be licensed.

1. Take courses in water treatment and distribution operations.  The type of classes depends on the classification of the license you are interested in acquiring.
2. Submit an application to the IBOL WWP Board for a license with the required fee. Each applicant for licensing shall submit a completed application to IBOL together with the required fee to the IBOL State Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals.  The applicant must provide any supplemental third-party documents that may be required.  The Board will not review an application until all required information is furnished and the required fees are paid.
3. Pass a written exam. Once the WWP Board has approved of an applicant's application, the applicant is notified of the date and location of the exam based on the license classification.  Drinking water distribution and treatment license exams are typically given three times a year.  Exams for all treatment and distribution license classifications are given at the same time at several locations throughout the state.
4. Receive license.  If you receive a score of 70 or higher, you are issued a license for the type and class of exam you tested for. The license is good until the licensee's birthday the following year, at which time the license must be renewed.

 Q. What is an operator-in-training permit and how do I get one?

 A. Contact the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses for specific information. You may get an operator-in-training permit from IBOL by completing an application and paying a license fee.

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

 Q. Is there a general operator license for all types of drinking water systems?

 A. No.  Drinking water operators must be licensed at the appropriate level, which depends on the classification of the system being operated.  Licensing is available for the six distribution classifications and five treatment classifications.

 Q. Can the responsible charge operator and the substitute charge operator be the same person?

 A. No.  A system must have a responsible charge operator and a designated substitute responsible charge operator (when the responsible charge operator is not available) and they cannot be the same person.

 Q. If I am licensed as a water treatment operator, does that also make me licensed as a distribution operator at the same level?

 A. No.  Treatment operator licenses and distribution operator licenses are independent of each other. 

 Q. As a licensed operator, can I serve as operator for both the distribution system and the water treatment system of a facility?

 A. Yes.  The licensed water treatment operator and the distribution operator may be the same person.  However, the operator must have two licenses - one for a treatment operator and one for a distribution operator.

 Q. How will I know when it is time to renew my license?

 A. License renewal applications are mailed to each operator from IBOL approximately six weeks before the license expiration date, which in Idaho corresponds to each licensed operator’s birth date.  Notify IBOL of a change of address to make sure you will continue to receive license renewal notices.

 Q. What do I have to do to maintain my operator license?

 A. For details, see IBOL.  For the general terms of maintaining a license, see below.

1. You must successfully complete a minimum of six (6) hours (0.6 CEUs) of approved continuing education courses annually for license renewal.
2. You must also submit an annual license renewal application form to the Board, together with the required fee of $45, certifying by signed affidavit that compliance with the continuing education requirements has been met.

 Q. Whom do I notify about a change in my mailing address?

 A. Notify IBOL, in writing, within 30 days of a change of address.  Notification can be made by going to the IBOL web site and filling out and submitting an "Address Change Affidavit" form to IBOL.

 Q. How long does it take to receive my license after the exam?

 A. Contact IBOL for specific information.  In general, it takes two to three weeks after taking the exam for the results to be known and licenses to be mailed to receipients.

 Q. If I lose my original operator's license, can I get a new one?

 A. Contact IBOL for specific information, but if your license becomes lost or destroyed, you may obtain a duplicate for which there is a required fee.  Print out the Application for Duplicate from the IBOL Web site, complete and sign it (signature must be notarized), and send it with the required fee to IBOL.

 Q. My drinking water operator license has expired, can I get reinstated?

 A. In order to reinstate a canceled license, a reinstatement fee of $25 in addition to the renewal fee of $45 is required.  See IBOL's online renewal for more details.

 Q. Does Idaho have "reciprocity" (or are CEU [continuing education unit] credits transferable from other states)?

 A. Yes, contact IBOL for specific information.  Licensing by reciprocity (known as "endorsement" in Idaho) is an option if you have a valid license or certification in another state whose qualifications for licensing are not lower than Idaho's qualifications.  Click here to see details for filing for a license with out-of-state credits.

 Q. What is a CEU?

 A. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are a way of assigning learning credits for education or training that does not grant college credit, but provides the participant with advanced or post-high school training.  One (1) CEU equals ten (10) classroom hours of qualified instruction that is relevant to the operation of a water system. 

Continuing education is the means by which qualified licensed drinking water operators acquire new skills and knowledge to supplement their existing experience and knowledge necessary to protect public health by providing safe drinking water.

 A. Yes.  If a licensed operator exceeds the annual requirement (0.6 CEUs) in any renewal period, a maximum of 0.6 CEU units may be carried forward into the next renewal period.  Those same units, however, may not be carried forward for more than one renewal cycle.  See IBOL.

 A. Yes, you can attend classroom style exam prep classes called "Certification Reviews" offered by trainers listed in IBOL's approval list, or go to IBOL’s "Training and Information Links" and "Independent Study Materials: Drinking Water."

In addition, to assist those who are unable to attend a training class, the Associated Boards of Certification (ABC) has identified a number of suggested study manuals to help prepare applicants for the drinking water operator licensing exam.