Nebraska Department of
Environmental
Quality

Fact Sheets

.
This information is
provided by the
Nebraska Department
of Environmental Quality
to assist the
public and regulated community.

10-023
11/2010
Wastewater Treatment Facility Operator Certification Application and Examination Fact Sheet
This Fact Sheet is also available as an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file.
File size is 43 KB
Certificate Application Fact Sheet.pdf
Get Adobe Reader
.
An applicant wishing to obtain certification as a wastewater treatment operator is required to submit to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) a completed Application for Certification and Examination which contains information regarding education and work experience along with the respective application fee prescribed in Title 197 -- Appendix C. After receipt of the application, the Department will review the application. If an application is denied, or you are ineligible for certification, the NDEQ will notify you in writing and explain the reason for denial or ineligibility. Upon notice of denial or ineligibility, you may request a hearing following the procedures referred to in Chapter 11 of Title 197 – Rules and regulations for the Certification of Wastewater Treatment Operators in Nebraska.

A minimum of four examinations per year will be scheduled across the state. All applications received less than five days prior to a scheduled examination date may be held for the next scheduled examination date.

Applicants must attain a minimum grade of 70% for passage of an examination. You will be notified regarding the examination results by the Department in writing as soon as the results of the examination are available. If you fail an examination, you may be re-examined at a subsequent examination. Applicants desiring to be re-examined must submit their application together with the retesting fee as prescribed in Appendix C. Applicants failing three exams in succession must obtain a minimum of 10 hours (1 CEU) of applicable training prior to retesting.

Alternative testing may be provided for unusual situations upon written request by the owner or the operator to the Director. If alternative testing is approved by the Director, a wastewater treatment facility-specific test will be prepared and offered to applicants who have attempted to pass the written test at least three times and are unable to comply with the standard written testing procedures, but may otherwise qualify as an operator. The fee for the alternative test will be in accordance with the fee schedule in Appendix C. The alternative test may include an oral test and a demonstration by the operator showing successful operation of all phases of the wastewater treatment facility the applicant is employed to operate. The test will be administered by the Department and may result in a restricted certification as addressed in Title 197 -- Chapter 4.

Certificates of an equivalent class may be issued, without examination, to any operator applying for certification who holds a valid certificate from another recognized wastewater operator certification program having requirements for certification that the Director considers similar to the standards established in the regulations. To apply for certification by reciprocity, an Application for Certification and Examination and application fee must be submitted to the Department. Certification by reciprocity is not available for a person whose certification has been denied, revoked or suspended.

Related pages and URL addresses on this web site:
Produced by: Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, NE 68509-8922; phone (402)471-2186. To view this, and other information related to our agency, visit our web site at www.deq.state.ne.us.

.

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
1200 "N" Street, Suite 400
P.O. Box 98922
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
(402) 471-2186