Section 216-RICR-50-05-5.8 - Classification and Qualifications of Water Supply Treatment and Water Supply Transmission and Distribution OperatorsA. All applicants for Full Certification shall meet the following educational and experience requirements for the grade of certification applied for as shown below. The experience requirements shall be in the same field (treatment or transmission and distribution) as the type of certificate for which the applicant is applying. Applicants for Operator-in-Training certification shall meet the following minimal educational requirements for the grade of certification applied for as shown below.B. Grade VSS Treatment (VSST): High school diploma or equivalent and three (3) calendar months of acceptable operating experience at a Class VSST or higher drinking water supply treatment facility. Experience or relevant training may be used to satisfy the educational requirement (i.e. six (6) calendar months of acceptable operating experience or six (6) contact hours of on the job, in the field training or 0.6 Continuing Education Units of education in the operation of a very small water system that shall satisfy the educational requirement). Experience and training used to satisfy the educational requirement may not be used to satisfy the operating experience requirement.C. Grade VSS Distribution (VSSD): High school diploma or equivalent and three (3) calendar months of acceptable operating experience at a Class VSSD or higher drinking water supply distribution facility. Experience or relevant training may be used to satisfy the educational requirement (i.e. six (6) calendar months of acceptable operating experience or six (6) contact hours of on the job, in the field training or 0.6 Continuing Education Units of education in the operation of a very small water system shall satisfy the educational requirement). Experience and training used to satisfy the educational requirement may not be used to satisfy the operating experience requirement.D. Grade 1 Treatment (1T): High school diploma (or equivalent) and six (6) months full-time experience as an operator at a Class 1T (or higher) drinking water supply treatment facility.E. Grade 1 Distribution (1D): High school diploma (or equivalent) and six (6) months full-time experience as an operator at a Class 1D (or higher) drinking water supply distribution facility.F. Grade 2 Treatment (2T) 1. Possession of a Grade 1T Full Certification with full-time experience as an operator at a Class 1T (or higher) drinking water supply treatment facility for one (1) additional year after certification; or2. High school diploma (or equivalent) and two (2) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 1T (or higher) drinking water supply treatment facility.G. Grade 2 Distribution (2D) 1. Possession of a Grade 1D Full Certification with full-time experience as an operator at a Class 1D (or higher) drinking water supply distribution facility for one (1) additional year after certification; or2. High school diploma (or equivalent) and two (2) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 1D (or higher) drinking water distribution facility.H. Grade 3 Treatment (3T) 1. Possession of a Grade 2T Full Certification with full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2T (or higher) drinking water treatment facility for an additional two (2) years after certification; or2. High school diploma (or equivalent) and four (4) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2T (or higher) drinking water treatment facility; or3. An Associate's Degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and two (2) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2T (or higher) drinking water treatment facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board); or4. A Bachelor's degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and one (1) year full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2T (or higher) drinking water treatment facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board).I. Grade 3 Distribution (3D) 1. Possession of a Grade 2D Full Certification with full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2D (or higher) drinking water distribution facility for an additional two (2) years after certification; or2. High school diploma (or equivalent) and four (4) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2D (or higher) drinking water distribution facility; or3. An Associate's degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and two (2) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2D (or higher) drinking water distribution facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board); or4. A Bachelor's degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and one (1) year full-time experience as an operator at a Class 2D (or higher) drinking water distribution facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board).J. Grade 4 Treatment (4T) 1. An Associate's Degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and four (4) years full time experience as an operator at a Class 3T (or higher) drinking water supply treatment facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board); or2. A Bachelor's degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and two (2) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 3T (or higher) drinking water supply treatment facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board); or3. Have been employed at a Rhode Island public water supply treatment facility of Class 3T (or higher) and possess a grade 3T Full Certification with five (5) years continuous full-time experience as an operator at a Class 3T (or higher) drinking water supply treatment facility and have completed a minimum of fourteen (14) semester credits of post high school education in the physical and/or biological sciences including chemistry, math, biology or other related disciplines acceptable to the Board.K. Grade 4 Distribution (4D) 1. An Associate's Degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and four (4) years full time experience as an operator at a Class 3D (or higher) drinking water supply distribution facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board); or2. A Bachelor's degree in the physical and/or biological sciences and two (2) years full-time experience as an operator at a Class 3D (or higher) drinking water supply distribution facility. (Degree shall be in the areas of sanitary, civil, chemical, or environmental engineering, public health, biology, chemistry, or other discipline acceptable to the Board); or3. Have been employed at a Rhode Island public water supply distribution facility of Class 3D (or higher) and possess a grade 3D Full Certification with five (5) years continuous full-time experience as an operator at a Class 3D (or higher) drinking water supply distribution facility.216 R.I. Code R. 216-RICR-50-05-5.8
Amended effective 10/7/2020