1	Overview of Wastewater Operator Training and Certification Requirements (O. Reg. 129/04)
2	Agenda Context O. Reg. 129 Qualifications Training Operating Standards Water & Wastewater Operators Certification System
3	Sewage System Operator Licensing Regulation (O. Reg. 129/04) Walkerton Inquiry – 121 Recommendations on drinking water Safe Drinking Water Act (2002) Certification of Drinking-Water Systems Operators and Water Quality Analysts regulation, O. Reg. 128/04 – replaces drinking water provisions of O. Reg. 435/93 Ontario Water Resources Act Licensing of Sewage Works Operators regulation, O. Reg. 129/04 – revokes O. Reg. 435/93
4	System Classification & Operator Certification Requirements
5	Licensing Process
6	Facility Classification All domestic sewage systems which discharge to a river, stream, lake or other watercourse require certified operators Includes both municipal and non-municipal systems Scale of 1 to 4 to denote relative complexity of system
7	Categories of Facility Wastewater Collection Facility A wastewater collection facility means a sewage works that collects or transmits sewage but does not treat or dispose of sewage Wastewater Treatment Facility A wastewater treatment facility means a sewage works that treats or disposes of sewage but does not collect or transmit sewage
8	Licensing of Operators
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10	License Qualifications Class I to IV Systems: Grade 12 or equivalent Pass exam Experience 1 year – Class 1 3 years – Class 2 4 years – Class 3&4 (2 years as Operator-in-charge) Additional eduaction & training 2 years – Class 3 4 years – Class 4 Various substitutions allowed
11	Who Does not Require A License? Labourers, maintenance workers if they do not perform process control functions Senior managers Persons working on “plumbing” under Building Code Persons working under direct control of a licensed operator do not require a license provided licensed operator is physically present Persons repairing equipment, piping etc. if system is off-line
12	"Annual Training Requirements" Annual Training Requirements
13	Annual Training Requirements 40 hours of training per year “Training in new or revised operating procedures, reviews of existing operating procedures, safety training and studies of information and technical skills related to environmental subjects” May not be pro-rated or averaged Does not need MOE pre-approved
14	What if I Hold Both Water and Wastewater Certificates? Operators who work in wastewater and drinking water systems may use the same courses to meet training requirements under O. Reg 128/04 and O. Reg 129/04 (with some restrictions) Only drinking water related courses may be used to meet drinking water recertification requirements Courses which apply to the job of a wastewater and drinking water operator may be used to meet both requirements Courses which relate only to the job of a wastewater operator (e.g. activated sludge) may only apply to the wastewater training requirement
15	Comparison of Drinking Water and Wastewater Requirements Entry level training for new operators OITs limited to 3 years Renewal of certificate conditional on completing required training Mandatory renewal course for all operators More focused training requirements Phased-out of grandparented certificates Late renewal fee Elimination of P.Eng. exemptions
16	"Operating" Operating Standards
17	Operator-in-Charge Can be any operator except for an operator-in-training sets operational parameters or process controls directs or instructs other operators on operations has various responsibilities associated with ensuring that operational processes are done properly, records maintained, equipment maintained (please refer to regulation for specifics) Used for determining Class 3&4 eligibility P.Eng. without a certificate for 180 days in 24 month period
18	Overall Responsible Operator Purpose: to ensure a knowledgeable and experienced person is available at all times to direct other operators in the facility and to respond immediately to emergencies Must have certificate of same type and class as type and class of facility Owner or operating authority must ‘designate’ Is person who has overall operational responsibility
19	ORO cont… Not required to be on site Can be a different person for different shifts Cannot be operator-in-training If ORO with appropriate qualifications is absent or unable to act, can designate operator with certificate one class lower – to 150 days in 12 months May be a Professional Engineer for up to six months
20	Other Operational Requirements Operations and maintenance manuals accessible (reviewed once every 2 years) Record keeping – logs or other record keeping devices Names of operators on shift Departures from normal operating procedures Any abnormal conditions Any equipment taken out of service
21	Water Wastewater Operator Certification System (WWOCS)
22	Purpose of WWOCS Oracle based system designed to track all aspects of the DW and WW certification program. The purpose of WWOCS is to: Improve workflow Ensure integrity of data Improve reporting capabilities Provide greater transparency by giving clients access to their own information Meet ministry IT policies
23	Design Phases of WWOCS Designed in two phases: First Phase - released May 1, 2006; allows internal users to process applications, update client profiles, and process the purchase of resource materials through an inventory system. Second phase - released in several stages; allows clients to submit applications, purchase resource material electronically, and review the profile.
24	Client Profiles There are several profiles which are maintained in WWOCS: Operator Facility Owner Operating Authority Training Provider
25	Operator Profile The operator profile will include the following information on the operator: Name and current home address; Current employer & employer contact information; Current status as an operator; Annual training completed; Certification history; Education and training history; Experience history; Examination history.
26	Operator Profile
27	Operator Profile Cont’d
28	Training Section
29	Experience
30	Exam History
31	Application Process
32	Application Form Cont’d
33	Submitting Application
34	Confirmation of Sent Application
35	Training Provider Profile The training provider profile is set up for all training providers who wish to submit a course to be assessed for “Director Approved” status. This profile contains the training provider’s contact information, as well as any previously assessed “Director Approved” courses.
36	Training Provider Profile
37	External Access to Profiles Operators and training providers will be able to: to view and update the editable fields within their profiles to submit applications to OETC electronically. profile information will pre-fill in many of the fields required in the application
38	Employer Report The ministry has created a report which will list all active operators who work for a specific employer. Information provided will include: Full Name of Operator All Certificates (Class & Type) Expiry Dates This report will be issued by OETC via email.
39	Other Profiles Internal profiles On owners, operating authorities and facilities Can only be viewed by the Ministry and OETC Used to populate information into the operator’s profiles.
40	Protection of Privacy The MOE is committed to maintaining all clients’ privacy as per Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Privacy Impact Assessment was completed Security features have been put into place
41	Questions? Program Administrator: Ontario Environmental Training Consortium (OETC) 905-796-2851 www.oetc.on.ca Ministry of the Environment: Brian Gildner – Manager, Certification, Training & Client Services 416-212-7457 Katharine Hall – Certification Officer 416-212-7454 Agnes MacKillop – Certification Officer 416-212-7455 Alex Salewski – Certification Officer 416-212-7463