Section 114.58. Certificate issuance, renewal and continuing education.

 

(1)  Upon satisfactory fulfillment of the qualifications required by this subchapter, the department shall issue a certificate to a person indicating the certification level and subclasses for which the person has qualified.

(2)  All certificates shall expire 3 years from the date of issuance. Certificates may be updated to show additional examinations passed, additional experience gained and changes in certification level and classifications, but the expiration date shall not change. Updating a certificate shall not extend nor change the expiration date. Certificates shall only be renewed subject to the requirements of sub. (3) .

(3)  A person who desires to renew a certificate shall submit evidence of having met the continuing education requirements under sub. (4) on forms provided by the department. Training or courses must be approved by the department. These may include, but are not limited to courses sponsored by the department, university, technical college, technical sessions at meetings of professional organizations, in-house training, and on-line training classes that are wastewater related. Failure to successfully complete and document the required number of hours of continuing education training within the 3-year period shall result in rejection of a certificate renewal application.

(4)  Renewal applications shall meet the following continuing education requirements:

(a) Operators-in-training and basic wastewater treatment plant certified operators require 18 hours per 3-year renewal period.

(b) Advanced wastewater treatment plant operators require 24 hours per 3-year renewal period.

(c) Wastewater treatment plant operators may use up to 6 hours of health and safety training per 3-year renewal period.

(d) Operators-in-training and basic wastewater treatment plant operators may use up to 3 hours of supervisor or management training per 3-year renewal period. Advanced wastewater treatment plant operators may use up to 6 hours of supervisor or management training per 3-year renewal period.

(5)  A person whose certificate has expired may within one year of expiration, be reinstated by paying the renewal fee, the late penalty fee and fulfilling the continuing education requirements. A person not renewing within the one year period shall have to re-take the basic subclass examinations. To regain advanced certification, the basic examinations must be passed and the person shall have to reapply for advanced level certification.

(6)  Certificates may be issued through reciprocity, without examination, to a comparable level and subclass to any person who holds a current wastewater treatment plant operator certificate in any state, territory or possession of the United States, or any country, if in the judgment of the department, the person requesting comparable certification meets the equivalent requirements of this subchapter in examinations, education, and experience.

History: CR 13-054 : cr. Register June 2014 No. 702 , eff. 7-1-15.