SEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program Office of Water (4606M) August 2009 EPA816-B-09-002 www.epa.gov/safewater ------- 100. Objective 2 101. Authority 2 102. Administrative Functions 3 103. Definitions 3 104. Application for Certification 4 105. Examinations 5 106. Certificates 6 107. Experience and Education Requirements 8 108. Continuing Education 10 109. Training 10 110. Classification of Distribution Systems and Treatment Facilities 11 111. Stakeholder Involvement 11 100. Objective 100.1 The purpose of the EPA Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program is to increase public health protection through certification for personnel operating public drinking water systems in Indian country. 101. Authority 101.1 EPA is the Certifying Authority for the Certification Program. As such, EPA will issue all new and renewal certificates. EPA will also revoke certificates where appropriate. 101.2. Although participation in this Certification Program is voluntary, EPA requires a Tribe to have, or agree to obtain within a certain time frame, a certified operator(s) for their public drinking water system(s) in order to secure funds in the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Tribal Set-Aside (DWIG TSA) program. Also, Federal drinking water regulations require some system operators to be "qualified." Participation in the EPA Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification program meets this requirement. Operators certified through this program will be listed by the Region on their "register" pursuant to the regulations (141.130(c)). 101.3 When communicating with EPA regarding the EPA Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program, operators should correspond with EPA Regional Tribal Coordinators specified in outreach materials for this program. 101.4 EPA has the authority to establish a Tribal Operator Certification Program through its direct implementation authority set forth in Public Law No. 105-65, 111 Stat.1334, 1374 (1997) and 42 U.S.C. 300j-2(a)(8). ------- 102. Administrative Functions 102.1 The administrative functions for this program include the following: o Processing applications submitted to the Program; o Administering examinations; and o Maintaining an accurate record of the certification status of all applicants and operators that have been certified by this Program. 103. Definitions Certification Level: Any one of the possible steps within this water treatment or water distribution Certification Program. Certified Operator: A qualified operator of a public water system who holds a valid certification from any Certifying Authority approved by EPA. Certifying Authority: An organization that issues new certificates and renewal certificates, and revokes certificates as appropriate (USEPA). Community Water System (CWS): a public water system which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Distribution System: Distribution pipelines, appurtenances, and facilities, which carry water for potable use to consumers through a public water supply. Distribution System Complexity: Conditions or characteristics that exist in a distribution system, such as: pressure zones, booster stations, storage tanks, fire protection, chlorination, non-residential consumer, cross connection potential demand variations, size of pipes, total distance of pipes and/or total geographic area that must be considered when classifying the distribution system. Indian Country: Indian country means (a) all land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States Government, notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and including rights-of-way running through the reservation, (b) all dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States, whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a state, and (c) all Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not been extinguished, including rights-of-way running through the same. Non-transient Non-community Water System (NTNCWS): a public water system that is not a community water system and regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons over 6 months per year. Common types of NTNC water systems are those serving schools, day care centers, factories, nursing homes, casinos, and hospitals. ------- Operator: A person who operates, repairs, maintains, and is directly employed by or is an appointed volunteer for a public drinking water system. Public Water System: A system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. System includes any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of such system and used primarily in connection with such system; and any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control that are used primarily in connection with such system. Source Water: The source of water that is collected for use in a public drinking water system. Examples include: type (surface water, groundwater, groundwater under the influence of surface water, purchased water); quality (variability); and/or protection (wellhead protection). Treatment Facility: Any place(s) where a community or non-community water system alters the physical or chemical characteristics of the drinking water. Treatment Facility (Complexity): Factors that may impact a Treatment Facility's ability to control water quality, consumer safety and/or the safety of the operator. Validated Examination: An examination that is independently reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure it is based on a job analysis and related to the classification of the system or facility. 104. Application for Certification 104.1 An operator requesting certification must meet the following requirements. 104.1.1 Take and pass an examination that demonstrates the applicant has the necessary skills, knowledge, ability, and judgment relevant to and appropriate for the classification of the public drinking water system. 104.1.2 Have a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED) or complete the Operator In Training (OIT) Program as described in Part 107. 104.1.3 Have the defined minimum amount of experience and education for each level of certification, or complete the OIT Program. Education and experience requirements for each level of certification are outlined in Part 107. ------- 104.1.4 Be an employee or an appointed volunteer of a public drinking water system in Indian country. 104.2 Required documentation showing the applicant meets the minimum certification, education and experience criteria must accompany the application. 104.3 Evaluation and Verification of Applicant Qualifications 104.3.1. EPA will make final determinations of exam eligibility. 104.3.2. Evaluation of experience will include reports of supervisors or other agencies having appropriate responsibilities for water utility system oversight. 104.4. EPA will notify the applicant of exam eligibility status. Any appeals regarding exam eligibility status will be handled by EPA Regional Tribal Coordinators. 105. Examinations 105.1 Certification examinations are prepared for use in determining skill, knowledge, ability, and judgment of the applicants. 105.2 All examination questions shall be validated. 105.3 Sequential examinations are required; that is, an applicant for a Level 2 certification must have taken and passed the Level 1 examination; an applicant for a Level 3 certification must have taken and passed the Level 2 examination; and, an applicant for the Level 4 certification must have taken and passed the Level 3 examination. 105.4 Operators who have been approved for examination have six months from the date of eligibility approval to schedule the exam. 105.5 Any applicant taking the examination is required to provide adequate identification prior to receiving the examination packet. Before leaving the testing session the applicant must return all examinations and related materials. 105.6 In order to receive a certificate, the applicant must achieve a minimum examination passing score of 70%. 105.7 Applicants will receive a score report at the completion of the exam. Applicants who pass the exam will receive their certificate by mail. ------- 105.8 Applicants who did not pass may retake the exam within six months of the original test date, but no sooner than 30 days after the original test date. Applicants who do not pass the retake exam must submit a new application form. 105.9 Examinations are not available for review. EPA will provide applicants the opportunity to appeal his/her exam score. All appeals must be in writing and must be made within 30 days of the date of the examination. 105.10 Accommodations will be made for applicants that require special accommodation due to a disability that may impair ability to take the examination. Applicants must submit a Request for Accommodation Form with the application and provide documentation of the need for a special accommodation. A letter from a physician or a medical specialist knowledgeable of your disability must accompany the completed application. Contact the EPA Regional Tribal Coordinator to request a copy of the Request for Accommodation Form. 106. Certificates 106.1. Issuance 106.1.1. Certificates will be issued independently for water treatment and water distribution. 106.1.2. Upon satisfactory fulfillment of all certification requirements, the EPA will provide the applicant a certificate by designating the applicant's competency. 106.1.3. The certificate will state the certified operator's name, certification level, date of issue, expiration date, and the official certificate number. 106.1.4. Subject to 106.1.5 and 106.1.6, Certificates will be issued for a three-year period. 106.1.5. Certificates will be valid only so long as the holder uses reasonable care, judgment, and application of knowledge in the performance of duties. 106.1.6. No certificate will be valid if obtained or renewed through fraud, deceit, or the submission of inaccurate qualification data. 106.1.7. No grandfathered or temporary certificates will be issued. ------- 106.2. Expiration and Renewal 106.2.1 All certificates must be renewed before expiration. 106.2.2 To renew a certificate, the certified operator must have been actively working in the area of certification and completed at least 30 continuing education hours during the previous three-year period. 106.2.3 EPA may send a notice of renewal to the operator prior to the expiration date of the certificate. 106.2.4 Renewal applications must be returned and accompanied by documentation for continuing education hours. 106.2.5 Lapsed certificates may be reinstated within 30 days of the date of expiration. After 30 days, the operator will no longer be certified. 106.2.6. If a certified operator terminates current employment or is no longer an appointed volunteer in a public drinking water system in Indian country, the certification will remain valid for 180 days, or until the expiration date on the certificate, whichever is longer. 106.2.7. If renewal of a certificate is denied, the operator may appeal the decision by making a written request to appeal to the EPA within 90 days after the EPA has issued the decision for renewal. 106..3. Revocation 106.3.1. EPA will revoke the certificate of a certified operator if it is found that the certified operator has: Practiced fraud or deception; Performed in a grossly negligent, incompetent manner; Has committed misconduct in the performance of duties as an operator of a public water system; and/or Demonstrated disregard for the health and safety of the public Been convicted of a violation of any Federal law relating to water quality; including, but not limited to, the Safe Drinking Water Act. 106.3.2. EPA will provide a certificate holder with an opportunity to appeal the revocation of a certificate. A written request to appeal must be made to the EPA within 30 days after the EPA has issued the decision. ------- 106.3.3. Upon receipt of any appeal, EPA will convene a special meeting at a date mutually agreeable to all parties. The requestor will present his/her appeal to the EPA, either personally or in written form. EPA will consider the appeal and reach a determination. 106.4. EPA will recognize certification from EPA approved certification providers under this program and certification provided by any approved State program for purposes of meeting the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Tribal Set Aside requirement for a certified operator. The EPA Tribal Drinking Water Operator Certification Program will extend reciprocity to any operators already certified by a State with an approved operator certification program and on a case by case basis to operators already certified by other EPA approved providers pre-dating this program. 107. Experience and Education Requirements 107.1. Experience and education requirements are the same for water distribution certification and water treatment certification. The same experience and education can be used to meet the requirements for both the water distribution and water treatment certification. 107.2. The education and experience requirements for operators are: 107.2.1 Operator In Training (OIT) An operator who does not meet the education and/or experience criteria may apply for OIT certification and must take and pass an exam at the appropriate certification level. This option is only available for VSWS and Class I levels. Operators who hold an OIT certification must complete a basic operator course and fulfill the renewal continuing education requirements to receive full certification at the time of renewal after three years. Examples of basic operator courses include: - Water Treatment Plant Operation, Level 1, offered by Sacramento State; Small Water System Operations and Maintenance, offered by Sacramento State; Operator Basics, offered by Montana University Water System Program on-line or on CD-ROM; General Module and Water Distribution - Level One, offered by the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona; Other training courses pre-approved by EPA. Operators that have completed the OIT program are eligible for higher certification levels when they complete the experience and renewal hours for each level. ------- 107.2.2. Very Small Water System Work Experience: six months of operations experience. Education: High school diploma or GED. Water Training Requirements: Five (5) hours of approved Continuing Education Hours in topics relevant or specific to water utility operations. 107.2.3 Level 1 Work Experience: One (1) year of acceptable operating experience as defined in these guidelines. (Education cannot be substituted for experience.) Education: High school diploma or GED. Water Training Requirements: Ten (10) hours of approved Continuing Education Hours in topics relevant or specific to water utility operations. 107.2.4. Level 2 Work Experience: Two (2) years of acceptable operating experience. Education: High school diploma, GED, or completion of OIT. Water Training Requirements: Thirty (30) approved Continuing Education Hours in topics relevant or specific to water utility operations. 107.2.5. Level 3 Work Experience: Five (5) years of acceptable operating experience. Education: High school diploma, GED, or completion of OIT; and 1 year of post high school education or the equivalent in approved training as defined in Part 108. Water Training Requirements: Fifty (50) approved Continuing Education Hours in topics relevant or specific to water utility operations. 107.2.6. Level 4 Work Experience: Six (6) years of acceptable operating experience, of which at least l!/2 years must have occurred after obtaining a Level 3 Certificate. Education: High school diploma or GED and 2 years of post high school education or the equivalent in approved training as defined in Part 108. Water Training Requirements: Eighty (80) approved Continuing Education Hours in topics specific or relevant to water utility operations. ------- 107.3 Experience and education qualifications are based on the years of experience that the applicant has completed in association with the duties of the Certification Level for which the application is made. 107.4 Experience is defined as work performed in the operation, maintenance, monitoring, analysis, or management of water production, treatment, storage, distribution, laboratory facilities, or other positions in the water utility field. 107.5 Continuing Education Hours (CEH) used for fulfilling examination requirements may not be reused for a higher certification level (e.g., 30 CEH used to qualify for level 2 cannot be counted towards 50 CEH to qualify for level 3). However, CEH taken for renewal can be used to qualify for the next level. CEH also can be used to meet both distribution and treatment certification requirements. 108. Continuing Education 108.1 Continuing Education Hours (CEH) must be either acceptable as college transfer or directly related to the field of water treatment or water distribution. For education gained in programs such as short schools, correspondence courses, trade schools, community colleges, formalized workshops, seminars, etc., credit will be allowed in accordance with the following schedule at the discretion of the Certification Administrator. 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 Continuing Education Hours 1 Semester Hour = 10 Continuing Education Hours 30 Semester Hours (1 year of n/^ ^ T-J ^ TT ,, , =300 Continuing Education Hours college) 109. Training 109.1 Continuing Education Hours must be acquired from the subject areas listed in Appendix 1 and must be conducted by a recognized provider such as EPA, American Water Works Association (AWWA), Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), Rural Water Association (RWA), New Mexico Environmental Finance Center (NMEFC), etc. Contact hours for renewal may not all be in the same subject area and operators are encouraged to seek training from a variety of providers. 109.2 A list of training opportunities is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/tribal/training.html 109.3 It is the responsibility of the operator to obtain documentation of contact hours. 10 ------- 109.4 Operators should verify in advance with the EPA Regional Tribal Coordinator if a specific training course will count towards required renewal contact hours. 109.5 All in-house or in-plant training which is intended to meet any part of the credit hour requirements must be approved in writing by the EPA Regional Tribal Coordinator prior to the training. Criteria for approval include: Submittal of an instructor resume; Submittal of an outline of the subjects to be covered along with the time allocated to each area; and A list of the instructor's objectives documenting the essential points of the instruction ("need to know" information) and the methods used to illustrate these points. 110. Classification of Distribution Systems and Treatment Facilities 110.1. In order to determine the appropriate level of certification for a water system operator, EPA will classify all water systems in Indian country. 110.2. Water distribution systems shall be classified according to the classification system as defined in Appendix 2. 110.3. Water treatment facilities shall be classified according to the point classification system as defined in Appendix 3. 111. Stakeholder Involvement 111.1 EPA will provide ongoing stakeholder involvement in the Certification Program. 111.2 Representatives from all Tribes are invited to give input on the Certification Program at any time. 111.3 EPA will initiate review of the Certification Program as appropriate based upon comments received. Appendix 1: Continuing Education Hour Topic List Appendix 2: Water Distribution Systems Point Rating System Appendix 3: Water Treatment Plant Point Rating System 11 ------- Appendix 1: Continuing Education Hour Topic List WATER TREATMENT CONTINUING EDUCATION TOPICS Continuing Education Topics General Basic Computers Basic Electricity for Operators Basic Hydraulics Geographic Info Systems (GIS) Math for Operators Water Chemistry Water Microbiology Safety Backhoe Operator Chlorine Safety Confined Space Electrical Hazards Excavations, Trenching/Shoring/ Competent Person Hazard Communication/Right-to-Know Lab Safety Lockout/Tagout Personal Protective Equipment / Respiratory Protection Safe Handling of Materials Spill Response Traffic Control/Work Zone Safety Water & Blood-borne Pathogens O & M Equipment Aeration Equipment Belt Filter presses Blowers and Compressors Booster Pumping Stations Centrifuges Chemical Storage/Feed Systems Cross Connection/Backflow Prevention Equipment Electrical controls/SCADA Flow Monitoring & Level Sensing Equipment Water Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 12 ------- Continuing Education Topics Generators/Switchgear Hydraulic and Pneumatic Equipment Instrumentation Leak Detection Cathodic Protection Mechanical Process Equipment Mixers Motor Control Centers Motors/Engines/Drives Pipe, Valves, Fittings Programmable Logic Controllers Pumping/Lift Stations Pumps Stand-by/ Aux/Support Equip Variable Freq Drives Water Treatment Process/ Quality Control Adsorption Processes Aeration Algae Control Aquifer Storage & Recovery Arsenic Removal Bacteriological Sampling Procedures Basic Knowledge of Groundwater Treatment Basic Knowledge of Water Treatment Cation Exchange Softening Chemical Precipitation Softening Chemical Storage & Handling Chemical Treatment Coagulation & Flocculation Corrosion Control Cross-Connection/ Backflow Disinfecting Water Storage Vessels Drinking Water Disinfection Drinking Water Standards & Rules Filtration Flow Measurement: Open Channel & Pipe Fluoridation Groundwater Basics/Aquifers Intake Structures Iron & Manganese Removal Water Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 13 ------- Jar Testing Continuing Education Topics Membrane Processes: Filtration Modes Metering Nitrate Removal Oxidation Pesticide & Herbicide Reduction Plant & Distribution Storage Point of Use/Point of Entry Devices Process Optimization & Upgrade Residuals Disposal Sampling & Lab Analysis Sedimentation/Clarification Surface Water Treatment Taste & Odor Control Water Source Treatment & Characteristics Well Maintenance & Rehab Well Operation (yield, drawdown) Zebra Mussel Control Distribution Process/ Quality Control Aquifer Storage & Recovery Chlorination Corrosion Control Cross-Connection/ Backflow Dechlorination Distribution Systems Drinking Water Standards Fire Flow Testing Flushing, Pigging, and Swabbing Groundwater Basics/Aquifers Hydrants, Valves, Exercising Programs Leak Detection/Water Audits Mapping, Locating, Tracer Wire Metering New Main & Repair Disinfection Sampling & Lab Analysis Service Line & Curb Box Maintenance Service Line Thawing Storage Trenchless Construction: Pipe Bursting Water Source Characteristics Yes Water Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No Yes No Yes No No Yes No Yes 14 ------- Well Maintenance Rehabilitation Well Operation (yield, drawdown) Continuing Education Topics Wellhead/Source Water Protection Administration/ Management Capacity, Management, Operation & Maintenance for Separate Systems Compliance Construction Inspection/ Documentation/ Design Build Community /Public Relations/Complaint Response Design Manual Development Emergency Response Planning & Security Training Energy Efficiency/ Energy Conservation at W/WW Facilities Federal & State Financing Programs Finance, Budget, Rate Setting Health and Safety Program Implementation Legal Issues for W/WW Utilities Records and Reports: Monitoring/Reporting/Records Management Planning/Organization/Proj ect Management Plant Optimization: Contin Process Improve/Sustainability/Asset Management/Statistical Process Control Techniques Private Property Issues/Service Laterals Problem Solving/Troubleshooting/Decision Making Regs (CWA/SDWA, State & Local such as Operator Certification Requirements), NPDES Permit Requirements Right-of-Way Management/Maintenance Risk Management Sanitary Surveys/plant/system inspections Sewer Use Ordinances and Moratoriums SSO/CSO Reduction/Elimination (Sanitary Sewer Overflow/ Combined Sewer Overflow) Supervision and Personnel Management / Communication Skills Surface Water/Groundwater/Watershed Protection Training/Teaching Skills Yes Yes Water Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No 15 ------- Water Conservation Yes WATER DISTRIBUTION CONTINUING EDUCATION TOPICS Continuing Education Topics General Basic Computers Basic Electricity for Operators Basic Hydraulics Geographic Info Systems (GIS) Math for Operators Water Chemistry Water Microbiology Safety Backhoe Operator Chlorine Safety Confined Space Electrical Hazards Excavations, Trenching/Shoring/ Competent Person Hazard Communication/Right-to-Know Lab Safety Lockout/Tagout Personal Protective Equipment / Respiratory Protection Safe Handling of Materials Spill Response Traffic Control/Work Zone Safety Water & Blood-borne Pathogens O & M Equipment Aeration Equipment Belt Filter presses Blowers and Compressors Booster Pumping Stations Centrifuges Chemical Storage/Feed Systems Cross Connection/Backflow Prevention Equipment Electrical controls/SCADA Flow Monitoring & Level Sensing Equipment Distribution Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes 16 ------- Generators/Switchgear Hydraulic and Pneumatic Equipment Continuing Education Topics Instrumentation Leak Detection Cathodic Protection Mechanical Process Equipment Motor Control Centers Motors/Engines/Drives Pipe, Valves, Fittings Programmable Logic Controllers Pumping/Lift Stations Pumps Stand-by/Aux/Support Equip Variable Freq Drives Water Treatment Process/ Quality Control Adsorption Processes Aeration Algae Control Aquifer Storage & Recovery Arsenic Removal Bacteriological Sampling Procedures Basic Knowledge of Groundwater Treatment Basic Knowledge of Water Treatment Cation Exchange Softening Chemical Precipitation Softening Chemical Storage & Handling Chemical Treatment Coagulation & Flocculation Corrosion Control Cross-Connection/ Backflow Disinfecting Water Storage Vessels Drinking Water Disinfection Drinking Water Standards & Rules Filtration Flow Measurement: Open Channel & Pipe Fluoridation Groundwater Basics/Aquifers Yes Yes Distribution Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes 17 ------- Intake Structures Iron & Manganese Removal Jar Testing Membrane Processes: Filtration Modes Continuing Education Topics Metering Nitrate Removal Oxidation Pesticide & Herbicide Reduction Plant & Distribution Storage Point of Use/Point of Entry Devices Process Optimization & Upgrade Residuals Disposal Sampling & Lab Analysis Sedimentation/Clarification Surface Water Treatment Taste & Odor Control Water Source Treatment & Characteristics Well Maintenance & Rehab Well Operation (yield, drawdown) Zebra Mussel Control Distribution Process/Quality Control Aquifer Storage & Recovery Chlorination Corrosion Control Cross-Connection/ Backflow Dechlorination Distribution Systems Drinking Water Standards Fire Flow Testing Flushing, Pigging, and Swabbing Groundwater Basics/Aquifers Hydrants, Valves, Exercising Programs Leak Detection/Water Audits Mapping, Locating, Tracer Wire Metering New Main & Repair Disinfection Sampling & Lab Analysis No No No No Distribution Approved (Yes/No) Yes No No No Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 18 ------- Service Line & Curb Box Maintenance Service Line Thawing Storage Trenchless Construction: Pipe Bursting Water Source Characteristics Well Maintenance Rehabilitation Continuing Education Topics Well Operation (yield, drawdown) Wellhead/Source Water Protection Administration/ Management Capacity, Management, Operation & Maintenance for Separate Systems Compliance Construction Inspection/ Documentation/ Design Build Community /Public Relations/Complaint Response Design Manual Development Emergency Response Planning & Security Training Energy Efficiency/ Energy Conservation at W/WW Facilities Federal & State Financing Programs Finance, Budget, Rate Setting Health and Safety Program Implementation Legal Issues for W/WW Utilities Records and Reports: Monitoring/Reporting/Records Management Planning/Organization/Project Management Plant Optimization: Con tin Process Improve/Sustainability/Asset Management/Statistical Process Control Techniques Private Property Issues/Service Laterals Problem Solving/Troubleshooting/Decision Making Regs (CWA/SDWA, State & Local such as Operator Certification Requirements), NPDES Permit Requirements Right-of-Way Management/Maintenance Risk Management Sanitary Surveys/plant/system inspections Sewer Use Ordinances and Moratoriums Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Distribution Approved (Yes/No) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No 19 ------- SSO/CSO Reduction/Elimination (Sanitary Sewer Overflow/ Combined Sewer Overflow) Supervision and Personnel Management/ Communication Skills Surface Water/Groundwater/Watershed Protection Training/Teaching Skills Water Conservation No Yes Yes No Yes 20 ------- Appendix 2: Water Distribution Systems Point Rating System EPA will classify distribution systems according to population served and system characteristics. EPA Regions may increase classification based on other system characteristics. System Characteristics Population = 3,300 or less Distribution storage Hypochlorination Population=3,301 to 10,000 Gaseous and other chlorine disinfectant Pressure zones greater than 5 Recycled water distribution System is blending sources to meet MCL Population > 10,000 Distribution system complexityi Check all that apply System Level Level I Level I Level I Level II Level II Level II Level II Level II Level III Level II-IV Distribution system complexity=Conditions or characteristics that exist in a distribution system, such as: pressure zones, booster stations, storage tanks, fire protection, chlorination, non-residential consumer, cross connection potential demand variations, size of pipes, total distance of pipes and/or total geographic area that must be considered when classifying the distribution system. 21 ------- Appendix 3: Water Treatment Plant Point Rating System Item Size Design flow average day, or peak month's average day, whichever is larger (1 point per 0.5 MCD. Round up.) Design flow: Consider this to be the design capacity of the plant. Examples: 9.2 MCD = 1 9 points 4.7 MCD = 1 0 points (20 points maximum allowed) Water Supply Sources (Rating based on public health significance) Seawater/s alt water Croundwater Croundwater under direct influence of surface water (CWI) Surface water Average Raw Water Quality Variation - Applies to all sources (surface and groundwater). Key is the effect on treatment process changes that would be necessary to achieve optimized performance. Little or no variation^ no treatment^ provided except disinfection (0 po]nts) Minor variation - e.g. "high quality" surface source appropriate for slow sand filtration (1 point) Moderate variation in chemical feed, dosage changes made: monthly (2 points), weekly (3 points), or daily (4 points) Variation significant enough to require pronounced and/or very frequent changes (5 points) Severe variation - source subject to non-point discharges, agricultural/urban storm runoff, flooding (7 points) Raw water quality subject to agricultural or municipal waste point source discharges (8 points) Raw water quality subject to industrial waste pollution (1 0 points) Raw water quality is subject to: Taste and/or odor for which treatment process adjustments are routinely made l Points Possible Color > 1 5 CU (not due to precipitated metals) - see exceptions in Note 1 at end of table l Iron or/and manganese > MCL: Fe (2 points), Mn (3 points) (3 points maximum allowed) - see exceptions in Note 1 at end of table l Algal growths for which treatment process adjustments are routinely made l 1 - 20 10 [ Deleted: 0-10 2 - 3 Chemical Treatment/ Addition Processes Fluoridation Disinfection/Oxidation (Note: Points are additive to a maximum of 1 5 points allowed for this category.) CHECK 0 ALL THAT APPLY: Chlorination: 4 22 ------- Hypochlorites (5 points) D If generated on site (add 1 point) D Chlorine gas (8 points) D Chloramination (1 0 points) D Chlorine dioxide (1 0 points) D Ozonation (1 0 points) D UV Irradiation (2 points) D Iodine, Peroxide, or similar (5 points) D Potassium permanganate (4 points) D (If used with greensand filtration do not give 4 points) pH adjustment for process control (e.g. pH adjustment aids coagulation) Stability or Corrosion Control (If the same chemical is used for both Corrosion Control and pH adjustment, count points only once) 0-15 4 4 Coagulation/Flocculation & Filter Aid Primary coagulant addition Coagulant aid / Flocculant chemical addition (in addition to primary coagulant use) Flocculation Filter aid addition (Non-ionic/anionic polymers) 6 2 2 2 Clarification/Sedimentation Sedimentation (plain, tube, plate) Contact adsorption Other clarification processes (air flotation, ballasted clarification, etc.) Upflow clarification ("sludge blanket clarifier") 2 Filtration Granular media filtration (Surface water/CWI) < 3 gpm/sq ft Granular media filtration (Surface water/GWI) > 3 gpm/sq ft Groundwater filtration Membrane filtration For compliance with a primary regulation (1 0 points) For compliance with a secondary regulation (6 points) Diatomaceous earth (pre-coat filtration) Cartridge/bag Pre-filtration (staged cartridges, pressure sand w/o coagulation, etc.): add one point per stage to maximum of 3 points Slow sand 4 6 6 8 10 20 6 6-10 10 5 1 - 3 5 Other Treatment Processes Aeration Air stripping (including diffused air, packed tower aeration) 1 on-exchange/soft en ing Greensand filtration Lime-soda ash softening (includes: chemical addition, mixing/flocculation/ clarification/filtration - do not add points for these processes separately) 3 5 5 10 20 Granular activated carbon filter (do not assign points when included as a bed layer in another filter) Powdered activated carbon 23 ------- Blending sources with significantly different water quality To achieve MCL compliance (4 points) For aesthetic reasons (2 points) Reservoir management employing chemical addition Electrodialysis Other: Certification authority may assign 2 to 1 5 additional points for processes not listed elsewhere in this document. (Specify: ) 2-4 2 1 5 2-15 Residuals Disposal Discharge to surface, sewer, or equivalent ( 0 points) On-site disposal, land application (1 point) Discharge to lagoon/drying bed, with no recovery/recycling - e.g. downstream outfall (1 point) Backwash recovery/recycling: discharge to basin or lagoon and then to source (2 points) Backwash recovery/recycling: discharge to basin or lagoon and then to plant intake (3 points) 0- 3 Facility Characteristics Instrumentation - Use of SCADA or similar instrumentation systems to provide data, with: Monitoring/alarm only, no process operation - plant has no automated shutdown capability (0 points) Limited process operation - e.g. remote shutdown capability (1 point) Moderate process operation - alarms and shutdown, plus partial remote operation of plant (2 points) Extensive or total process operation - alarms and shutdown, full remote operation of plant possible (4 points) 0- 4 Raw water quality is subject to: Taste and/or odor for which treatment process adjustments are routinely made (2 points): 1) T&O issue has been identified in a pre-design report, etc., 2) a process has been installed to address, and 3) operational control adjustments are made at least seasonally. Do not give points for T&O when there is no specific additional impact on operation. E.g. if a system is already pre-chlorinating for disinfection, give no points for T&O. Color > 15 CU (not due to precipitated metals) (3 points) with following exceptions. Color will be considered elevated and points assigned when levels exceed 75 Color Units (CU) for conventional filtration, 40 CU for direct filtration, or 15 CU for all other technologies, except reverse osmosis (no points given for color for reverse osmosis). Iron and/or manganese > MCL: Fe (2 points), Mn (3 points) (3 points maximum allowed) with following exceptions. Iron and manganese levels will be considered elevated and points assigned if they are greater than the MCL, except for applications of manganese greensand filters. For applications of manganese greensand filters, iron and manganese levels will be considered elevated when their combined level exceeds 1.0 mg/L (3 points allowed). Algal growths for which treatment process adjustments are routinely made (3 points): Raw water will be considered subject to algae growths when treatment processes are specifically adjusted due to the presence of high levels of algae on at least a weekly basis for at least two months each year. 2 Upflow clarification ("sludge blanket clarifier") - 8 points - Also known as sludge blanket clarification. Includes such proprietary units as Super-Pulsator. These units include processes for flocculation and sedimentation. Important note: these are not the same as adsorption clarifiers. 24 ------- Water Treatment Definitions Definitions reprinted from "Master Glossary of Water and Wastewater Terms," [http://www.owp.csus.edu/glossary/glossary.php], with permission from Office of Water Programs, California State University, Sacramento. Adsorption The gathering of a gas, liquid, or dissolved substance on the surface or interface zone of another material. Aeration The process of adding air to water. Air can be added to water by passing air through water or passing water through air. Air stripping A treatment process used to remove dissolved gases and volatile substances from water. Large volumes of air are bubbled through the water being treated to remove (strip out) the dissolved gases and volatile substances. Chloramination The application of chlorine and ammonia to water to form chloramines for the purpose of disinfection. Diatomaceous earth A fine, siliceous (made of silica) "earth" composed mainly of the skeletal remains of diatoms. Direct filtration A method of treating water which consists of the addition of coagulant chemicals, flash mixing, coagulation, minimal flocculation, and filtration. The flocculation facilities may be omitted, but the physical-chemical reactions will occur to some extent. The sedimentation process is omitted. Electrodialysis The selective separation of dissolved solids on the basis of electrical charge, by diffusion through a semipermeable membrane across which an electrical potential is imposed. Reverse osmosis The application of pressure to a concentrated solution which causes the passage of a liquid from the concentrated solution to a weaker solution across a semipermeable membrane. The membrane allows the passage of the water (solvent) but not the dissolved solids (solutes). 25 ------- SCADA system The Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition system is a computer-monitored alarm, response, control and data acquisition system used by drinking water facilities to monitor their operations Stabilization Processes that convert organic materials to a form that resists change. Organic material is stabilized by bacteria which convert the material to gases and other relatively inert substances. Stabilized organic material generally will not give off obnoxious odors. 26 ------- |