About Operator Certification

Operator certification is an important step in promoting Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) compliance. It establishes minimum professional standards for the operation and maintenance of public water systems.

• Operator Certification Program Management
• History of the Operator Certification Program

Operator Certification Program Management

• EPA Operator Certification Guidelines: Implementation Guidance (pdf) (67.48 KB, January 2000, EPA 816-R-00-022)
  This guidance document includes checklists and crosswalk for the review of a State Operator Certification program, examples of a State Attorney General’s Certification, FAQs on implementation, and more.
• Summary of State Operator Certification Programs (pdf) (2.26 MB, March 2016, EPA 816-R-16-002)
  This document summarizes state drinking water operator certification programs and can be used as a reference tool for cross-comparing state operator certification programs.
• Model Operator Certification Annual Report (docx) (254.11 KB, January 2025, EPA 810-B-25-001)
  This document illustrates the information for states to include in their annual reports when demonstrating adherence with the federal requirements set forth in the Final Guidelines.

History of the Operator Certification Program

The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) directed EPA to develop information on recommended operator certification requirements. As a result, EPA formed partnerships with states, water systems, and the public to create two workgroups to address issues related to operator certification and develop specific program guidelines on minimum standards for the certification and recertification of operators.

• The State-EPA Workgroup was composed of seven states and 10 EPA representatives.
• The National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) Operator Certification Working Group (also known as "the Partnership") was composed of approximately 20 members representing:
  • Public water systems,
  • Environmental and public interest advocacy groups,
  • State drinking water programs,
  • EPA, and
  • Other interest groups.

The two groups worked together to develop nine baseline standards. These guidelines were published by EPA in 1999: Final Guidelines for the Certification and Recertification of Operators of Community and Nontransient Noncommunity Public Water Systems (PDF)

Under the final guidelines, EPA will withhold 20 percent of a state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) capitalization grant if the state does not have an operator certification program. Furthermore, a state's operator certification program must meet the requirements of the final guidelines or submit an existing program substantially equivalent to the guidelines. Final additions to the guidelines were published in 2001 and include:

• A process and schedule for reviewing state operator certification programs and making DWSRF withholding determinations,
• A clarification regarding the validation of certification exams, and
• Final allocation methodology for grants to states to support the Operator Certification Expense Reimbursement Grants (ERG) program. (Note, the ERG program ended on December 31, 2012.)