Connecticut Water Treatment Operator Certification: Program Overview
Who Certifies Operators in Connecticut
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), Drinking Water Section, certifies drinking water treatment plant operators across four classes: Class I through Class IV, ranked by increasing treatment complexity. A candidate typically begins at Class I and advances as they gain experience and pass higher-level exams.
Connecticut's Source Water Landscape
Connecticut draws roughly 76% of its public drinking water from a mix of:
- Surface water reservoirs -- including large impoundments like the Barkhamsted Reservoir (about 30.3 billion gallons) and the Nepaug Reservoir (about 9.5 billion gallons), both in the state's northwest hills.
- Groundwater from sand-and-gravel aquifers -- which supply many private wells and smaller community systems, es