Ohio Water Treatment Operator Certification: Program Structure & Lake Erie Water Quality
Certification Structure
Ohio EPA's Division of Drinking and Ground Waters administers professional operator certification under Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 3745-7. Water supply operators are certified into five classes, from entry-level to most complex:
- Class A — entry-level; 1,040 hours of operating experience or 3 years of qualifying work experience
- Class I — small/simple systems
- Class II — moderate complexity systems
- Class III — larger, more complex treatment facilities
- Class IV — the most complex treatment plants in the state
Ohio's certification classes are cumulative: a person holding a higher class certificate (e.g. Class III) is automatically qualified to serve as operator of record for any lower class (Class II, Class I, Class A) within t