Operator Training and Certification Page

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Operator Training and Certification Page

Notice:

The operator certification program administrator has changed. The Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office (OWWCO) is assuming the responsibilities for administering the certification program on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

OWWCO
302 The East Mall
Etobicoke, ON
Suite 410
M9B 6C7
Phone: 416-231-2100 or 1-877-231-2122
Fax: 416-231-2107
E-mail: info@owwco.ca

Effective April 1, 2009, payments in the form of cheques or money orders must be made out to the “Minister of Finance”. Payment may also be made by credit cards (MasterCard and VISA).

Exam Rescheduling and cancellations:

A new exam rescheduling and cancellation policy will take effect on July 1st, 2009.

Exam applicants may reschedule their exam session two times at no additional fee. Two weeks written notice must be provided. If an applicant is unable to attend the third scheduled date or does not provide two weeks notice the exam application is cancelled. No refunds will be issued. A new exam date may be scheduled by submitting a new application with payment.

Applicants who are unable to attend an exam due to severe weather, illness or other accepted compassionate reasons will be allowed to reschedule without penalty. A doctor’s certificate or other documentation may be requested.

If an exam applicant, at any time, cancels an exam application no refund will be issued.

Certificates:

Effective April 1, 2009 certificates will no longer include a code in the top right corner indicating if the certificate is eligible for reciprocity with other provinces. "CDN" indicated reciprocity was available. "ONT" indicated that reciprocity was not available.

In 2008, Ontario and all other provinces and territories signed an Agreement which will allow for labour mobility for all occupations. As part of the agreement an Ontario operator may apply for the same type and class of certificate in another province (provided that province issues that type of certificate). Some administrative requirements may need to be met by the operator (for example payment of a fee, verification that the certificate is in good standing in Ontario). Since almost all certificates issued in Ontario will be eligible for full mobility the reciprocity eligibility code is no longer required. The Agreement is set to come into force on August 1, 2009.

Ontario Operator Certification Program

Ontario’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Program goal is to increase the knowledge and capacity of those individuals entrusted with protecting our lakes and streams and providing consumers with safe drinking water. The program establishes recognized professional standards for operators in the following areas:

• Minimum Education Requirements;
• Mandatory Training;
• Verification of Knowledge through Standardized Examinations;
• Experience Requirements;
• Annual Continuing Education.

Drinking water operators are regulated under the Certification of Drinking-Water and Water Quality Analysts Regulation (Ontario Regulation 128/04). Wastewater operators have slightly different requirements under the Licensing of Sewage Works Operators Regulation (Ontario Regulation 129/04).

Ontario's certification program is based on the model provided by the Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) www.abccert.org. ABC is an association which provides guidance and resources to certification authorities across North America. Ontario is a signatory, along with eight other provinces, to the Canadian reciprocity agreement, which allows credentials from each jurisdiction to be easily transferred.

Click below for:

Water and Wastewater Operator Certification System (WWOCS) Web Site Login

OWWCO Exam Schedule (From April 1, 2009 onwards)

Last Modified: June 18, 2009

Forms

Pub.#	Publication Title	Format
00000	Request Form for Training Providers ID and Password WWOCS
00000	Request Form for Operator User ID and Password WWOCS
1850	Municipal Residential Water Treatment Subsystem Classification Application Form
1851	Water Distribution/Supply Subsystem Classification Application Form
1852	Wastewater Treatment Facility Classification Application Form
1853	Wastewater Collection Facility Classification Form
1854	Drinking Water Certificate Application Form
1855	Wastewater Licence Application Form
1856	Limited Subsystem Certificate Application Form
1857	Reciprocity Application Form
1858	Exam Registration Form
1859	Operator-in-Training Exam Registration Form
1859b	Operator in Training Certificate Issuance Application Form
1861	Study Manual Order Form
1874	Conditional Drinking Water Certificate and Wastewater Licence Application Form
1984	Drinking Water Operator and Water Quality Analyst Certification Renewal
2017	Wastewater Operator Licence Renewal Form
2018	Wastewater Operator-in-Training Licence Renewal Application Form
2020	Change of Address Notification
00000	On the Job Practical Training
00000	New Drinking Water Wastewater Operator Certification System, Operator Request Form
00000	New Drinking Water Wastewater Operator Certification System, Training Provider Request Form

Information

Pub.#	Publication Title	Format
00000	Safeguarding Drinking Water Quality Fact Sheet
00000	Entry-Level Course for Drinking Water Operators
00000	WWOCS Functions for Training Providers
4428e	Technical Brief : Ontario Drinking Water Systems Certification of Drinking-Water Systems Operators and Water Quality Analysts Regulation
5749e	Steps to Become a Limited System Operator
5747e	Steps to Become a Supervised Person
5748e	Steps to Become a Trained Person

Guidance

Pub.#	Publication Title	Format
00000	Licensing Guide for Operators of Wastewater Treatment Facilities
00000	Brochure: A Student’s Guide to Drinking Water and Wastewater Operator Certification
00000	A Guide to Completing Ministry of the Environment Water and Wastewater Operator Certification and Facility Classification Forms
00000	WWOCS User Guide for Operators
00000	Certification Guide for Operators and Water Quality Analysts of Drinking Water Systems
2.4	Guideline 2.4 Drinking Water Operator in Training Requirements
3.1	Guideline 3.1 – Grade 12 Equivalency
3.2	Limited System Director Approved Course of Study
3.3	WQA Experience and Director Approved Course
3.4	Experience as a Drinking Water Operator
3.4b	Guideline 3.4b – Experience as a Wastewater Operator
3.5	Guideline 3.5 - Reciprocity - Recognition of Certificates Secured in Other Jurisdictions
3.6	Recognition of Education Received in Jurisdictions Other than Canada or the U.S.
3.7	Oral Exam Qualifying Criteria
3.9	Guideline 3.9 – Trained Person Designation
3.10	Guideline 3.10 – CEUs for Upgrades
3.11	Guideline 3.11 – Exam Results Validity
4.1	Guideline 4.1 – Six month Operator Certificate Renewal
4.2	‘Director Approved’ Continuing Education Training Criteria
4.3	On-the-job Practical Training Criteria
4.6	Guideline 4.6 – Training Requirements and Leave of Absence for Wastewater Operators
5.1	Overall Responsible Operator vs. Operator-in-Charge
5.2	Obtaining Director’s Direction to Use Non-certified Operators in the Event of a Strike or Lock-out
5.3	Guideline 5.3 – Experience for Contractors
6.6	Guideline 6.6 – O. Reg 128/04 – Examination on Invigilation
5452e	Training Manual for Supervised Persons Conducting Operational Checks
6555e	Required Qualifications to Operate, Test or Sample Drinking Water Systems Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002