Required qualifications to operate, test or sample drinking water systems
A chart indicating who may operate, test or sample drinking water systems in Ontario, according to the level of responsibility or certification.
A check "Yes" below indicates that the following qualified/trained individuals may perform the duty.
| Be designated as Overall Responsible Operator (s.23, O. Reg. 128/04) | Be designated as Operator-in-charge (s.25 O. Reg. 128/04) | Operate equipment, e.g. adjusts or evaluates a process, adjusts or directs flow/pressure in a distribution system etc. (Schedules 1, 2 O. Reg. 170/03; s. 1, 22 O. Reg. 128/04)1 | Conduct chlorine residual or turbidity tests (Schedules 7, 8, and 9 O. Reg. 170/03) | Take samples from residential plumbing and municipal distribution systems for lead analysis; perform pH test in plumbing (s 2, O. Reg. 248/03; Schedule 15.1 of O. Reg. 170/03) | Conduct tests at drinking water systems that are not required to be submitted to a licensed laboratory e.g. alkalinity, colour, hardness, aluminum (ss. 2 and 3 [1], O. Reg. 248/03) | Take required samples for submission to licensed laboratory (Schedules 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 O. Reg. 170/03)2 | Perform flushing or the taking of water samples in a school or day nursery (ss. 3, 4 and 5 of O. Reg. 243/07)2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Operator (Operator-in-Training) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Certified Operator (Class 1-4) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Certified Operator (Limited Water System)3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trained Person4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Water Quality Analyst | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Professional Engineer5 | Yes | See note5 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Public Health Inspector or Medical Officer of Health | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Supervised Person6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Person trained on water sampling and pH testing7 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Any Person | Yes | Yes |
1 There are some exemptions provided in s 8.1 of O. Reg. 170/03 and s. 7 of O. Reg. 252/05 for small municipal non-residential, large municipal non-residential, non-municipal year-round residential and large non-municipal non-residential systems. Please see the regulations for details.
2 Samples must be taken and handled in accordance with the directions of the laboratory to which the sample will be delivered for testing.
3 Not applicable to the following types of systems:
- Large municipal residential systems; or
- Small municipal residential systems supplied by surface water or ground water under direct influence of surface water (GUDI).
4 A "trained person" is an individual who has completed the "Operation of Small Drinking Water Systems" course through the Walkerton Clean Water Centre, or other approved training in the preceding 36 months. Applies only to the following types of systems:
- Small non-municipal non-residential system (designated facility regulated under O. Reg. 170/03)
- Small municipal non-residential system (designated facility regulated under O. Reg. 170/03)
- Non-municipal seasonal residential system (designated facility regulated under O. Reg. 170/03)
5 A professional engineer (as defined under the Professional Engineering Act) may be designated as an Operator-in-charge for a maximum of 180 days in any 24-month period. Professional engineers may only operate equipment if designated as an Operator-in-charge.
6 A supervised person is a person who:
- Is trained by a certified operator on sampling, chlorine residual and turbidity testing;
- Works under the supervision of a certified operator; and
- Immediately notifies the certified operator of all test results
7 Person must meet the following requirements:
- Is trained on water sampling and pH testing requirements for plumbing under Schedule 15.1 by a certified operator;
- Works under the supervision of a certified operator; and
- Advises a certified operator of test results within a reasonable period of time