Known as “forever chemicals”, PFAS are having and will continue to have an impact on our water and wastewater systems. Learn more about PFAS at the ITRCs (Interstate Technology Regulatory Council’s) PFAS page.
All of Alabama’s certification exams are standardized national exams created by WPI (Water Professionals International), formerly ABC (The Associated Boards of Certification). WPI maintains a useful webpage of Examination Resources that includes, among many things, links to the Need-to-Know Criteria and Study Guides. Specifically, “Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals” Training Manuals with Operator exam topics and Need-To-Know Criteria are available here.
All of Alabama’s certification exams are standardized national exams administered by PSI. ADEM neither endorses nor formally approves exam trainers. However, the following entities are familiar with Alabama's exam classification. Links are provided below to providers of exam training:
- Alabama Rural Water Association
- Birmingham Water Works Board University
- Indigo Water Group
- Jacksonville State University
- Prattville Pine Creek Learning Center (2024 Course Schedule)
- Utility Engineering Consultants, LLC
- Water Girl Consulting
Also, RoyCEU has a series of free practice quizzes that are helpful to test your knowledge and evaluate your exam readiness regarding biological wastewater treatment, chlorination, basic math and several other topics.
Alabama's certified water and wastewater operators are required to take continuing education classes during each three-year certification renewal cycle. During each three year period, operators must attain a minimum number of Continuing Education Hours (CEHs) described in ADEM's Division 10 regulation. The training entities listed above provide classroom-based CEH training.
The following entities provide on-line CEH training. Please be aware that the links below are provided for information purposes only. ADEM does not pre-approve training courses and has no control over the training content or of the posting of any material on these websites. The Department takes no responsibility for the validity of these training services. It is the Operator's responsibility to identify valid CEH classes that are appropriate for the operator's individual level or grade of certification:
- Alabama Water Pollution Control Association
- Approved Environment, Inc.
- At Your Pace Online
- AWWA Online Institute
- California State University Sacramento
- CEU Plan
- David H. Paul, Inc.
- Indigo Water Group
- NEZAT Training and Consulting (Wastewater Collection System Training)
- RoyCEU.com
- 360Water.com
- Walters Environmental Consulting
- Wastewater Microbiology Solutions
- Water Girl Consulting
- WaterOperator.org
- Zarathom.com
- WaterOtter.com
This free Water Operator Continuing Education and Water Exam Preparation Training is offered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in collaboration with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and with funding from the U.S. EPA.
This 2-hour on-line training is applicable to all Alabama Water Treatment Operators but is primarily geared to Alabama Grade II Water Treatment Operators.
The Course Syllabus and link to this training is found here.
The following organizations may offer other supplemental training information to Alabama-certified operators and operator exam candidates: