New Mexico Water Systems Operator Certification Study …

1 NEW MEXICOWATER Systems OPERATORCERTIFICATION Study MANUALV ersion IV, January 2011 New Mexico Environment DepartmentUtility Operator Certification ProgramNMED Surface Water Quality BureauPO Box 5469 Santa Fe, NM 87502On the cover:San Juan-Chama Drinking Water ProjectNEW MEXICOWATER Systems OPERATORCERTIFICATION Study MANUALV ersion IVJanuary2011 New Mexico Environment DepartmentUtility Operator Certification ProgramNMED Surface Water Quality BureauPO Box 5469 Santa Fe, NM 87502 INTRODUCTIONThe NEW MEXCIO Water Systems OPERATORCERTIFICATION Study GUIDE was developed by FredRagsdale of Ragsdale and Associates under contract withNMED Surface Water Quality Bureau.

2 With this edition thetitle has changed to The NEW MEXCIO Water SYSTEMSOPERATOR Certification Study manual to reflect theaddition of further Study material. It should be used as a toolto assist Water Systems operators in New Mexico inpreparation for taking the New Mexico Distribution SystemsOperator, Small Water Systems Operator , and Water SystemsOperator Certification exams . In New Mexico WaterCertification is divided into the following areas: Four classes of Water system Operatorcertification Three classes of Distribution Systems Operatorcertification Two classes of Small Water Systems OperatorcertificationThis manual is not intended to be a complete reference manual fortechnical information.

3 Its purpose is to guide the reader to studymaterial for each of the major subject areas for each of the is no implied claim that this Study guide covers every possiblepoint on which an Operator may be tested. However, it is intendedto be comprehensive in its coverage of the essential informationfor each exam. As new technologies are developed and becomeavailable in the State of New Mexico further additions will bemade to the Study manual to assist operators in understandingthose advanced Water treatment manual is divided into fourteen basic chapters.

4 In thefuture a chapter fifteen will be added containing informationon emerging advanced Water treatment technologies. Themanaul also contains a useful Appendix: EPA manual Response Protocol Toolbox: Planning for and Respondingto Drinking Water Contamination Threats and Incidents .Each chapter in the Study manual has basic and advancedstudy questions and sample test questions that are intendedhelp the individual determine the type of information that iscovered in an exam. Basic questions will generally coverinformation in the Small Water Systems exams and the Class1 and 2 for Water Systems and Distribution Systems questions will cover information in the WaterSystems Class 3 and 4 and Distribution Systems Class 3exams.

5 The Study questions and sample test questions aredesigned to direct the reader to exam information that is relatedto the chapter topics. There is only one correct answer forthe Sample Test Questions. No answer sheet is will have to look them up. Distribution Systems exams will include informationfrom Chapters 1-5, 7-10, and 13-14. Small Water Systems exam will include informationfrom Chapters 1-5, 7-11, and 13. Advanced Small Water Systems exam will alsoinclude information from Chapters 6 and 12. Water Systems Class 1 exam will includeinformation from Chapters 1-4, 7-11, and 13-14.

6 Water system Class 2 exam will includeinformation from Chapters 1-11 and 13-14. Water Systems Class 3 and 4 exams will includeinformation from chapters one through Certification exams use several texts as referencemanuals for exam topics. Each chapter of the Study manualcontains references to specific chapters of these manualsfor those who wish to access more information on the topicscovered in that particular section. Office of Water Programs, California StateUniversity, Sacramento, Water Treatment PlantOperation.

7 4th ed., 1999, Volumes 1 & 2. Office of Water Programs, California StateUniversity, Sacramento, Small Water SystemsO&M. 4th ed., 2001. Office of Water Programs, California StateUniversity, Sacramento, Water DistributionSystem O&M. 4th ed., 2000. ACR Publications, Inc., Skeet Arasmith,Introduction to Small Water Systems , 1993. Fletcher Driscoll/US Filter, Groundwater andWells, 2nd Edition, thanks to:NMED SWQB Utility Operator Certification Programfor funding; Bob Padilla for his graphics; the New MexicoUtility Operator Certification Advisory Board for chapterreviews; everyone who helped to proof read the first draftfor typos; Bill Peifer for help formatting the original text;Marilyn Still for further typo revisions.

8 And Robert &Nancy Gott of Gott Consulting Services for structuringsupplemental text and reformatting the Study Mexico ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENTSURFACE Water QUALITY BUREAUUTILITY Operator Certification PROGRAMThe New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission,through the New Mexico Environment Department(NMED), grants Certification for competency to theoperators of Water and wastewater Systems . The UtilityOperator Certification Program (UOCP) conducts thetesting for Certification . Certain requirements must be metbefore an Operator is eligible to take a Operator begins the process by completing a testapplication from the Utility Operator Certification will only be accepted if they are submitted atleast 30 days prior to the exam date.

9 A Certification officerwill review each application to determine if the Operator iseligible to take the requested examination. An applicationmust be submitted every time a test is taken. Examinationsare given several times a year at various locations aroundthe state. Fees range from $ - $ dependingon the examination. A check or money order for the properamount must accompany each exam application and paidto Utility Operator Certification must be renewed every three years. Therenewal date will be the last day of the certificate holder sbirthmonth following the third anniversary of the UOCP also handles renewal of certificates.

10 Renewalfees ranges from $ - $ depending on the levelof Certification to be renewed per Utility Operator Certification Program maintainstraining credits for certified operators only. Each operatormust keep a record of all training credits earned. Anyonewho intends to apply for NM Certification must includedocumentation of training credits when the application issubmitted. Certified operators that are taking higher levelexams may also have to submit training creditdocumentation to update training record files at the UtilityOperator Certification correspondence, including applications, should bemailed to.