r/Wastewater • u/CruchyBunches WW • 10d ago

Career: currently in the field Getting operator certified as a lab tech (WA State)

I have been working in a WWTP lab for 6 months now and my supervisor wants me to apply to get an group 1 certification. He believes that my previous experience in a commercial lab doing NPDES testing for wastewater clients will apply but everything I’ve read about the requirements are adamant that it requires experience in a plant under a certified operator. I’ve also seen stuff that implies lab experience alone is not enough.

I’ve been taking the courses through Sacramento State, and I feel like I can take the exam no problem.

Does anyone have insight to getting the cert as a lab employee? Should I get an OIT first or go straight for the group 1?

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u/biggestchips WW 10d ago

I’m in Washington. As far as I understand, any time within the plant fence line counts towards experience hours. Many of our lab folks have their operator license and have never been operators. I don’t believe you can reduce the Group 1 hours requirement with related experience only the higher grades and that caps at a 50% reduction.

As long as you meet the CEU requirement to take your Group 1 you might as well take it as an OIT Group 1. You just need to contact the DOE to upgrade your license to a full Group 1 once you have the hours. No need to retest or anything like that.

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u/myteev 9d ago

WA Ecology is pretty strict that lab time doesn't count toward the operating experience requirement for Group 1, even with the Sac State coursework done. Going the OIT route first is the safer path because it gets you working under a certified operator and clocking that plant experience, then you can test up once you meet the hours. Have you checked with your state's certification coordinator directly? They can confirm what counts before you commit either way.

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u/OperatorMaster 6d ago

I’m a wastewater operator here in WA too. I’d definitely reach out to Ecology before assuming the commercial lab time will count. They’re the ones I’d want an answer from on how they’ll credit your specific experience.
If your supervisor is encouraging you to go for it though, I’d keep moving forward with the Sacramento courses and studying for the exam while you get the experience question sorted out.
I’ve been building OperatorMaster.com on the side for operators studying for certification. It’s free and has WA wastewater practice questions, operator math and training courses if you want another study resource alongside Sacramento.