Wastewater Operator Certification

Four wastewater operators stand over a large green pipe
Tour of wastewater treatment plant
Wastewater professionals attend a presentation
Tour of wastewater treatment plant
Wastewater treatment operators in shadow as they walk down a stairway at a wastewater treatment plant
Presentation
A group of wastewater treatment facility operators
Collaborating on study materials
A group of wastewater operators walk in a brightly lit underground tunnel with pipes overhead

REMINDER

Licensees are required to update the Board with new home addresses. Call or Email Matt Puglia at 401-537-4153 when you move.

E-Mail List

SUBSCRIBE to the WWTFOPERATORS E-mail List and stay up-to-date with the Wastewater Profession:

The Board of Certification maintains a voluntary e-mail list to distribute information about wastewater licensure and general information about the wastewater profession. You can subscribe by visiting the user-friendly webpage at http://listserve.ri.gov/mailman/listinfo/wwtfoperators.

Wastewater treatment facility operator certification insures that only qualified individuals will operate the state's municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities. In total these facilities treat over 120 million gallons of municipal and industrial sewage each day before discharging the purified water back to the state's rivers and bays.

For more information email: Matt Puglia



 

Please note: The Board's application is not available for download. The Board uses applications that are in a booklet form, which are incompatible with many home printers. The Board has provided all facilities with copies of the applications and more can be requested anytime by mailing Matt Puglia at matt.puglia@dem.ri.gov. 

The licensing process is directed by the seven-member Board of Certification of Operators of Wastewater Treatment Facilities, which was established by Rhode Island General Law § 42-17.4 by the General Assembly in 1979. Board members act on behalf of their respective appointing organization to provide guidance and expertise. Regular monthly meetings are generally held the first Wednesday of the month at 9:30 AM at the offices of the Department of Environmental Management.

The meetings focus on current Board business, such as the disposition of applications by individuals applying for wastewater operator licensure in Rhode Island. Matters before the Board may also include revisions to regulations, requirements for certification to be imposed on individuals or municipalities, and other advisory opinions.

Learn more at the Board’s listing of Frequently Asked Questions

For your convenience we have created a listing of Wastewater Facilities and their contacts.

The Board is comprised of:

  • Brenda Cheaye, the designee of the Director of RIDOH;
  • Jeff Chapdelaine, of the West Warwick WWTF, a representative of the Rhode Island Clean Water Association.
  • Michael Gray Director of Public Works of Jamestown, representing the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns;
  • Frank McLynch, of the Cranston WPCF, representing organized labor;
  • Matt Puglia, a designee of the Director of the RIDEM;
  • Richard Bourbonnais of South Kingstown, representing Rhode Island Municipal Public Works Officials and;
  • CJ Spellman, instructor of environmental engineering at the University of Rhode Island.

November 2024 Exam Results

Please wait for official results to be mailed to you before calling to schedule an exam review.