WW and AW Operator Exam Information

IMPORTANT: Always Download the exam application from this page. Do not use an old application. Locations may change throughout the year.

Certified Wastewater Operator examinations are held 4 times a year in 6 locations.

Upcoming Exam Dates: December 5
Need to Know documents are found on the Downloads page
Math formula sheets are found on the Downloads page. You will receive the same one at your exam. It the ONLY math formula sheet you can use during the exam.
Exam applications need to be postmarked at least 30 days prior to the exam.
Exam notification letters are mailed a few weeks before the exam.
Exam results letters are mailed a few weeks after the exam.

Please Read Your Exam Notification Letter to verify the exam location and learn the exam time. There may be 2 exam times, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

ADA Accommodations are available. Please contact Patrick Beggs patrick.beggs@deq.nc.gov for a form. Contact us before each exam.

Tab/Accordion Items

Download the Wastewater Exam Application (see the Animal Waste Program page for the AW application)

Application updated November 14, 2024

To fill out the exam application: first download it to your computer, open it, fill out as much as you can, and then print it. If you have any trouble, you can print it as is and write in any information.

Save a copy of your exam for your reference.

For LA, SI, & SS choose N/A for the Grade.

For SS, you will not likely have a facility name, permit, nor classification. Just list your experience in the space provided. Have the application signed by someone who can verify your experience.

The exam LOCATION may change within a short distance. You will be notified by letter 2-3 weeks before the exam date.

If this is your FIRST wastewater certificate, you need to provide:

Date of Birth (DoB)
Full Social Security Number (SS#) (required by law)
Year of High School graduation or GED

Once you are a certified operator:

You need to provide an active operator number.
You don't need to supply DoB, SS#, nor HS information.

Remember to include:

Signatures, where required.
Certificate of corresponding school (a copy is fine).
Employment dates and DETAILS of your physical operation of a wastewater treatment system and the permit #s where applicable.
Only include experience for the type of system for which you are seeking certification.

Certified Wastewater Operator eligibility requirements are set by the NC Legislature and found in rules 15A NCAC 08G .0401-.0409 & .0501 in Chapter 8, SubChapter G of Title 15A of the North Carolina Administrative Code. Below is a simplified list of requirements. All applicants need to submit a complete exam application.

If an exam applicant does not have the required experience time, they may apply to take this exam as an OIT (Operator in Training). After passing the exam and completing the experience requirement, they can apply for full certification status using the OIT Conversion form. An OIT can not be an ORC or Backup ORC.

For the following wastewater operator certification, all applicants need to:

Biological (WW1):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school.

Biological (WW2):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active WW1, and
- have 6 months experience at a WW2 or higher facility.

Biological (WW3):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active WW2, and 1 of the following:
  - have 2 years experience at a WW2 or higher facility, or
  - have a 2 or 4-year college degree having passed 6 courses in basic sciences and 18 months WW2 or higher experience.

Biological (WW4):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active WW3, and 1 of the following:
  - have 3 years experience at a WW3 or higher facility, or
  - have a 2 or 4-year college degree having passed 6 courses in basic sciences and 2 years WW3 or higher experience.

Collections (CS1):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school.

Collections (CS2):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active CS1, and
- have 6 months wastewater collections systems experience.

Collections (CS3):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active CS2, and 1 of the following:
  - have 2 years wastewater collections systems experience or
  - have 1 year wastewater collections systems experience and a 2 or 4-year college degree having passed 6 courses in a field directly related to the operation and maintenance of a collection system, e.g. civil, mechanical, or environmental engineering

Collections (CS4):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active CS3, and 1 of the following:
  - have 3 years wastewater collections systems experience or
  - have 2 years wastewater collections systems experience and a 2 or 4-year college degree having passed 6 courses in a field directly related to the operation and maintenance of a collection system, e.g. civil, mechanical, or environmental engineering

Physical / Chemical (PC1):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school.

Physical / Chemical (PC2):
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and
- hold an active PC1, and
- have 1 year PC2 experience at an industrial pretreatment or indirect discharge permitted facility.

Land Application (LA)
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school and 1 of the following:
  - have one year of experience in the land application of residuals or,
  - have a two or four-year college degree and passed 6 courses in basic sciences, or
  - hold a valid WW-2 or higher.

Surface Irrigation (SI)
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and 1 of the following:
  - have one year of experience in the operation of a surface irrigation water pollution control system, or
  - have a two or four-year college degree and passed 6 courses in basic sciences, or
  - hold a valid WW-2 or higher, or
  - be a private homeowner who intends to operate only their own domestic surface irrigation water pollution control system.

Subsurface (SS)
- be 18 years old and hold a High school diploma or GED equivalent, and
- have completed the corresponding training school, and 1 of the following:
  - have one year of experience in the operation of a subsurface water pollution control system, or
  - have a two or four-year college degree and passed 6 courses in basic sciences, or
  - hold a valid WW-2 or higher, or
  - be a private homeowner who intends to operate only their own domestic subsurface water pollution control system

If an exam application can not be accepted for any reason, the state is required to return it to you with the original check.

If you are submitting more than one application with a single check to cover them all and there is a problem with one application, we will need to return the check and all the applications. (For example, if you submit 2 applications with a single $170 check and one of the applications can NOT be accepted, we will return the $170 check and both applications.)

This will result in lost time, and in some cases can cause eligible operators to miss an exam application deadline.

Postmark Deadline: November 5, 2024

Applications postmarked after that date will be registered for the next exam.

Exam notification letters will be mailed 1-2 weeks before the exam.

Check Exam Notification Letter for Start Time and Location. Times & Venues are subject to change.