Wastewater Operator Certification Program

Wastewater Operator Certification Program Fees 

We are required to fund the Wastewater Operator Certification (OpCert) Program with fees (WAC 173-230-240). We review and evaluate these fees every two years, then propose changes, if needed, based on our budget and workload analysis. After our analysis, we ask for feeback on the proposed fees and respond to comments before finalizing the fees before the next fiscal year which starts July 1. 

Current Fee Schedule 

Proposed Fee Schedule for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027

We are not proposing any changes to the operator certification fees for the next two years. This is based on the estimated administrative costs of the OpCert program and the projected account balance.

We want your feedback

Even though we are not changing the fees, we are still accepting comments on the draft fee schedule. We are accepting comments on the draft fees from midnight on March 26, 2025 to 11:59 p.m. on May 10, 2025. Written comments by mail must be postmarked by May 10, 2025.

You can submit written comment in the following ways:

• Submit comments online (preferred)
• Email comments to: opcert@ecy.wa.gov
• By U.S. mail (postmarked by May 10, 2025)
  Poppy Carre, Department of Ecology,
  PO Box 47696
  Olympia, WA 98504-7696

Next steps

After the comment period closes we will review and respond to all comments. We plan to publish a final fee schedule prior to June 30, 2025.

Operators commonly meet their professional growth by earning 3.0 continuing education units (CEUs) each professional growth cycle. Operators earn these CEUs by attending approved training courses. Operators must document their CEUs and submit it to the OpCert Program as they receive it. This ensures that they stay current on their requirements. Operators must meet their professional growth for the current cycle before renewing for 2025.