Georgia Water Treatment Certification: Class Structure & Source Water Fundamentals
Certification Ladder
Georgia's water treatment operator certification is issued by the Georgia State Board of Examiners for Certification of Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Laboratory Analysts, which operates under the Secretary of State's office — unlike most states, where the environmental agency certifies operators directly.
The class structure runs, from entry-level to highest:
- Class IV — entry level
- Class III — surface water systems
- Class IIIG — groundwater systems (parallel entry path to Class III, same level, for groundwater-supplied systems)
- Class II
- Class I — highest level
To advance, an operator must hold the next-lower class before sitting for the next exam (e.g., you must hold Class II before applying for Class I).
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