Administration & RecordsBeginner 11 min read

Hawaii Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification: Cesspool Conversion & Reef-Protective Discharge

Covers Hawaii's Wastewater Board of Certification (Grade I-IV) and the two defining regulatory drivers of the state's wastewater sector: the Act 125 cesspool conversion mandate and coral reef-protective discharge standards.

Certification Program

Hawaii's wastewater treatment plant operators are certified by the DOH Wastewater Branch's Board of Certification of Operating Personnel in Wastewater Treatment Plants — a separate board from the drinking-water side (WTPO/DSO). Certification runs Grade I through Grade IV, generally scaling with plant size and process complexity. The Board offers two paper examinations per year (February and August), plus a computer-based testing (CBT) option, with candidates allowed up to three attempts.

The Cesspool Legacy: Act 125

Hawaii has more cesspools than any other US state — roughly 88,000. A cesspool is an unlined pit that allows untreated sewage to seep directly into the ground, posing risks to groundwater and nearshore water quality. In 2017

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