Maine Wastewater Treatment: Regional Operating Fundamentals
Certification Structure
Maine's Wastewater Operator Certification Program is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under 06-096 CMR Chapter 531, with day-to-day program administration contracted to NEIWPCC (the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission), operating out of its South Portland office.
Maine certifies operators along three tracks:
- Biological — Grades 1 through 5, the primary/superset classification ladder covering the great majority of Maine's treatment plants
- Physical/Chemical (P/C) — Grades 1-2, a narrower track for facilities using physical/chemical treatment
- Spray Irrigation Treatment System (SITS) — Grades 1-2, for land-application treatment systems
A key structural rule: **a Biological certificate of a given grade or higher