Michigan Collection System Operator Certification: The New 2026 Rule
A New Certification Requirement
Michigan collection system operator certification is the newest credential in the state's water/wastewater operator framework. Before April 29, 2026, Michigan required certification for wastewater treatment plant operators but had no separate mandatory certification specifically for collection-system (sewer) work. EGLE's new collection (sewer) system and retention treatment basin (RTB) certified operator rule changes that -- for the first time, work on the pipes, manholes, lift stations, and RTBs that move wastewater to the treatment plant carries its own certification requirement, distinct from plant operation.
As of 2026, communities are not yet required to be in full compliance with the rule, so operators and utilities are still in the early implementation window. W