Pennsylvania Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification: Program Overview
Pennsylvania DEP certifies wastewater treatment operators under 25 Pa. Code Chapter 302, using the same size-based framework as drinking water: a plant's certification class is set by its permitted flow, and the operator in responsible charge must hold a certification class equal to or greater than the plant's classification.
The Class Structure (Flow-Based)
| Class | Plant Flow |
|---|---|
| D | ≤ 100,000 gpd |
| C | > 100,000 gpd – 1 MGD |
| B | > 1 MGD – 5 MGD |
| A | > 5 MGD |
NPDES Permitting
Wastewater discharges in Pennsylvania are permitted under the NPDES program, administered by DEP under 25 Pa. Code Chapter 92a, separate from the Chapter 302 certification rules.
Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs): A Defining PA Issue
Many of Pennsylvania's oldest cities were built with combined se