United States Office of Water EPA 816-F-00-012

Environmental Protection (4606) March 2000

Agency

Printed on Recycled Paper

Fact Sheet

Using DWSRF Set-Aside

Funds for Operator

Certification

WHAT IS THE DWSRF?

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program was established by the

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996. The program authorizes

grants to States to capitalize revolving loan funds. States use funds to provide loan

assistance to eligible public water systems for infrastructure improvements needed to

continue to ensure safe drinking water. The program also emphasizes the prevention of

drinking water contamination by allowing States to reserve a portion of their grants to

fund activities that encourage enhanced water system management and source water

protection. 

WHAT IS OPERATOR CERTIFICATION?

In order to ensure continued protection of public health, it is important that the

operators of facilities providing drinking water to the public have adequate training. 

Proper operations and maintenance by qualified persons can also prevent premature

depreciation of drinking water infrastructure. In order to further the SDWA objectives

of protecting public health, the 1996 Amendments require that EPA establish minimum

requirements for the certification and recertification of operators of community and

nontransient non-community water systems. Final guidelines describing the minimum

requirements that States must meet were released by EPA on February 5, 1999. 

Under SDWA §1419, States have two years from the date of publication of the final

operator certification guidelines to develop and begin implementing an operator

certification program that meets the requirements of the guidelines. Beginning in fiscal

year 2001, any State that has not done so will receive a 20 percent withholding of its

DWSRF allotment.

Under SDWA §1452(g)(2), States may use up to 10 percent of their DWSRF allotment

for State program management activities, which can include the development and

implementation of operator certification programs. 
WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SET-ASIDE FUNDING? 

States can fund a number of operator certification implementation activities under the 10 percent State program

management [§1452(g)(2)] set-aside. Potential operator certification activities include, but are not limited to:

C Conducting stakeholder board/advisory committee meetings to obtain public input on program elements.

C Providing assistance to third parties to provide operator training.

C Organizing and conducting training courses for individuals to become certified, achieve a higher level of

certification, or renew an existing certification.

C Developing, validating, processing, and grading certification exams.

C Tracking and monitoring the status of certified operators.

C Conducting enforcement activities (e.g., preparing administrative orders, revoking certificates, etc.).

HOW ARE STATES USING THIS SET-ASIDE? 

C New Mexico is using funds to supplement its existing operator certification program. In addition to

funding staff positions, the State will use funds to develop a database to track public water supply

compliance with State operator certification regulations. The State will fund a contract to provide

classroom operator training held throughout the State over the next two years. Because the State

recognizes that senior operators and others with specialized experience often provide the best opportunity

for expanding operator instruction, it will issue a contract to develop curricular material and instructor’s

guides for Train the Trainer workshops to improve skills of volunteer peer instructors. 

C The SDWA Amendments expanded the universe of water systems that are required to have a certified

operator to include small systems. Maine is using funds to contract with organizations such as the New

England Water Works Association and Maine Rural Water Association to provide training to operators of

small systems which often have limited resources and no prior experience with licensing. The State will

also provide training to the governing boards of water systems about the need for compliance with

regulations to facilitate informed policy decision-making for their systems.

C In North Carolina, the NC Public Water Supply Section of the Division of Environmental Health works

cooperatively with State affiliates of the Waterworks Operators Association, Rural Water Association, and

American Waterworks Association to provide comprehensive training to operators of water systems. The

State intends to fund a full-time registrar to administer, evaluate, and provide record-keeping for the

operator training program. The State will also use funds to develop and mail an annual training calendar

and periodic newsletters to publicize the training activities of all providers.

HOW CAN I OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION?

Information about the DWSRF and operator certification programs is available on the

EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) homepage

[www.epa.gov/safewater]. For questions concerning a specific State, a list of State or

EPA Regional DWSRF coordinators can be found on OGWDW’s webpage. You can

also call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.