Sec. 9.

(1) The department shall classify public water supplies, including water treatment and distribution systems at community supplies, with regard to size, type, location, and other physical conditions for the purpose of establishing the skill, knowledge, and experience that individuals need to maintain and operate the systems effectively.

(2) The director shall appoint an advisory board of examiners which shall assist the department in the examination of individuals as to their competency to operate water treatment systems and water distribution systems. The advisory board shall make recommendations to the department relative to the certification of those individuals.

(3) The membership of the advisory board shall consist of 2 certified water treatment operators, 2 certified water distribution operators, 1 superintendent or manager of a supplier of water, 1 representative of the administrative branch of a local governmental agency, 2 members of the public at large, and 1 professor of sanitary or environmental engineering at a university in this state. A representative of the department shall be the nonvoting secretary for the board.

(4) For individuals meeting the requirements, the department shall issue certificates acknowledging their competency to operate a specified class of waterworks system or portion of waterworks system. The department may suspend or revoke a certificate as specified by rule.

(5) A public water supply shall be under the supervision of a properly certified operator as specified in the rules.

(6) Operators certified under this act shall renew their certificates in accordance with rules promulgated under this act, including mandatory continuing education or competency demonstration.

(7) In accordance with section 3110 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3110, the department may conduct a program for training persons seeking to be certified as operators under this section and shall administer operator certification programs for persons seeking to be certified as operators under this section. Until October 1, 2021, the department may charge fees for these programs in accordance with section 3110 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3110. The department shall transmit fees collected under this section to the state treasurer for deposit into the operator training and certification fund created in section 3134 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3134.

History: 1976, Act 399, Imd. Eff. Jan. 4, 1977 ;-- Am. 1993, Act 165, Imd. Eff. Sept. 16, 1993 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 56, Imd. Eff. Apr. 8, 1998 ;-- Am. 2011, Act 147, Imd. Eff. Sept. 21, 2011 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 91, Imd. Eff. July 12, 2017 Admin Rule: R 325.10101 et seq. of the Michigan Administrative Code.