The following is a compilation of training videos and slides provided by ODW to provide information on a variety of relevant topics.
- April 2026 Regulatory Update Presentation
- LCRI-Mandatory Tap Sampling Requirements Webinar
- Navigating the Licensed Waterworks Operator Waiver Requirements - 10/08/2025
- Waterworks Regulations- Cross Connection Control Program
- Lead and Copper Rule Revisions: Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory
- Bacteriological Sampling Instruction
2021 Virginia Waterworks Regulations – Operator Requirements
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title12/agency5/chapter590/
12VAC5-590-461. Classification of waterworks, operator requirements, and operator attendance.
A. Classification of waterworks. All community and NTNC waterworks, including consecutive
waterworks, fitting the classification protocol in this subsection shall be designated as
classified waterworks. The department retains the discretion to assign the classification of the
waterworks or treatment facility either higher or lower. Those community and NTNC waterworks
failing to fall within one of the classifications listed in this subsection shall be designated an
unclassified waterworks unless specified otherwise by the department. Normally, a TNC waterworks
shall not be classified and shall not be required to have an operator unless the department
determines that it is necessary to ensure satisfactory operation of the installed treatment. If a
waterworks consists of multiple treatment facilities, then these facilities may be individually
classified for the purpose of determining the operator requirements.
- Class 1 means:
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving 50,000 or more persons, or having a water
treatment plant capacity of 5.0 MGD or more and employing conventional filtration or chemical
coagulation in combination with membrane filtration; or - A waterworks designated by the department to be a Class 1 waterworks.
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving 50,000 or more persons, or having a water
- Class 2 means:
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- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving 5,000 or more persons but fewer than 50,000
persons or having a water treatment plant capacity of 0.5 MGD or more but less than 5.0 MGD,
whichever range applies, and employing rapid rate conventional filtration (see 12VAC5-590-874) or
chemical coagulation in combination with membrane filtration; - A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving fewer than 50,000 persons or having a water
treatment plant capacity of less than 5.0 MGD and employing high rate conventional filtration (see
12VAC5-590-874); or - A waterworks designated by the department to be a Class 2 waterworks.
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving 5,000 or more persons but fewer than 50,000
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- Class 3 means:
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving fewer than 5,000 persons or having
a water treatment plant capacity less than 0.5 MGD, whichever is greater, and employing conventional filtration or chemical coagulation in combination with membrane filtration; - A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving 5,000 or more persons or having a water treatment plant capacity of 0.5 MGD or more, whichever is greater, and employing one or more of the following: disinfection other than with hypochlorination, caustic soda feed, iron and manganese removal, ion exchange, slow sand filtration, aeration, rechlorination other than with hypochlorination, activated carbon contactors, membrane or other filtration technologies without chemical coagulation, and fluoridation with a saturator or acid feed;
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant employing fluoridation with other than a saturator not considered a Class 1 or Class 2 waterworks; or
- A waterworks designated by the department to be a Class 3 waterworks.
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving fewer than 5,000 persons or having
- Class 4 means:
- A waterworks or a water treatment plant serving fewer than 5,000 persons or having a water treatment plant capacity of less than 0.5 MGD and employing one or more of the following: disinfection other than with hypochlorination, caustic soda feed, iron and manganese removal, ion exchange, slow sand filtration, aeration, rechlorination other than with hypochlorination, activated carbon contactors, membrane or other filtration technologies without chemical coagulation, and fluoridation with a saturator; or
- A waterworks designated by the department to be a Class 4 waterworks.
- Class 5 means:
- A waterworks serving 400 or more persons that:
- Provides no treatment; or
- Employs one or more of the following treatment processes:
- Hypochlorination for disinfection;
- Corrosion control with calcite or magnesium oxide contactors or solution feed except with caustic soda; or
- Sequestration by solution feed.
- A waterworks designated by the department to be a Class 5 waterworks.
- A waterworks serving 400 or more persons that:
- Class 6 means:
- A waterworks serving fewer than 400 persons that:
- Provides no treatment; or
- Employs one or more of the following treatment processes:
- Hypochlorination for disinfection;
- Corrosion control with calcite or magnesium oxide contactors or solution feed except with caustic soda; or
- Sequestration by solution feed.
- A waterworks is designated by the department to be a Class 6 waterworks.
- A waterworks serving fewer than 400 persons that:
B. Operator requirements. The operation of all waterworks must rest in the hands of qualified staff. The number and qualifications of persons constituting the operating staff at a waterworks depend principally upon the capacity of the waterworks, the number of persons served by the waterworks, and the complexity of the treatment process or processes. If a classified waterworks or water treatment plant is without a required operator, then the owner shall notify the department as soon as practical but no later than 24 hours of such an occurrence.
1. The operator attendance requirements specified in subsection C of this section are a minimum to protect the health of the consumer and safety of the operating staff. The department may increase the required operating attendance when appropriate to protect human health.
2. A classified waterworks shall be operated by an operator having a valid license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia (18VAC160-30-90) with a classification equal to or higher than the classification of the waterworks or water treatment plant being operated. (See definition of operator in 12VAC5-590-10).
3. Operators are not required at unclassified waterworks.
C. Minimum operator attendance at classified waterworks. For the purpose of this section and 12VAC5-590-570, all classified waterworks or individual water treatment plants shall maintain the minimum operator attendance as follows:
1. Class 1. The waterworks shall have a minimum of two operating staff in attendance whenever the water treatment plant is in operation; at least one of the operating staff must be an operator.
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2. Class 2. The waterworks shall have a minimum of one operator in attendance whenever the water treatment plant is in operation.
3. Class 3. The waterworks employing conventional filtration or chemical coagulation in combination with membrane filtration shall have a minimum of one operator in attendance
whenever the water treatment plant is in operation. All other treatment facilities may have operator attendance similar to a Class 4 waterworks.
4. Class 4. The waterworks shall be attended by an operator at least three days per week, except that water treatment plants employing membrane filters treating surface water sources or GUDI sources shall be attended by an operator daily. The attendance shall be for sufficient time to perform the necessary operations, monitoring, and maintenance.
5. Class 5 and Class 6.
- Where no treatment is provided, the waterworks shall be attended by an operator at least twice a month.
- When treatment is provided, the waterworks shall be attended by an operator at least once per week.
- The attendance shall be for sufficient time to perform the necessary operations, monitoring, and maintenance.
D. Operator attendance alternatives.
1. Increased staffing attendance may be required by the department on a case-by-case basis to protect public health.
2. Reduced operator attendance for Class 3 through Class 6 waterworks may be considered by the department on a case-by-case basis.
3. When requiring increased operator attendance or considering reduced operator attendance the department will consider the following criteria, including:
- Operational history;
- Type of treatment;
- Facility capacity and hours of operation;
- Population served;
- Type and reliability of remote monitoring controls, alarms, and communications;
- Reliable staff communications; and
- Emergency response plans and procedures.
LICENSING RESOURCES
Get your paperwork into DPOR, the agency that handles licensing of waterworks operators, as quickly as possible:
https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/WWWOOSSP
If you have questions, reach out to DPOR directly:
Licensing Section: (804) 367-8595
WWWOOSSP Board Office: (804) 367-0362
There is a link on the website for online questions on the webpage linked above.
- Standard (new) Waterworks License:
- Open the “Forms + Applications” section of the website and look for the table for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators. You will need to fill out the Waterworks Operator License Application and submit it to DPOR:As soon as your application is complete, submit it to DPOR. They have to approve you to sit for the licensing exam. Once you get that approval, schedule to take the licensing exam.
- As soon as your application is complete, submit it to DPOR. They have to approve you to sit for the licensing exam. Once you get that approval, schedule to take the licensing exam.
- Open the “Forms + Applications” section of the website and look for the table for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators. You will need to fill out the Waterworks Operator License Application and submit it to DPOR:As soon as your application is complete, submit it to DPOR. They have to approve you to sit for the licensing exam. Once you get that approval, schedule to take the licensing exam.
- Universal Licensure Recognition:
- DPOR has begun accepting applications for Waterworks Operator licenses in Virginia based on experience and licensure in other states. This is called “Universal Licensure Recognition” and requires that the applicant meet certain criteria (hold the license for 3 years in other state, licensing process required closed book exam, and operator is in good standing in originating state) and they must submit an application to DPOR.
Open the “Forms + Applications” section of the website and look for the table for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators. The form you want is this one:
Waterworks Operator - Universal License Recognition
- DPOR has begun accepting applications for Waterworks Operator licenses in Virginia based on experience and licensure in other states. This is called “Universal Licensure Recognition” and requires that the applicant meet certain criteria (hold the license for 3 years in other state, licensing process required closed book exam, and operator is in good standing in originating state) and they must submit an application to DPOR.
STUDY GUIDES & MANUALS
WPI provides the exams for the different levels of licensure. Check out the resources they provide as you prepare to sit for your exam:
- Study Materials & Resources: WPI provides a variety of study materials and resources for candidates. https://www.gowpi.org/services/abc-testing/examination-resources/
- Formula Sheet: This sheet is provided to each test-taker. Learning how to use it will be key to passing whichever test you sit for. https://www.gowpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WPI-FCT-2024-WT.pdf
Beginning in late 2025, the PSI Exam will be based entirely off of two resources:
- Sacramento State University Water Operations Resources & Manuals: https://www.owp.csus.edu/operator-training/
- American Waterworks Association Operator Resources & Manuals: https://www.awwa.org/operators/
TRAINING RESOURCES
- Courses offering contact hours and/or CEUs are offered through VDH's contract with Virginia Tech and cover a range of topics. Some of them, like the virtual broadcast classes, are free. Others are at a reduced rate (sponsored by VDH): https://cpe.vt.edu/waww.html
- Mountain Empire Community College Water/Wastewater Distance Learning https://water.mecc.edu
MECC offers distance learning classes online with field/hands-on requirements. The courses can be used to get an Associates Degree. Most of the material is available for self-study at no cost, but also would not count towards the degree program. https://water.mecc.edu/subject.htm - Distance Learning Math Course for Water Treatment Operators Using the ABC Water Treatment Formula Table
- Other organizations offer assistance with licensing, including trainings, one-on-one tutoring and apprenticeships. Most of their trainings offer contact hours and/or CEUs:
- Virginia Rural Water Association (www.vrwa.org ),
- South East Rural Community Assistance Program (https://sercap.org/assistance/training/waterwastewater-operator-stormwater-management-training-program )
- Virginia Section AWWA (https://vaawwa.org/ )
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Environmental Finance Center Network:
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Main EFCN Website: https://efcnetwork.org/
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Southwest EFC Water Operator Training for Licensure Series - Fully recorded training series to prepare water operators for National Operator Levels 1–2 (Virginia Class 3–4) and useful for Virginia Class 5–6. Originally designed for Pacific Island Territories, but applicable to water operations across the continental U.S.
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Use this link and click "Jump to Drinking Water Trainings". They are continuing to add new recordings in 2026, so check back often: https://swefc.unm.edu/home/op-cert-trainings/
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- Americanwatercollege.org - This is a training organization with a guarantee that students that take the class will pass the licensing exam and if they do not, they will have access to all course materials until they do or can get a full refund. ODW does not have any experience with this provider and cannot officially recommend them, but it is certainly worth looking in to. https://www.americanwatercollege.org/
- WaterOperator.org – This organization serves as a clearinghouse for trainings across the U.S. The calendar is full of different training opportunities. The user will need to use the drop-downs within the calendar search in order to find the right classes. https://wateroperator.org/
- Water Nuggets – Online practice questions and resources. https://waternuggets.com/water-operator-practice-tests/
- Roy CEU Courses and Practices Quizzes – Free classes online and practices quizzes.
- Courses: https://www.royceu.com/public/Courses.aspx
- Practice Quizzes: https://www.royceu.com/public/PracticeQuizes.aspx
If you discover a link no longer works or has changed, please notify the ODW Website Workgroup at: odwwebgroup@vdh.virginia.gov
RCAP: Coliform Sampling Best Practices
RCAP: Measurement of Chlorine Residual
AWWA Overview on Water Sampling Techniques: AWWA
AWWA Organics Sampling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFssHT4Z1Gg&index=3&list=PLB8AE6F1ACF52C0FA
AWWA Coliform Sampling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyyk_M7ah3c&index=5&list=PLB8AE6F1ACF52C0FA
RCAP: Protecting Distribution System Water Quality: http://vimeo.com/134849908
RCAP: Hydrant Inspection and Flushing - http://vimeo.com/134771413
RCAP: Valve Maintenance - http://vimeo.com/135987523
AWWA introduces Pipeline Repair for Water Utilities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwK6-ZFkHd0&index=6&list=PLB8AE6F1ACF52C0FA
AWWA Field Guide: Hydrant Flow Tests: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akTzGvdLQL8&index=8&list=PLB8AE6F1ACF52C0FA
AWWA Backflow Prevention & Cross Connection Control: Applications & Installations:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7JYhDe7fc&index=33&list=PLB8AE6F1ACF52C0FA
Pump Control Valve Maintenance from Utah Rural Water:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs9-jok9OSk&feature=player_embedded
AWWA Lime Softening Techniques for Water Operators:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqnB73GPTDI
USEPA Background on the WARN Initiative:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SFE0pcBOlLI
USEPA WARNs in Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa-d_2dNPCc
Why Some Public-Supply Wells are More Vulnerable to Contamination Than Others by USGS:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYAXnQame-U&feature=player_embedded
RCAP The Importance of an Operator in a Community’s Water Systems: http://vimeo.com/71441343
RCAP What does it take to be an operator?: http//vimeo.com/31869236
Careers in Water and Wastewater Operations by SmallWaterSupply.org: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y2HBPaYgA5Q