WHEREAS the provincial government has imposed water system facility classifications and operator certification requirements; AND WHEREAS this requirement has resulted in small system classifications of Class 2 or higher that have onerous operator requirements weighted towards experience, which has resulted in many local governments not being in compliance with provincial requirements: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM support a provincial government review of the operator experience requirement for water and wastewater treatment operators to shift the primary requirement to training as opposed to experience so that the capabilities of employees can be acknowledged over a shorter time period to minimize the instances of local government non-compliance.
Ministry of Health Beginning in 1966, with a small group of water treatment plant operators, the Environmental Operators Certification Program has grown to include over 3,000 operators in the Province of British Columbia Province and the Yukon. The Environmental Operators Certification Program, which is responsible for the program, has been reviewing the classification and associated certification requirements for water supply systems in the Province. This review may resolve the issue stated in this resolution.