Under the four certification levels system, the minimum education requirement for levels one and two is a high school diploma or equivalent. The third level requires either an associate's degree or high school diploma plus three years of wastewater treatment-related work experience. Level four requires either a bachelor's degree or associate's with three years of related experience.
Each level of wastewater treatment plant operation certification also requires its own training program in addition to previous education. Applicants for higher levels must progress through the training programs in order, so someone applying for level four must complete the training for the lower levels.
Once qualifying candidates complete the appropriate training, the last step to becoming certified is taking the certification exam. Passing this exam grants you eligibility for a job as a chief, assistant or shift operator inside a wastewater treatment plant.