(a)  It shall be unlawful after June 30, 1979, for any person to operate or to cause to be operated a wastewater treatment facility unless the superintendent and assistant superintendent of the facility hold a certificate issued by the board. The board may waive the requirement of a certified assistant superintendent at a wastewater treatment facility designed for a flow of less than one hundred thousand (100,000) gallons per day.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-6

  • Assistant superintendent: means the individual who is an operator who is assigned the direct responsibility for the management, operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment facility in the absence of the superintendent and who shall have a certificate equal to the grade or classification of the wastewater treatment facility. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Board: means the board of certification established by § 42-17. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Certificate: means a certificate of competency issued by the board to an individual to operate one or more specified classes of wastewater treatment facilities. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Operator: means an individual who is assigned the responsibility on one or more mechanical treatment units, processes, or other important functions at a wastewater treatment facility. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Person: means any individual, partnership, firm, association, joint venture, public or private corporation, trust estate, commission, board, public or private institution, utility, cooperative, municipality or any other political subdivision of this state, any interstate body, or any other legal entity. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Superintendent: means the individual who is an operator who is assigned the direct responsibility for the management, operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment facility during all working shifts at the facility and who shall hold a certificate equal to the grade or classification of the wastewater treatment facility. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Wastewater: means used water delivered to a wastewater treatment facility. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4
  • Wastewater treatment facility: means an arrangement of devices and structures excluding septic tanks constructed and installed for the purpose of treatment of wastewater from domestic, commercial or industrial sources or combinations thereof. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-4

(b)  It shall be unlawful after June 30, 1979 for any person to hire an individual as an operator unless he or she holds a certificate as required under regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter; except that the operator may be hired without the certificate provided that he or she obtains the certificate within one year of the date of employment.

History of Section.
P.L. 1978, ch. 282, § 1.