(a)  Upon satisfactory fulfillment by an applicant of the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted by the board, the board shall issue a suitable certificate designating competency. This certificate shall expire at the end of the calendar year and may be renewed from year to year thereafter. The certificate shall indicate the class of treatment facility for which the operator is qualified. The certificates for superintendent and assistant superintendents shall be prominently displayed in the office of the wastewater treatment facility.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 42-17.4-8

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • 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
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • 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
  • 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
  • United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8
  • 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)  Certificates may be issued, upon application, without examination, in a comparable classification to any individual who holds a certificate issued by any state, territory or possession of the United States, any country, or the New England Water Pollution Control Association if in the judgment of the board the requirements for certification of operators under which such individual’s certificate was issued do not conflict with the provisions of these regulations. A certificate issued under the provisions of this subsection is valid at any wastewater treatment facility of that grade or classification as delineated by the board.

(c)  Certificates will be issued, upon application, without examination, to those superintendents or assistant superintendents so employed as of the date of the passage of this chapter. However, these certificates shall be valid only in that facility at which the superintendent and assistant superintendents were employed at the time of certification.

(d)  The board may revoke the certificate of a superintendent or assistant superintendent or operator when it is found after such an individual has been granted a hearing that he or she performed his or her duties in a negligent manner that produced an effluent below the standards normal for the particular facility operated; or that he or she has practiced fraud or deception; or that reasonable care, judgment or the application of his or her knowledge or ability was not used in the performance of his or her duties or that an individual is incompetent or unable to perform his or her duties properly. Appeal from the decision may be made as provided under chapter 35 of this title.

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