R309-300-4. Definitions

  "Commission" see the definition of: Operator Certification Commission.

  "Community Water System" means a public drinking water system which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.

  "Continuing Education Unit (CEU)" means ten contact hours of participation in, and successful completion of, an organized and approved continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. College credit in approved courses may be substituted for CEUs on an equivalency basis.

  "Direct Employment" means that the operator is directly compensated by the drinking water system to operate that drinking water system.

  "Direct Responsible Charge" means active on-site charge and performance of operation duties. A person in direct responsible charge is generally an operator of a water treatment plant or distribution system who independently makes decisions during normal operation which can affect the sanitary quality, safety, and adequacy of water delivered to customers. In cases where only one operator is employed by the system, this operator shall be considered to be in direct responsible charge.

  "Director" means the Director of the Division of Drinking Water.

  "Discipline" means type of certification (Distribution or Treatment).

  "Distribution System" means the use of any spring or well source, distribution pipelines, appurtenances, and facilities which carry water for potable use to consumers through a public water supply. Systems which chlorinate groundwater are in this discipline.

  "Distribution System Manager" means the individual responsible for all operations of a distribution system.

  "Division of Drinking Water" means the Division within the Utah Department of Environmental Quality which regulates public water supplies.

  "Grade" means any one of the possible steps within a certification discipline of either water distribution or water treatment. The water distribution discipline has five steps and the water treatment discipline has four steps. Treatment Grade I and Distribution Small System indicate knowledge and experience requirements for the smallest type of public water supply. Grade IV indicates knowledge and experience levels appropriate for the largest, most complex type of public water supply.

  "Grandparent Certificate" means the operator has not been issued an Operator Certificate through the examination process and that a restricted certificate has been issued to the operator which is limited to his current position and system. These certificates cannot be used with any other system should the operator transfer.

  "Non-Transient Non-Community Water System" means a public water system that is not a community water system and that regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons for more than six months per year. Examples are separate systems serving workers and schools.

  "Operator" means a person who operates, repairs, maintains, and is directly employed by or an appointed volunteer for a public drinking water system or a person who has passed the certification exam.

  "Operator Certification Commission" means the Commission appointed by the Director as an advisory Commission on certification.

  "Public Drinking Water System" means any drinking water system, either publicly or privately owned, that has at least 15 connections or serves at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year.

  "Regional Operator" means a certified operator who is in direct responsible charge of more than one public drinking water system.

  "Restricted Certificate" means that the operator has qualified by passing an examination but is in a restricted certification status due to lack of experience as an operator.

  "Secretary" means the Secretary to the Operator Certification Commission. This is an individual appointed by the Director to conduct the business of the Commission.

  "Training Coordinating Committee" means the voluntary association of individuals responsible for environmental training in the state of Utah.

  "Treatment Plant Manager" means the individual responsible for all operations of a treatment plant.

  "Treatment Plant" means those facilities capable of delivering complete treatment to any water (the equivalent of coagulation and/or filtration) serving a public drinking water supply.

  "Unrestricted Certificate" means that a certificate of competency has been issued by the Director after considering the recommendation of the Commission. This certificate acknowledges that the operator has passed the appropriate level written examination and has met all certification requirements at the discipline and grade stated on his certificate.