(a) Operators of remote or mobile sludge processing facilities are required to hold a valid Class D or higher license.
(b) Operators of domestic wastewater treatment facilities owned and located on industrial sites that are regulated by industrial-type wastewater disposal permits are required to be licensed, only if the point of discharge is separate from any other industrial outfalls and the domestic wastewater is not mixed with other industrial wastewater before discharge.
(c) An individual first entering the field of wastewater treatment or collection may be employed as an operator-in-training for a period up to one year. An operator-in-training must perform all process control tasks in the presence of a licensed operator.
(d) Each holder of a wastewater disposal permit for a wastewater treatment facility shall employ or contract with one or more licensed wastewater treatment facility operators holding the appropriate level of license or wastewater system operations companies holding a valid registration and employing licensed wastewater treatment facility operators holding the appropriate level of license.
(e) Domestic wastewater treatment facilities will be classified in accordance with the following criteria.
Attached Graphic
(f) Category D wastewater treatment facilities shall be reclassified as Category C facilities if any of the following conditions exist:
  (1) a Category D facility incorporating anaerobic sludge digestion, except Imhoff tanks with sludge drawn off to drying beds;
  (2) a Category D facility whose permit requires nutrient reduction; or
  (3) a Category D facility whose permit requires the final effluent to meet a daily average biochemical oxygen demand5 or total suspended solids concentration less than ten milligrams per liter.
(g) A wastewater treatment facility having a combination of treatment processes that are in different categories shall be assigned the higher category.
(h) The executive director may increase the treatment facility classification for facilities which include unusually complex processes or present unusual operation or maintenance conditions.
(i) The chief operator of each wastewater treatment facility must possess a license equal to or higher than that of the category of treatment facility.
(j) Each category of facility must be operated a minimum of five days per week by the licensed chief operator or an operator holding the required level of license or higher. The licensed chief operator or operator holding the required level of license or higher must be available by telephone or pager seven days per week.
(k) When shift operation of the wastewater treatment facility is necessary, each shift must be operated by an operator in charge who is licensed at not less than one level below the category of the facility.
(l) Either the licensed chief operator or licensed operator in charge must be present for scheduled commission inspections.
(m) A licensed wastewater treatment facility operator may perform all duties relating to the operation and maintenance of both wastewater treatment facilities and wastewater collection systems. It is not necessary to hold both types of licenses. A licensed collection system operator may perform only those duties relating to the operation and maintenance of wastewater collection systems.
(n) Each classified wastewater collection system must employ at least one licensed operator who holds a license class equal to or higher than that category of system. Wastewater collection system operation and maintenance activities shall be supervised and inspected daily by an on-site licensed wastewater operator. Wastewater collection systems shall be classified as follows.
Attached Graphic

Source Note: The provisions of this §30.350 adopted to be effective December 17, 2001, 26 TexReg 10330; amended to be effective July 5, 2006, 31 TexReg 5303; amended to be effective September 27, 2007, 32 TexReg 6523