Maryland Water & Wastewater Operator Certification

Who regulates water operators in Maryland?

Maryland Department of the Environment, Board of Waterworks and Waste Systems Operators administers the credentials covered here.

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Certification types

• Water
• wastewater
• industrial wastewater
• water distribution
• wastewater collection
• and superintendent/OIT pathways

Certification levels / grades / classes

Water includes Classes 1, 2, and G plus distribution; other category/class tables are in COMAR 26.06.01.16.

Initial certification requirements

Apply to the Board for the relevant examination; pre-approval generally requires high-school education, category-dependent experience, and passing the applicable written exam. OIT, operator, and superintendent application paths are separately provided.

Exam information

Apply to the Board for the relevant examination; pre-approval generally requires high-school education, category-dependent experience, and passing the applicable written exam. OIT, operator, and superintendent application paths are separately provided.

Renewal cycle

Three-year renewal period.

Continuing-education requirements

COMAR 26.06.01.16 Table 8 governs the three-year cycle: Water treatment operators Classes 1-2 require 16 units, Classes 3-4 require 30, Class 5 is site-specific, and Class G requires 7; water distribution operators require 16. Wastewater treatment operators Classes 1-2 require 16 and Classes 3-5 require 30; wastewater collection operators Classes 1-2 require 16. Industrial wastewater operator totals are 0 for Classes 1-2, 16 for Classes 3-4 and 6, 30 for Class 5, and site-specific for Class 7. Superintendent add-on is 7 and temporary/OIT totals are generally 24 or 45 as Table 8 specifies. Effective July 1, 2025, water, wastewater, and industrial operators must also complete EPA cybersecurity training.

Reciprocity / out-of-state operators

Available through the Board's two-part reciprocity application and prior-employment certification process.

Water vs. wastewater differences

Water, wastewater, industrial wastewater, water distribution, wastewater collection, and superintendent/OIT pathways.