Evaluating the State's Water Systems and Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification Program (Limited-Scope) [February 2025]

In Kansas, state law requires that all water supply systems and wastewater treatment facilities are supervised by a certified water operator. Kansas Department of Health and Environment is responsible for administering Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Operator certifications, which include certifying examinations. Within both certification programs, operators can be certified at five different classes: Small Systems (“base level”), Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, and Class 4. Kansas regulations require that KDHE administers certification exams at least twice annually, which it does. Between calendar years 2022 and 2024, only about half of individuals passed their Water Supply or Wastewater Treatment Operator examinations. Those taking the Small Systems exams in either program had higher pass rates. KDHE officials think low pass rates are largely due to examinees not adequately preparing for the exam, but don’t indicate poor exam quality. Although the contents of the exams have not changed much over time, KDHE does look for ways to improve them.