Wastewater Operator Renewal

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) contracts with NEIWPCC to administer the Maine Wastewater Operator Certification Program through the NEIWPCC South Portland/JETCC office. DEP and NEIWPCC work closely to ensure the Program operates efficiently and effectively.

Renewal Policy: Maine certified wastewater operators are due to renew their certificates biennially no later than March 1 as follows:

• Operators with an odd numbered certificate renew by March 1 of odd-numbered years.
• Operators with an even numbered certificate renew by March 1 of even-numbered years.

To maintain Active status, Maine certified wastewater operators must renew their certificate every two years by doing all of the following by their March 1 renewal date:

• Pay renewal fee (currently $125)
• Update your contact information, including email, and;
• Provide documentation that you obtained required TCH.

Procedures to Renew your active Even-Numbered Certificate (Deadline March 1, 2024):
If you missed the deadline, you can still renew for the next 6 months by completing required TCHs and submitting the renewal fee, plus a $100 late fee to certification@neiwpcc-jetcc.org. After 6 months (September 1), operators need to retake their certification exam in order to achieve Active status.

Renewals can be accomplished in the following ways:

• Mail renewal notice with check or money order payable to NEIWPCC-JETCC at: NEIWPCC-JETCC, 584 Main Street, South Portland, ME  04106
• By phone with a credit card, call (207) 253-8020

If your certification is INACTIVE please contact NEIWPCC-JETCC for further instructions.

Timely renewal of your operator certification is very important.  Failure to do so makes the certificate inactive, increases cost of renewal, and may lead to other complications.

Renewals Received after the March 1 Renewal Deadline

• Maine DEP will strictly enforce the $100 reactivation fee for renewals received after March 1.
• Operators who do not renew properly, which includes paying all fees and receiving required TCHs, will become inactive. 
• Inactive operators cannot be the Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) or Operator of Record of a wastewater plant. 
• An Operator who fails to renew properly six months after their renewal deadline will need to retake the exam in order for their certificate to be reactivated.

Continuing Education

• Certified operators are required to obtain at least 18 Training Contact Hours (TCHs) of DEP approved continuing education training every 2 years.
• Up to six (6) TCH may be a combination of facility management and/or safety training that relates to wastewater operations.  
• The exception is Spray Irrigation Treatment System-1 (SITS-1) operators who must obtain six (6) technical TCH every two years.

Eligibility of training courses for continuing education credit must be approved by DEP. Training approval requests, must be submitted directly to the NEIWPCC South Portland/JETCC office. To request TCHs for training that has not been pre-approved, complete the TCH Request Form and return to NEIWPCC-JETCC.

View Maine DEP Approved Training Guideline

Training Summary Report
If you currently hold an Active Maine Wastewater Operator Certificate, you may view a summary of the Training Contact Hours on file for you. If you have training you would like to add to your records, fax to (207) 771-9028 or email to certification@neiwpcc-jetcc.org.

The TCH Summary Report is updated on the first business day of the month.

View TCH Summary as of 4/1/2024

If you do not see your Certificate Number listed, please call the NEIWPCC South Portland/JETCC office for the status of your Maine Wastewater Operator Certificate.

Maine DEP manages the Maine Wastewater Operator Certification Program under authority granted in law at MRS 32, Ch. 62, §§4171-4182. Program authority is further established in rule at C.M.R. 06-096 ch. 531, Regulations for Wastewater Operators (2023) (Rule). For more information on this program visit the Maine DEP website. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Judy Bruenjes at DEP at judy.k.bruenjes@maine.gov or telephone 207-287-7806.