Occupational Licenses: Water System Operators
Information about registration required for water operation companies and licensing for water operators.
NEW As of April 1, 2024, resiliency training will be required for ALL water operators. In response to Winter Storm Uri and Senate Bill 3 from 87th Texas Legislature, TCEQ has implemented a resiliency training requirement to address preparing for, preventing, and responding to weather emergencies and power outages. For details, please refer to the Guidance for Resiliency Training Requirements for Water Operators and Training Providers, (RG-637).
Water System Information and Requirements
On this page:
- Water Operator Licensing Overview
- Water Operator Licensing Exemptions
- What Applicants for Water Licensing Need to Know
- Unacceptable Experience
- Verify Experience
- Continuing Education and Renewal Requirements
- Water System Operating Company Information
- View all Occupational Licensing and Registration Information and Requirements
Water Operator Licensing Overview
State Regulations:
Public water system operators who perform process control duties in production or distribution of drinking water or operations companies that operate public water systems on a contractual basis must be licensed with the TCEQ, unless exempt, and must comply with the requirements in Chapter 290, related to Public Drinking Water
To become licensed as a public water system operator, an applicant must: complete the required training course(s), meet the required education, meet the required experience, complete the TCEQ application and pay the fee ($111), and pass the applicable exam (minimum score of 70 percent).
Below are the minimum requirements to get a license; however, certain public water systems may require additional training for their employees to be in compliance with permitting requirements.
Class A Licensing Requirements
Education and Work Experience (three options)
Master's Degree:
- Education: degree major must be in chemistry, biology, engineering, microbiology, bacteriology, or another similar discipline as approved by the TCEQ Executive Director.
- Work Experience: four years of "hands-on" experience in public water system operations.
Bachelor's degree:
- Education: degree major must be in chemistry, biology, engineering, microbiology, bacteriology, or another similar discipline as approved by the TCEQ Executive Director.
- Work Experience: five years of "hands-on" experience in public water system operations.
High School or General Equivalency Diploma:
- Education: High School diploma or GED.
- Work Experience: eight years experience in public water system operations, six of which must be "hands-on".
Acceptable Work Experience Substitute
- Applicants with a High School diploma or GED may substitute up to two years of experience with college hours or additional TCEQ approved water operator training.
- 64 semester hours of college or 80 additional hours of approved training for two years of work experience.
- 32 semester hours of college or 40 additional hours of approved training for one year of work experience.
Note: For laboratory experience to be fully acceptable towards operator licensing, the laboratory must be owned and operated by the public water system and the laboratory personnel must consult on a daily basis with a public water system's licensed operator personnel.
Training Courses
- Core Courses: Basic Waterworks Operation, Surface Water Production I, Surface Water Production II, Groundwater Production, Water Distribution, Water Laboratory, Water Utility Management, and Water Utility Safety.
- Elective Course: Plus, an additional 20 hours of training to meet the 184-hour requirement.
Application and Examination
Submit an application and fee ($111) to the TCEQ. Once your application is approved, sign up for an exam at your local computer-based testing center. Due to the six-hour length of the exam, not all CBT centers can accommodate more than 4-hour exams. Please confirm with the CBT center before scheduling.
Class B Licensing Requirements (Surface, Groundwater, and Distribution)
Education and Work Experience Requirements
Bachelor's Degree:
- Education: degree major must be in chemistry, biology, engineering, microbiology, bacteriology, or another similar discipline as approved by the TCEQ Executive Director.
- Work Experience: 2.5 years of "hands-on" experience. At least one half of the work experience must be obtained in the specific field for the license that is requested.
High School or General Equivalency Diploma:
- Education: High School diploma or GED.
- Work Experience: five years of work experience, three of which must be "hands-on". At least one half of the work experience must be obtained in the specific field for the license that is requested.
Acceptable Work Experience Substitute
- Applicants with a High School diploma or GED may substitute up to two years of experience with college hours or additional TCEQ approved water operator training.
- 64 semester hours of college or 80 additional hours of approved training for two years of work experience.
- 32 semester hours of college or 40 additional hours of approved training for one year of work experience.
Note: For laboratory experience to be fully acceptable towards operator licensing, the laboratory must be owned and operated by the public water system and the laboratory personnel must consult on a daily basis with a public water system's licensed operator personnel.
Training Courses
| Class B Surface Water | Class B Groundwater | Class B Distribution |
|---|---|---|
|
Core
Electives
|
Core
Electives
|
Core
Electives
|
Application and Examination
Submit an application and fee ($111) to the TCEQ. Once your application is approved, sign up for an exam at your local computer-based testing center.
Class C Licensing Requirements (Surface, Groundwater, and Distribution)
Education and Work Experience Requirements
- Education: High School diploma or GED
- Work Experience: two years of experience, one of which must be "hands-on". At least one half of the work experience must be obtained in the specific field for the license that is requested.
Acceptable Work Experience Substitute
- Applicants may substitute up to one year of experience with college hours or additional TCEQ approved water operator training.
- 32 semester hours of college or 40 additional hours of approved training for one year of work experience
- 16 semester hours of college or 20 additional hours of approved training for six months of work experience
Note: For laboratory experience to be fully acceptable towards operator licensing, the laboratory must be owned and operated by the public water system and the laboratory personnel must consult on a daily basis with a public water system's licensed operator personnel.
Training Courses
| Class C Surface Water | Class C Groundwater | Class C Distribution |
|---|---|---|
|
Core
Electives
|
Core
Electives
|
Core
Electives
|
Application and Examination
Submit an application and fee ($111) to the TCEQ. Once your application is approved, sign up for an exam at your local computer-based testing center.
Class D Licensing Requirements
Education and Work Experience
- Education: High school diploma or GED
- Work Experience: no work experience requirements
Training Courses
- Basic Water Operations
Application and Examination
Submit an application and fee ($111) to the TCEQ. Once your application is approved, sign up for an exam at your local computer-based testing center.
Class D Exceptions
Most Class D licenses are not renewable. See Continuing Education and Renewal Requirements for details.
An individual who previously held a Class D license shall not apply for a new Class D license if the individual:
- currently operates facilities at groundwater treatment systems of 250 connections or more.
- currently operates facilities at groundwater treatment systems serving a population of 750 or more.
- currently operates facilities at surface water treatment systems.
- currently operates facilities at groundwater systems under the influence of surface water.
- performs supervisor, crew chief, or foremen duties for distribution systems that have over 250 connections; or
- operates multiple groundwater systems and the cumulative number of connections exceeds 250 or the total population served is 750 or more.
Provisional Water Class D Licensing Requirements
A provisional Water Class D is issued to applicants that do not currently have a High School diploma or GED. The Provisional Water Class D is valid for 2 years and must be upgraded to the Water Class D or higher license at the end of the validity period.
Education and Work Experience Requirements
- Education: none.
- Work Experience: none.
Training Courses
- Basic Water Operation
Submit an application and fee ($74) to the TCEQ. Once your application is approved, sign up for an exam at your local computer-based testing center.
Water Operator Licensing Exemptions
View 30 TAC §30.402 for a full list of all exemptions.
Unacceptable Experience
Experience will not count for:
- Support personnel (unless they conduct routine, on-site operational activities for a public water system): secretaries, utility relations staff, meter readers, radio dispatchers, and bookkeepers.
- Administrative officials (unless they conduct routine, on-site operational activities for a public water system): mayors, city managers, and utility board members.
Verify Experience
References may be required with the application for individuals who are involved with routine, on-site operation of a public water system.
The following are NOT ACCEPTABLE references (unless they conduct routine, on-site operational activities for a public water system): secretaries, utility relations staff, meter readers, radio dispatchers, bookkeepers, mayors, city managers, and utility board members.
Continuing Education and Renewal Requirements
Continuing Education Requirements
All Water Licenses require 30 hours of Continuing Education (CE) to be eligible for renewal. CE hours are given for successful completion of TCEQ approved training courses.
CE hours must be acquired prior to the expiration of the license and may be obtained any time during the validity of the license.
Search the License Information webpage to view current CE hours earned.
Renewal Requirements
Occupational licenses are valid for three years then must be renewed with TCEQ. Renewal applicants must complete the required CE requirements, submit a renewal application and criminal history attestation, and pay the renewal fee. Detailed information can be found on the renewal webpage.
Water Operator Renewal Exceptions:
- Class A and B operators may not apply the "Basic Water" course, or any course that is equivalent to Basic Water, for renewal credit hours.
- Class D licenses are not renewable for licensed operators:
- at groundwater treatment systems of 250 connections or more.
- at groundwater treatment systems serving a population of 750 or more.
- at surface water treatment systems.
- at groundwater systems under the influence of surface water.
- who are supervisors, crew chiefs, or foremen of distribution systems that have over 250 connections; or
- who operate multiple groundwater systems and the cumulative number of connections exceeds 250 or the total population served is 750 or more.
Water System Operating Company Information
Note: As of 2009, TCEQ no longer issues registrations using DBA’s or Assumed names. The registration must be issued using the company’s legal name as shown on the Texas Secretary of State website.
- A public water operations company must initially register, and renew every three years, with the TCEQ by submitting a registration form and a TCEQ Core Data Form.
Refer to the registration form for the new and renewal fee, which is based on the number of public water systems served.
New registration required if:
- your federal Tax Identification number changes.
- your state filing number changes.
- your business name changes.
- your business type (sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, organization, etc.) changes.
- your company is bought or sold and has a new name, filing and/or Tax ID number