A new resource for owners and administrators of water and wastewater facilities serving <100,000 persons
The Water Quality Control Division is excited to make a new resource available to water and wastewater facilities serving fewer than 100,000 persons. The purpose of the ORC Hiring and Contracting Guide is to:
- Promote better understanding of owner and operator in responsible charge (ORC) responsibilities;
- Provide tools to help facility hiring or contract managers select qualified ORCs that will be a good fit for their systems; and
- Help facility hiring or contract managers write effective agreements that clearly articulate all ORC duties and responsibilities.
The ORC Hiring and Contracting Guide is organized into four distinct sections which relate to, and support, each other, but which can stand alone to meet a facility’s specific need.
Section 1 – Responsibilities Table
- The Responsibilities Table lists facility and ORC responsibilities under 9 category headings. The two-column format makes it easy to compare and contrast related responsibilities.
Section 2 – Interview Tool
- The Interview Tool suggests questions a hiring or contracting manager can ask to help evaluate candidates’ qualifications, experience, availability, etc.
Section 3 – Topics for Written Agreements
- The Topics for Written Agreements section discusses a number of topics that may be useful and appropriate for written agreements between facility owners and their ORCs. The agreement with a contract operator in responsible charge may include more items than an agreement with an employee who serves as the ORC, but all written agreements should establish clear expectations and include a comprehensive list of the ORC’s duties.
- The List of Potential ORC Duties can be used by facility owners to evaluate the needs of their systems and identify the specific duties their ORC will need to perform.
The ORC Hiring and Contracting Guide empowers facility owners to knowledgeably select the best candidates for the role of ORC and to negotiate fair, clear and effective agreements with their ORCs.
Interested persons can find the Guide under “Resources” on the division’s “Training opportunities and resources for water systems” webpage. (Google search: “CDPHE training opportunities.”) Moreover, the division is offering free training to help interested persons navigate the Guide and better understand how to apply it to their specific situations. Registration for the training is also available on the division’s “Training opportunities and resources for water systems” webpage. (Google search: “CDPHE training opportunities.”)
➽ Nancy Horan, Facility and Operator Outreach and Certification Board Liaison
