Every day, communities depend on water operators for safe drinking water and environmental protection. For some parts of the state, finding a certified operator can be difficult. Contract operators can help reduce the financial burden on small systems, and allow for the sharing of expertise in areas with a scarcity of qualified personnel.
If your facility is having difficulty finding a certified operator, whether it be a new facility having to meet regulatory requirements, facility reclassification, or you are simply needing to hire a contract operator until your current employee/operator tests up to the appropriate level, the division’s website provides a list of contract operators providing services in Colorado. Please note that this is a voluntary listing of organizations and individuals and participation does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement from the state. The list is updated periodically to reflect changes and to improve accuracy.
The list provides the operator’s contact information, the geographical area in Colorado the operator provides services, as well as their current highest-level certifications by certificate type (e.g. drinking water treatment, wastewater collections, industrial). The list is in a table format, defaulting to sorting the information by area served. However, a viewer can sort and filter the information in the table any way they choose.
For example, if you are in need of and searching for a Class ‘A’ Drinking Water Treatment operator, you can sort the information in the table by simply clicking on the column header for ‘DW Treatment’ (as depicted below by the red circle).
For instance, if you wish to only view those contract operators providing services in certain parts of the state, use the ‘Area Served’ drop-down menu. First, deselect (or uncheck) the box next to ‘Area Served’ and then select the area you wish to view (e.g. ‘West’ for the western part of the state). After selecting your chosen area, click outside of the drop-down box to refresh the table to only reflect contract operators serving that particular area.
If you’re having trouble viewing the table information on the webpage or simply prefer to view it in full-screen mode, you have the option to open the table in a new window.
Important things to keep in mind
The Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility, must know and understand the requirements of applicable permits, laws, and regulations, and may supervise other operators working in the facility. If any tasks or activities are delegated to others, Regulation 100 requires a written delegation plan to be in place. Failing to have one in place can not only result in a facility being out of compliance with Regulation 100 but in potential disciplinary action against the operator.
Per Regulation 100.10.1(c), there must be a written agreement between the ORC and the facility owner. For assistance in retaining an ORC and/or preparing the written agreement, please refer to the ORC Hiring and Contract Guide and other valuable resources on the division’s ORC webpage. Moreover, the division is offering free training to help interested persons navigate the Guide and to better understand how to apply it to their specific situations. Registration for the training is available on the division’s Training Opportunities, Recognition, and Resources for Water Systems webpage, or by performing a Google search for “CDPHE training opportunities.”
The ORC Hiring and Contract 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.
If you are a contract operator and wish to have your information reflected on the List of Contract Operators, please complete and submit the Contract Operator Listing Form. The department will verify your information and certifications prior to adding them to the list.
➽ Jessica Morgan, Facility and Operator Outreach and Certification Board Liaison
