In 2025, the Water and Wastewater Facility Operators Certification Board (WWFOCB) issued a survey to the water sector to learn about your experience with the certification exam process. We’ve heard your feedback, and we want to ensure you have the most up-to-date information on the changes and resources available to you.
Enhancing Accessibility and Efficiency
We are committed to making the certification process as smooth and inclusive as possible. To that end, we have implemented several key updates:
- Spanish Language Exams: As of August 2025, both Class D and Class 1 examinations are available in Spanish. Operators can request this option during the scheduling process with PSI.
- Application Turnaround: We know you're eager to get to work. Between June 2024 and May 2025, our team reviewed 5,965 applications. We are proud to report that 91% of all applications were reviewed in less than 10 days.
Evolving the Exam Process
The Board recently revised Regulation 100 to better balance workforce entry with high professional standards.
This change allows for three testing attempts under a single application while ensuring operators take sufficient time to study and prepare between tries. Our goal is to ensure the program produces quality operators, not just good test-takers.
Resources and Support
We understand that preparing for exams can be daunting. To help, we recommend utilizing the Need-to-Know Criteria on the WPI website. However, please ensure you are using the correct versions; Colorado operators should not use the new 2025 criteria yet, as they are not currently aligned with the exams our state administers.
If you run into trouble, knowing who to contact can save you a lot of time:
Looking Ahead
We are currently working on a public matrix of approved roles and narrative job descriptions to clarify experience categories. We also recognize the interest in partial credit for related backgrounds (like military or lab experience). While current regulations do not allow for this, we are exploring the regulatory changes that would be required to make it a reality.
Your feedback continues to shape how we serve the operator community. Thank you for your continued professionalism and for being the backbone of Colorado's public health.
