Bill Text: MI SB0447 | 2011-2012 | 96th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Water; quality; operator certification programs; authorize. Amends sec. 9 of 1976 PA 399 (MCL 325.1009). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0448'11
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-09-27 - Assigned Pa 0147'11 With Immediate Effect [SB0447 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2011-SB0447-Engrossed.html
SB-0447, As Passed House, August 24, 2011
SENATE BILL No. 447
June 15, 2011, Introduced by Senator KAHN and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 399, entitled
"Safe drinking water act,"
by amending section 9 (MCL 325.1009), as amended by 1998 PA 56.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 9. (1) The department shall classify public water
supplies, including water treatment and distribution systems at
community supplies, with regard to size, type, location, and other
physical conditions for the purpose of establishing the skill,
knowledge, and experience that individuals need to maintain and
operate the systems effectively.
(2) The director shall appoint an advisory board of examiners
which shall assist the department in the examination of individuals
as to their competency to operate water treatment systems and water
distribution systems. The advisory board shall make recommendations
to the department relative to the certification of those
individuals.
(3) The membership of the advisory board shall consist of 2
certified water treatment operators, 2 certified water distribution
operators, 1 superintendent or manager of a supplier of water, 1
representative of the administrative branch of a local governmental
agency, 2 members of the public at large, and 1 professor of
sanitary or environmental engineering at a university in the state.
A representative of the department shall be the nonvoting secretary
for the board.
(4) For individuals meeting the requirements, the department
shall issue certificates acknowledging their competency to operate
a specified class of waterworks system or portion of waterworks
system. The department may suspend or revoke a certificate as
specified by rule.
(5) A public water supply shall be under the supervision of a
properly certified operator as specified in the rules.
(6)
Those individuals now certified to operate water treatment
systems
under certification rules promulgated under this act, and
those
meeting the requirements of the voluntary distribution system
operator
certification program administered by the department,
shall
be considered to meet the requirements of this section and
shall
be issued a certificate in an appropriate class in accordance
with
the certifications system established under this act.
(7)
Those individuals who are superintendents of distribution
systems
shall be considered to meet the requirements of this
section
only for the waterworks system by which they are now
employed,
and shall be issued a certificate for continuing
operation
of that distribution system upon receipt by the
department
of a completed application by January 4, 1978.
(6) (8)
Operators certified under this act
shall be required
to
renew their certificates in
accordance with rules promulgated
under this act, including mandatory continuing education or
competency demonstration.
(7) In accordance with section 3110 of the natural resources
and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3110, the
department may conduct a program for training persons seeking to be
certified as operators under this section and shall administer
operator certification programs for persons seeking to be certified
as operators under this section. Until October 1, 2017, the
department may charge fees for these programs in accordance with
section 3110 of the natural resources and environmental protection
act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3110. The department shall transmit fees
collected under this section to the state treasurer for deposit
into the operator training and certification fund created in
section 3134 of the natural resources and environmental protection
act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3134.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect
unless Senate Bill No. 448
of the 96th Legislature is enacted into law.
