HB-4541, As Passed House, June 22, 2017
HB-4541, As Passed Senate, June 22, 2017
April 27, 2017, Introduced by Rep. Whiteford 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 2011 PA 147.
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 this
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) Operators certified under this act shall 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, 2021, 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.