Licensed Operation & Maintenance Specialists

 

Licensing Procedures

Applicant must:

Take an exam and receive a passing score of 70% or higher.

Upon Passing, applicant must:

  • Complete an application for license and pay an annual licensing fee to Whatcom County Health and Community Services. File with Whatcom County Health and Community Services a surety bond, minimum $2,000, specifically for Operation and Maintenance activities.
  • The test is valid for 90 days.  After receiving a passing score, you have 90 days to complete the licensing requirements.  Any attempt to become licensed after 90 days will require a new test be paid for and passed.

Examination procedures

Exams are given by appointment only.  Contact Whatcom County Health and community Services at (360) 778-6000 for exam cost and to schedule an appointment. The exam has a three-hour time limit.  

It is highly recommended you attend training classes prior to examination. 
Classes are available through WSEHA – Washington State Environmental Health Association and WOSSA – Washington On-site Sewage Association.  It is also recommended that applicants be familiar with solving timer problems.

WSEHA – Washington State Environmental Health Association
Phone: (360) 738-8946
Website: www.wseha.org

WOSSA – Washington On-site Sewage Association
Phone: (253) 770-6594
Website: wossa.org

Recommended Study Materials

The Whatcom County Health and Community Services Rules and Regulations WCC 24.05 are available in our office or you can access the following link: www.codepublishing.com/wa/whatcomcounty/html/Whatco24/Whatco2405.html

 

The Washington State Board of Health Rules/and Regs Chapter 246-272A WAC and the Washington State Recommended Standard and Guidance are available through the Washington State Department of Health website at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/WastewaterManagement/FormsPublications


Residential Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems: An Operation and Maintenance Service Provider Program - Second Edition, CIDWT, June 2008.

http://www.nowra.org/content.asp?pl=160&sl=27&contentid=154

 

Additional recommended reading:

Salvato, Joseph A., et al.  “Environmental Engineering” 5th Edition, New Jersey:  John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2003, Chapter 4 Wastewater Treatment and Disposal, pp 535-753.

Electronic Report of System Status (eROSS) Videos - How to do them

eROSS Installation on Smartphone

Site Investigation on Computer


 eROSS creation and submittal (eROSS application on smartphone)

eROSS OSS site search

Create and Edit an eROSS record

Finish editing draft eROSS / Sync

Open draft eROSS on computer, submit final version

License Renewals

O&M Specialist License will expire on December 31st.  Fees are not prorated.  An invoice for renewal is generated at the end of each year.

 

A licensed O&M Specialist is required to provide three continuing education units (CEUs) in three years in his field. This verification must be provided no later than December 31st of each third year of being licensed. A person may take as many hours as they wish and it can be applied to future years, not to exceed three years.

 

Come January 31st, if you fail to pay your renewal fee and provide a copy of your bond (if expired), your license will expire and can not be renewed.  Also following the third year of being licensed, should you fail to provide verification of CEUs, your license will not be renewed and will have expired effective December 31st.

 

If you want to be licensed once again, all testing, application and fees must be completed again to be reinstated.