KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary

December 31, 1997

Contact: Mike Tate

785-296-5500

State Certifies Treatment Operators

Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Gary R. Mitchell today announced the department has certified 136 individuals as water treatment or wastewater treatment operators.

"Each of these individuals has taken the appropriate course of study and passed an agency approved test to gain this certification," said Secretary Mitchell. "They are to be commended for their hard work and desire to protect public health and the environment."

As a protection to the public, individuals who operate water treatment plants must meet minimum training standards to assure water is properly treated so it's safe to drink. Conversely, wastewater treatment plant operators must be trained so they can operate wastewater treatment systems in a manner that prevents the release of excessive pollutants.

"Trained operators comprise the foundation of Kansas' water protection efforts," said Mitchell. "After the training, the department continues to work with operators to assure they apply the best methods to keep our water clean."

Certification training is provided by several Kansas educational institutions, private companies, professional associations and KDHE. KDHE administers the certification testing.

Kansas has over 1,100 community and public water supplies that require a certified operator. Operators at over 1,000 wastewater treatment facilities in state must also be certified.

Wastewater treatment operators approved in the recent round of testing include:

Water operators approved in the recent round of testing include: