Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations

Information and tools for wastewater treatment plant operators.

Wastewater treatment plants range from small privately-owned facilities treating sanitary wastewater from a housing development to large regional facilities treating millions of gallons a day of sanitary and industrial wastewater. Plants owned by municipalities are commonly called Publicly-Owned Treatment Plants, or POTWs. In cooperation with local and federal authorities, MassDEP regulates many types of wastewater treatment plants.

Lists of treatment plants by town and type

Lists showing the graded facilities in Massachusetts:

Graded Wastewater Treatment Plants

Graded Municipal and Combined Wastewater Treatment Plants

Graded Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants

A list of treatment plants with permits to discharge wastewater to groundwater:

Wastewater Treatment Plants Discharging to Groundwater (PDF)

Wastewater Treatment Plants Discharging to Groundwater (Excel)

Gap III Energy Grant

The Massachusetts Gap Energy Grant Program provides state grant assistance to Municipal and District drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities for installing energy efficiency measures (e.g., variable speed drives; pumping, aeration, and HVAC upgrades etc.) and clean energy generation projects (solar photovoltaic, in-line hydropower, water source heat pumps etc.) at their plants and pumping stations.

MassDEP anticipates releasing our $5 Million Gap Energy Grant Program procurement documents on COMMBUYS in the near future.

To view our previous Gap grant awards and project information, please visit our story map here:
Massachusetts Gap Energy Grant Program.

Additional Resources

Gap III Press Release

Regulations for Wastewater Treatment Plants and Operators

• 257 CMR 2.00: Certification of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators

  The process for evaluation and certification of wastewater-treatment-facility operators.

• 314 CMR 7.00: Sewer System Extension & Connection Permit Program

  This regulation governs sewer system connections and extensions to ensure proper operation of wastewater treatment facilities.

• 314 CMR 8.00: Supplemental Requirements for Hazardous Waste Management Facilities

  Regulating wastewater treatment plants that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous wastes generated at the plant.

• 314 CMR 12.00: Operation & Maintenance & Pretreatment Standards for Wastewater Treatment Works and Indirect Dischargers

  Establishes standards and pretreatment requirements to insure the proper operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment works. April 2014

• Annual Sewer Connection Report Form

  This reporting form is provided to satisfy the requirements of 314 CMR 12.07, Recordkeeping and Reporting. February 2015.

Tools & Resources for Treatment Plant Owners and Operators

• US EPA Technical Assistance Webinars: CWA-NPDES Permit Compliance at Small Wastewater Treatment Systems

  This webinar series is aimed at improving surface water quality and reducing potential impacts on drinking water by educating permittees on Clean Water Act - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements.

• Pump System Optimization & Assessments: A Management Workshop and Webinar

  Presentations and information on Pump System Optimization & Assessments for Municipal Drinking Water and Wastewater Facilities workshop held November 4, 2015.

• Emergency Planning and Preparedness Tips for WWTP and WTP Operators

  This checklist provides operators and key staff members with information and advice on critical items that should be considered and checked to help you gauge your treatment plant's emergency preparedness status.

• TR-16 Guides for the Design of Wastewater Treatment Works

  The new Technical Report #16 (TR-16) covers in detail the important elements of wastewater treatment that must be considered in the design of wastewater treatment works. The content, however, has been completely updated to reflect current practices and to include advances in technology, nutrient removal, energy efficiency, and instrumentation. The intended audience includes engineers who design wastewater treatment plants, state regulators who review and approve designs, and municipalities that are soliciting professional design services for wastewater treatment facilities.

• Municipal Compliance Fact Sheet: Wastewater

  What municipal officials need to know to ensure that community wastewater systems are operating effectively and properly protecting public health and the environment.

• Integrated Planning for Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater
  On January 14, 2019, Congress passed the Water Infrastructure and Improvement Act which amended the Clean Water Act to include the Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning. US EPA has developed resources, created online webinars, and built out a website to help municipalities with integrated planning.

Applications and Forms for Certified Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators

See also "Training Information" below.

Additional Resources

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Status Change Form

Application for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Upgrade to Emergency Certification

Application for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Upgrade to Provisional Certification

Application for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Upgrade to Combined Grade 7

Application for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification by Reciprocity

Certified Wastewater Operator Statement of Qualifications

Education Requirements for Recertification

Training Information for Treatment Plants and Operators

New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC)

NEIWPCC provides training and certification exams for Massachusetts Wastewater Operators.

http://neiwpcc.org/learning-center/massachusetts-wastewater-operator-training-certification/

NEIWPCC wastewater training calendar

https://neiwpcc.org/learning-center/

2022/2023 Massachusetts Wastewater Management Training Program

https://neiwpcc.org/learning-center/massachusetts-wastewater-management-training-program/

US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)

US EPA offers training on the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) system for tracking facility compliance with environmental regulations. Upcoming and previously recorded webinars are available at this link:

https://echo.epa.gov/help/training

Additional Resources

Recommended courses to prepare for the Massachusetts Wastewater Operator exam

Request for Training Contact Hours (TCH) Evaluation

Wastewater Treatment Plant Certification Program - CEU by course name

Wastewater Treatment Plant Certification Program - CEU given by and course name

Wastewater Treatment Plant Certification Program - CEU by reference number