South Carolina Board of Environmental Certification

Message To LLR Stakeholders About Regulatory Review Process

 

Untitled Document
Qualifications for licensure

Instructions for: Well Drillers, Water Distribution, Water Treatment, Biological and Physical/Chemical Wastewater; Bottled Water.

Well Driller

Well drilling licenses will be issued in one of three well drilling categories-environmental, coastal, and rock
and in one of four classes-Class 'D', Class 'C', Class 'B', and Class 'A'. A class 'A' licensee is authorized
to practice in all three well drilling categories. No person may engage, or offer to engage, in the drilling of
wells for which he does not possess a license of the proper well drilling category and class.

Class 'D'
  1. Be at least eighteen years of age
  2. Submit an application and pay prescribed fees
  3. Furnish proof of a surety bond in accordance with Section 40-23-280 in an amount of at least twenty-five thousand dollars
  4. Pass a written examination
   
Class 'C'
  1. Pass a written examination
  2. Complete at least one year experience as an apprentice well driller, primarily spent in installing wells of the well category for which Class 'C' status is sought
  3. Possess the necessary drilling equipment or present to the board sufficient evidence to show the applicant has access to the use of this equipment at any time the applicant needs it
  4. Furnish proof of a surety bond in accordance with Section 40-23-280 in an amount of at least twenty-five thousand dollars
   
Class 'B'
  1. Pass a written examination
  2. Possess the necessary drilling equipment or present to the board sufficient evidence to show the applicant has access to the use of this equipment at any time the applicant needs it
  3. Furnish proof of a surety bond in accordance with Section 40-23-280 in an amount of at least twenty-five thousand dollars
   
Class 'A'
  1. Pass a written examination
  2. Complete at least one year of experience as a Class 'D' and two years of experience as a Class 'C' or Class 'B' well driller in each of the three well drilling categories
  3. Possess the necessary drilling equipment or present to the board sufficient evidence to show the applicant has access to the use of this equipment at any time the applicant needs it
Water Distribution System Operator

A person employed as an operator of a public water distribution system facility must hold a water
distribution system operator license issued by the Board. The certification class required for each
distribution group is as follows:

Trainee
  1. Completed high school or the equivalent
  2. Submit an application on forms approved by the Board
  3. Pay prescribed fees
   
Class 'D'
  1. Hold a valid Trainee operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting one (1) year of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water distribution system facility
   
Class 'C'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'D' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting two (2) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water distribution system facility
   
Class 'B'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'C' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting three (3) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water distribution system facility
   
Class 'A'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'B' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting four (4) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water distribution system facility
Water Treatment

A person employed as an operator of a public water treatment facility must hold a water treatment
operator license issued by the Board. The certification class required for each treatment group is as
follows:

Trainee
  1. Completed high school or the equivalent
  2. Submit an application on forms approved by the Board
  3. Pay prescribed fees
   
Class 'E'
  1. Hold a valid Trainee Operator License
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting six (6) months of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water treatment facility
   
Class 'D'
  1. Hold a valid 'E' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting six (6) months of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water treatment facility
   
Class 'C'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'D' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting two (2) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water treatment facility
   
Class 'B'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'C' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting three (3) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water treatment facility
   
Class 'A'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'B' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting four (4) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public water treatment facility
Biological Wastewater Treatment Operator

A person employed as an operator of a public biological wastewater treatment plant must hold a
biological wastewater treatment operator license issued by the Board. The certification class required for
each biological wastewater group is as follows:

Trainee
  1. Completed high school or the equivalent
  2. Submit an application on forms approved by the Board
  3. Pay prescribed fees
   
Class 'D'
  1. Hold a valid Trainee operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting one (1) year of actual operating experience as an operator of a public biological wastewater system facility
   
Class 'C'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'D' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board 3) Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting two (2) years of actual
    operating experience as an operator of a public biological wastewater system facility
   
Class 'B'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'C' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting three (3) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public biological wastewater system facility
   
Class 'A'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'B' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting four (4) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public biological wastewater system facility
Physical Chemical Wastewater Treatment Operator

A person employed as an operator of a public physical/chemical wastewater treatment plant must hold a
physical/chemical wastewater treatment operator license issued by the Board. The certification class
required for each physical/chemical wastewater group is as follows:

Trainee
  1. Completed high school or the equivalent
  2. Submit an application on forms approved by the Board
  3. Pay prescribed fees
   
Class 'D'
  1. Hold a valid Trainee operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting one (1) year of actual operating experience as an operator of a public physical/chemical wastewater system facility
   
Class 'C'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'D' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting two (2) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public physical/chemical wastewater system facility
   
Class 'B'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'C' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting three (3) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public physical/chemical wastewater system facility
   
Class 'A'
  1. Hold a valid Class 'B' operator certification
  2. Pass an examination approved by the Board
  3. Submit an Experience Verification Form documenting four (4) years of actual operating experience as an operator of a public physical/chemical wastewater system facility
Bottled Water Operator
  1. Completed high school or the equivalent
  2. Submit an application on forms approved by the Board
  3. Pay prescribed fees
  4. Pass an examination approved by the Board

Well Drillers, Water Distribution, Water Treatment, Biological and Physical/Chemical Wastewater, and
Bottled Water licenses must be renewed annually. Fees are due by June 30th.

Applicants must meet the two year continuing education requirements. ONLY BOTTLED WATER
OPERATORS ARE EXEMPT FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION.

A licensee who allows his or her license to lapse by failing to renew may be reinstated upon payment of a
fine and the current renewal fee, provided application for renewal is filed within 365 days of the expiration
date of the license.

The S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is pleased to provide various publications in portable document format (PDF).
You will need Adobe Reader to view and print these publications.