ORS 700.053 Qualifications of waste water specialist applicant; application; examination

An applicant for registration as a waste water specialist shall submit an application to the Health Licensing Office in the manner required by the Environmental Health Registration Board. The application shall be on a form approved by the office, include proof satisfactory to the board that the applicant meets the education and experience requirements under subsection (3) of this section and include payment of the applicable fees established under ORS 676.576.

The office shall issue a registration as a waste water specialist to an applicant whose application complies with subsection

of this section and who successfully completes the examination required under subsection (5) of this section and passes the examination required under subsection (6) of this section.

An applicant for registration as a waste water specialist is required to have:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, including at least 45 quarter hours or the equivalent in soil science courses and two years of experience in waste water treatment, disposal and reuse within this state supervised by a registered waste water specialist or by an equally qualified person as determined by the board;

A graduate degree in soil science from an accredited college or university and one year of experience in waste water treatment, disposal and reuse within this state supervised by a registered waste water specialist or by an equally qualified person as determined by the board; or

A graduate degree in soil science from an accredited college or university and to currently be certified as a professional soil scientist.

Soil science schooling obtained while serving in the United States Public Health Service or a branch of the Armed Services of the United States may be credited toward the soil science course requirement under subsection (3)(a) of this section. The board may use any system it considers reliable in assigning credit for relevant schooling under this subsection, including but not limited to assigning credit in conformance with the “Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services” published by the American Council on Education.

The board may, at its discretion, conduct an examination of candidates for registration as waste water specialists. The examination may be on any matter pertaining to the fitness of the applicant to be registered as a waste water specialist, but may not duplicate matters covered on the examination required under subsection (6) of this section.

Every applicant for registration as a waste water specialist shall be given a written or practical examination prepared by the board and designed to test the technical competence of the applicant in all major areas of waste water sanitation. [1995 c.572 §3; 2003 c.547 §96; 2005 c.22 §478; 2005 c.648 §109; 2013 c.314 §62; 2013 c.568 §130] 700.056 Duties allowed for waste water specialist; environmental health specialist may perform duties. (1) A person who is registered as a waste water specialist under ORS 700.053 shall not perform the duties of a registered environmental health specialist, except that the person may:

Evaluate soils for subsurface or surface disposal of waste water or for the land application of sludge; and

Based on the soil evaluation, determine the appropriate design of systems that use soil in the final stage of the waste water treatment process.

This section does not prohibit a registered environmental health specialist from performing the duties of a waste water specialist.