Course Overview

This course provides new operators with a basic understanding of water characteristics and pathogens, treatment and distribution processes, and the regulations that govern water quality. This course is intended to complement the on-the-job training that Operators in Training (OITs) receive from their employers.
The course consists of two components. The first involves approximately 40 hours of self-study. The self-study manual will be mailed to the registrant within five (5) business days of registration.
Once the first portion is completed, the participant must pass a self-administered exam in order to proceed to the classroom portion of the course.
The classroom session is one week in duration and consists of a final exam that covers subject areas addressed both in the self-study and classroom portions of the course.

Target Audience

This is a mandatory course required by all new operators. It must be completed within 3 years from the date an OIT certificate in drinking water treatment and/or distribution was issued.

 

This course is currently closed because there is not enough time to complete the self study component of the course before the classroom date.  Please call us at 1-866-515-0550 if you would like to discuss options.Print this Page

Course Trainer:

  Sylvia Murcia

Sylvia has been in the industry for over 16 years.  She holds a certificate in Adult Education, Environmental Conservation, Environmental Citizen and a Environmental Engineering Technician Diploma in Waste Management.  She also holds certificates in Water Quality Analyst, Level 2 - Water Distribution and Water Treatment Systems and OIT Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Collection Systems.  In 2014 Sylvia was awarded the OCWAmarine Award - OCWA OneWater Education Program - Citizenship.  Some of Sylvia's roles include revising and updating Walkerton Clean Water Center's Certificate Renewal courses for technical content and regulatory updates.  She monitors the student help line, which assisted students through the Certificate Renewal process and new certification requirements.  Sylvia coordinates and participates on training committees and working groups composed of Agency subject matter experts to establish, review, revise and develop new and current curriculum and subject material and also ensures the continuous improvement of learning materials/activities by adding case studies, exercises, relevant visual aids, videos and hands-on filed work demonstations.  Sylvia's responsibilities include the development, review and delivery of the Operations Training Program, preparation and submission of flow reports for Haldimand County, chemical adjustments to improve the quality of the water prior to entering the distribution system, collection and preparation of water samples at different points of the water treatment process, and calibrated equipment used to monitor regulatory parameters such as pH, turbidity and chlorine residuals.

Course Trainer:

  Victoria Colling

Tory has over nine years of research and training experience in water and other environmental issues.  She has her Master’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of Western Ontario.  Tory was a recipient of the 2013 Ontario Water Works Association Young Professional Fresh Ideas Award. She has also completed her Water Quality Analyst and Operator-in-Training Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office (OWWCO) exams.  Tory supports the development and delivery of pilot testing and training courses, as well as the operation, maintenance and upgrade of the Centre’s laboratory and the Technology Demonstration Facility. She specializes in the effect of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) on drinking water systems and has nine years of experience studying cyanobacteria and other algae. She also has a special interest in measuring drinking water quality parameters.  Tory is a Scientist at the Walkerton Clean Water Centre and is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).