How to Renew Your Kentucky Water Treatment, Distribution, or Bottled Water Operator Certification

If you have a water treatment, distribution, or bottled water certification with the Kentucky Division of Water, you probably know that you need to renew your certification by June 30 of every even-numbered year. You might even know that you need continuing education units (CEUs) for that renewal.

But what’s the cheapest way to submit your renewal to the Division of Water? And what are the requirements for KY CEU for water treatment, distribution, or bottled water certificate? You can muddle through the multiple pages of Kentucky Administrative Regulation — specifically, 401 KAR 11:050 — to find out. Or you can just use this guide. We’ve done the work for you. 

Here’s everything required to renew a KY Division of Water operator certification, including the specific water operator continuing education requirements. 

How do I renew a KY Division of Water operator certification?

To renew a KY Division of Water operator certification, you need to do three things:

1. Complete the required KY CEU for water treatment. The Division of Water requires all water treatment, distribution, and bottled water certicate holders to complete water opeartor continuing education during each renewal cycle. We’ll give you the details on this in the next section.
2. Submit your renewal application. You can do this online through the KY Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) E-Search page. You’ll need to register first, but the state has a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process. You could alternatively send in a paper Application for Certification Renewal, but the Division of Water will charge you a $50 processing fee. Save yourself the 50 bucks by renewing online. 
3. Pay the renewal fee. If you renew online before the June 30 expiration date, your renewal will cost you $200. If you send in a paper application, you’ll pay $250. And if your renewal application is late, you’ll pay $450 online or $550 for a mailed-in renewal application. 

How much water operator continuing education do I need for renewal?

You can’t renew your KY Division of Water operator certification until you’ve taken the required KY CEU for water treatment, distribution, or bottled water. You’ll need either 12 or 24 hours of CEU, depending on your license type. Here are those requirements:

• Bottled Water, Limited, Class I and II Treatment, Collection, or Distribution: 12 hours of water operator continuing education
• Class III or IV Treatment, Collection, or Distribution: 24 hours of water operator continuing education

Fortunately, you can take these hours online at your own pace. You can also choose the best courses for you, whether that’s a state-approved 24-hour continuing education package, a state-approved 12-hour option, or individual online, self-paced courses on subjects that interest you. 

If you have separate water treatment, distribution, and bottled water certificates, you don’t need to take KY CEU for water treatment, distribution, or bottled water for each certificate type. Instead, you just need to complete the water operator continuing education required by your highest certificate. In other words, you won’t need to take more than 24 hours of CEUs. 

Don’t wait to get your water operator continuing education completed or to submit your KY Divison of Water operator certification renewal. If your certificate expires, you’ll be back to square one. You’ll have to go through the entire application process again — including retaking the exam. Mark your calendar so you don’t miss the June 30 deadline in every even-numbered year.