Certification's Critical Role Since New Jersey introduced the
first operator certification program in 1918, virtually every
state and province has followed suit. The premise behind
certification is simple—without a well-trained, skilled operator
workforce, the best designed and constructed facility cannot be
operated effectively. In addition, mandatory certification,
through disciplinary measures, allows the state to remove
certification from individuals demonstrating negligence, and
thus a risk to public health and the environment. Many water
professionals throughout North America recognized the need for
uniform operator certification standards among the states and
provinces during the 1950s and 1960s. The rate of adoption of
new certification programs and upgrading of existing programs,
especially during the 1960s, underscored the acceptance of
certification and its underlying concepts. From 1960 to 1970,
the number of mandatory certification programs nearly tripled.
Dwindling Budgets and Increasing Importa