About Water Cert Prep

Water Cert Prep is a free, independent study resource for people preparing for a water or wastewater operator certification exam, across the four disciplines: water treatment, water distribution, wastewater treatment, and wastewater collection. It is published by Urban Algorithm LLC.

Our method

We do two things the dated, PDF-era material does not. First, we ship a genuine operator-math trainer that generates fresh, exam-style problems with worked step-by-step solutions, aimed squarely at the math section operators say fails them. Second, we maintain an original, dated, cross-referenced view of what each state requires: classes, exam provider, experience and education minimums, fees, continuing education, and reciprocity. Every load-bearing number cites its source (the state certifying authority, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, or the Association of Boards of Certification, ABC) and carries the date it was last checked.

Why this matters

This is a real, working occupation, not a niche credential. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 132,400 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators nationally in 2024, with about 10,700 average annual openings projected through 2034, almost entirely from operators transferring to other work or retiring (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, verified 2026-07-29).

What we are not

We are independent. We are not a state agency and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or administered by ABC, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), or the EPA. We do not certify anyone: certification is granted by your state, usually after documented operating experience, and we are a study supplement to that process, never a replacement for it. We name exams and bodies only for accuracy.

Contact

Reach the publisher through the Urban Algorithm contact page. Water Cert Prep is a project of Urban Algorithm LLC.