Requirements by state
Tennessee water operator certification
Quick answer
How do I get certified as a water operator in Tennessee?
Tennessee certifies 14 operator types across water distribution, water treatment, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment, small/biological-natural systems, all administered by the Fleming Training Center in Murfreesboro. Applications cost $100, exams run through PSI, continuing education is 6 to 12 hours every 3 years depending on grade, and certificates expire annually (renewal $50 early, $100 standard). Reciprocity requires a $100 application and a Board vote comparing the applicant's home-state requirements to Tennessee's own.
See how Tennessee compares to every other jurisdiction in the national comparison matrix, or check reciprocity between states if you are moving.
Certifying agency: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Board of Water and Wastewater Operator Certification, Fleming Training Center
- Hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and score 70% or higher on a computer-based certification exam administered by PSI for the specific plant type and grade.
- Submit a nonrefundable $100 application, including a Water Filtration Plant or Wastewater Treatment Plant Classification Worksheet as applicable, at least 60 days before the exam.
- Meet the experience requirements set in TDEC Rule Chapter 0400-49-01, which scale with grade and plant classification.
- Complete continuing education every 3-year cycle to keep the certificate active: 6 hours for most grades, 12 hours for Wastewater or Water Treatment Grades 3 and 4.
Water treatment
- 1: Water Treatment Grade 1 , Entry-level treatment certification.
- 2: Water Treatment Grade 2 , Requires documented experience beyond Grade 1.
- 3: Water Treatment Grade 3 , Higher continuing-education load, 12 hours per 3-year cycle.
- 4: Water Treatment Grade 4 , Highest treatment grade, 12 hours per 3-year cycle.
- SWS: Small Water System , A dedicated certification track for the smallest treatment systems.
- Exam
- Computer-based exam administered exclusively by PSI, minimum 70% to pass, 60-day advance application required.
- Education minimum
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Experience minimum
- Experience requirements scale with grade and are set in TDEC Rule Chapter 0400-49-01; a Water Filtration Plant Classification Worksheet (Supplement A) is submitted with the application to establish the plant's classification.
- Application / certification fee
- $100 nonrefundable application fee, paid by check or money order to the Treasurer, State of Tennessee.
- Continuing education
- 6 hours of continuing education per 3-year cycle for Grades 1 and 2; 12 hours per 3-year cycle for Grades 3 and 4.
- Renewal cycle
- 1 year
- Reciprocity
- Tennessee issues a reciprocity certificate when the applicant's home-state requirements are comparable to or greater than Tennessee's own, under the Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Act (Tenn. Code Ann. 68-221-910). Submit the Application for Certificate of Competency (CN-0704) with the relevant classification worksheet and a $100 fee at least 60 days before a scheduled Board meeting; Fleming Training Center verifies the credential with the home state before the Board votes.
Certificates expire December 31 every year regardless of grade; renewing before February 1 costs $50, renewing February 1 through June 30 costs $100. The continuing-education hour count is tracked on a 3-year rolling cycle even though the certificate itself is renewed annually.
Water distribution
- 1: Distribution Grade 1 , Entry-level distribution certification.
- 2: Distribution Grade 2 , Requires documented distribution experience beyond Grade 1.
- Exam
- Same PSI computer-based exam format as water treatment, a distribution-specific exam per grade.
- Application / certification fee
- $100 nonrefundable application fee.
- Continuing education
- 6 hours of continuing education per 3-year cycle.
- Renewal cycle
- 1 year
- Reciprocity
- Same reciprocity process, worksheet, and $100 fee as water treatment.
Tennessee's distribution track runs only two grades (1 and 2), a shorter ladder than the four-grade treatment, wastewater treatment, and collection tracks.
Wastewater treatment
- 1: Wastewater Treatment Grade 1 , Entry-level wastewater treatment certification.
- 2: Wastewater Treatment Grade 2 , Requires documented experience beyond Grade 1.
- 3: Wastewater Treatment Grade 3 , Higher continuing-education load, 12 hours per 3-year cycle.
- 4: Wastewater Treatment Grade 4 , Highest treatment grade, 12 hours per 3-year cycle.
- BNS: Biological/Natural System , A dedicated certification for lagoon and other biological/natural treatment systems.
- Exam
- PSI computer-based exam, minimum 70%, a Wastewater Treatment Plant Classification Worksheet (Supplement B) establishes the plant's grade for the application.
- Education minimum
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Application / certification fee
- $100 nonrefundable application fee.
- Continuing education
- 6 hours per 3-year cycle for Grades 1 and 2; 12 hours per 3-year cycle for Grades 3 and 4.
- Renewal cycle
- 1 year
- Reciprocity
- Same reciprocity process as water treatment, using the Wastewater Treatment Plant Classification Worksheet in place of the water version.
The Biological/Natural System (BNS) track is a separate certification alongside the numbered Grades 1 through 4, for lagoon and similar systems that do not fit the mechanical-plant grading.
Wastewater collection
- 1: Collection Grade 1 , Entry-level collection system certification.
- 2: Collection Grade 2 , Requires documented collection-system experience beyond Grade 1.
- Exam
- Same PSI computer-based exam format, a collection-specific exam per grade.
- Application / certification fee
- $100 nonrefundable application fee.
- Continuing education
- 6 hours of continuing education per 3-year cycle.
- Renewal cycle
- 1 year
- Reciprocity
- Same reciprocity process and $100 fee as the other disciplines.
Tennessee's collection track, like distribution, runs only two grades (1 and 2), shorter than the four-grade treatment ladders.
Tennessee runs one of the most granular certification systems in the country: 14 separate operator certification types across water and wastewater, all administered by a single training center rather than a state agency office.
The Fleming Training Center runs all 14 certification types
Every Tennessee operator certificate, whether water or wastewater, is issued through the Fleming Training Center in Murfreesboro, on behalf of TDEC’s Board of Water and Wastewater Operator Certification. The certificate types split cleanly by discipline:
| Discipline | Grades offered |
|---|---|
| Water Distribution | 1, 2 |
| Water Treatment | 1, 2, 3, 4, plus Small Water System |
| Wastewater Collection | 1, 2 |
| Wastewater Treatment | 1, 2, 3, 4, plus Biological/Natural System |
Distribution and collection are shorter, two-grade ladders; treatment on both the water and wastewater side runs a full four grades plus a dedicated small-system or biological/natural-system track for facilities that do not fit the standard mechanical-plant model.
Application, exam, and fees
Every applicant needs a high school diploma or equivalent and must score 70% or higher on a computer-based exam administered exclusively through PSI. The application itself carries a flat $100 nonrefundable fee and must arrive at least 60 days before the scheduled exam date, along with the relevant classification worksheet (Supplement A for water filtration plants, Supplement B for wastewater treatment plants) so the Board can confirm the correct plant grade. Specific experience-hour requirements by grade and plant classification are set in TDEC Rule Chapter 0400-49-01.
Renewal is annual, continuing education runs on a 3-year clock
Every certificate, regardless of discipline or grade, expires December 31 each year:
| Renewal window | Fee |
|---|---|
| Before February 1 | $50 |
| February 1 through June 30 | $100 |
Continuing education is tracked separately on a rolling 3-year cycle: most certification types need 6 hours per cycle, while Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Grades 3 and 4 need 12 hours, reflecting the added complexity of running the state’s largest and most technically demanding plants.
Moving to or from Tennessee
Tennessee issues a reciprocity certificate when an applicant’s home-state requirements are comparable to or greater than Tennessee’s own, under the Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Act. Submit an Application for Certificate of Competency (CN-0704), the relevant classification worksheet, and a $100 fee at least 60 days before a scheduled Board meeting; Fleming Training Center verifies the credential with the applicant’s home state before the certificate goes to the Board for a vote. See reciprocity between states for how this compares generally.
Where to go from here
Use the operator-math trainer to practice the pounds formula, CT disinfection, and loading-rate math Tennessee’s PSI exams draw on, and the process calculator for the same formulas on the job. Not sure which discipline to start in? Water treatment vs wastewater operator walks through the day-to-day difference. See your state’s page once more states are verified.
Sources: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Fleming Training Center, Operator Certification and Reciprocity program pages (tn.gov/environment, retrieved 2026-07-29). Authored by the Water Cert Prep editorial team. Not legal advice. Reviewed 2026-07-29.