You should contact them before you send in your application. Here's their phone number: (916) 341-5741. If you're taking the wastewater treatment operator exam in California, the following book was helpful: wastewater book.
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I'm a civil engineer, and have worked in the wastewater industry for many years. I suggest taking the operator certification exam to broaden your background.
Most engineers don't have an operations background, but understanding operations is critical to designing well. Operators are the end-users of the design. Therefore, if you don't understand how a plant operates, it's very difficult to design a user-friendly treatment plant. It'll help your career if you pursue your operator certification. Having an operations background will make you a better engineer.
To prepare for the operator certification exam, I used the textbook, Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants, and these Practice Exams .
By the way, it's possible to land a job in the wastewater treatment industry with a chemical engineering degree. I know a few people with a chemical engineering background in this industry. Don't give up.
Good luck.
You'll be given a formula sheet at the test center, so you won't have to memorize any formulas.
Most state exams are based on the textbooks, Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants, Volumes 1 and 2.
I also used these Practice Exams to prepare for the test.
To learn the fundamentals, take Sacramento State's course. Once you've completed the course, use Practice Exams for Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification to test your knowledge and make sure you're ready for the exam.
Practice Exams: Wastewater... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542311454?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I recommend this book https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Exams-Wastewater-Treatment-Certification/dp/1542311454/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=1542311454&psc=1 Will prepare you for both Grade 1 and grade 2.
I like this book . It contains a lot of practice problems that were helpful.