FWPCOA News & Events


Update on Water Facility Security Legislation

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Please see the attached PDF file for the Update on Water Facility Security Legislation notice dated 8/13/2010.


Job Announcements!

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The Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association has disabled our website Job Board service due to malicious hacking activities against the Association’s website. While we make modifications and improvements to our site, the Association will continue our service to water utility sector employers by posting job announcements via this news article’s PDF file attachment.

Water utility sector employers with job openings are encouraged to provide their announcements to FW&PCOA President Tim McVeigh at President@fwpcoa.org. Announcements should be publication-ready on official letterhead or job announcement form, limited to one page in length, and include, at a minimum, the following information: job title, job description, salary range, closing date for applications, and directions for filing a job application. Announcements may be submitted as a PDF or word processing file.

This service is meant to be a courteous effort to assist and not meant to be a fully operational employment service. The FW&PCOA accepts no liability for its efforts in assisting either employers or prospective job applicants.


The Florida Water Resources Journal is Going Green!

For over 60 years the Florida Water Resources Journal has served the water and wastewater industry by keeping its members informed, educated and up to date. Over the years the Journal has evolved on many levels and is now evolving again to better serve our members.

The Florida Water Resources Journal is Going GREEN! With so many companies, municipalities and individuals growing concerned about the environment, the Journal is now offering an "On-Line" version to our members. You now have the option to receive your Journal on-line instead of in the mail.

If you would like to do your part for the environment, please email us at subscriptions@fwrj.com and inform us you want to "GO GREEN". We will stop mailing you the printed version and email you a link to the online version on the first of every month. The same great publication, with many additional features.

For additional information, contact:

Michael Delaney
Florida Water Resources Journal
352-241-6006


2010 FWRC Workshop on Water Distribution System Operator Licensing

Click on the following link to access the PowerPoint presentations made by Virginia Harmon and Ron McCulley at the Florida Water Resources Conference workshop entitled, “Water Distribution System Operator Licensing – Getting to Compliance.” The FW&PCOA expresses our gratitude to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for their support and participation at the workshop.

For additional information on operator staffing, contact Virginia Harmon by telephone at (850) 245-8630 or by e-mail at Virginia.Harmon@dep.state.fl.us.

For additional information on operator certification and licensing requirements, contact Ron McCulley at (850) 245-7500 or by e-mail at Ronald.McCulley@dep.state.fl.us.

FDEP Workshop Presentations

Florida Administrative Code References

Chapter 62-550
Chapter 62-555
Chapter 62-560
Chapter 62-602
Chapter 62-699

Operator Certification Program Handbooks and Applications

Handbook for Water Distribution System Operators
Operator Certification Program Handbook
Examination Handbook for the Operator Certification Program Computer Based Examinations
Application for Water Distribution System Operator Examination
Application for Distribution System Operator License
Change of Address Notification Form


FDEP Diploma and GED Acceptance

FDEP acceptance of diplomas by their operator certification program is mainly contingent upon whether or not a school is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body. Public high schools in state are usually accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS) and are overseen by the Florida Department of Education. The General Education Development (GED) is solely developed and maintained by one organization. That organization is the American Council on Education (ACE). ACE oversees the GED program for all 50 states. Each state receives its delegated authority from ACE to administer the GED program locally. ACE does not permit any GED to be taken online. All examinations are scheduled, proctored examinations with the need to provide positive identification.

Many of the online high school programs have little to no oversight and are not accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body. Just because an online school claims to be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization, it’s not always true. The consumer is ultimately responsible for doing his or her research by looking further into each claim made by these schools.

The following websites contain good lists of nationally recognized accrediting organizations. There are quite a few of them out there.

The first organization for you to check out is the Council on Higher Education and Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA is more like a clearing house for all nationally recognized accrediting organizations. You can find them at http://www.chea.org/. They also have some good articles on their website about diploma mills. But for more specific information, check out detailed list of accrediting organizations.pdf for a detailed list of accrediting organizations.

Also, you may look at accrediting organizations recognized by the at US Department of Education (USDE). This website also has a searchable database. However, you may not see some high schools in this database because it is primarily for Post Secondary education (college).

The Florida Department of Education also has a list of accrediting organizations for private or faith based schools. Please visit http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/Private_Schools/accreditation.asp for this list.

The Commission on International Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) is also a good reference to use when searching for accreditation. You can find their web site at http://www.citaschools.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 CITA also falls under the parent corporation of AdvancED which also oversees NCA CASI and SACS CASI. Check them out at http://www.advanc-ed.org/schools_districts/

For diplomas that are received from outside of the US, FDEP refers those to a nationally recognized translation and evaluation company named , Josef Silney & Associates Inc.. They will evaluate the educational level of the diploma received and provide the applicant with a documented evaluation. If an out of country diploma is evaluated by Josef Silney, and determined to equivalent to a US high school diploma, FDEP will accept it.

This information was provided by:

Ron McCulley
Program Administrator
Operator Certification Program
8509245-8384



 

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