(a) After January 1, 1971, and, except as provided in the following paragraphs, each owner shall employ the services of a certified operator of the required classification and subclassification who shall have the direct responsibility for the operation of the water or wastewater system and shall employ the services of such additional certified operators as are required pursuant to the provisions of this act and rules and regulations promulgated under it. The name of operators in responsible charge must be on file at all times with the department.

(b) On or before three years from the effective date of this amendatory act,¹ each owner must place the direct supervision of their water or wastewater system under the responsible charge of available operators who hold a valid certificate of the applicable classification and subclassification to operate their system. Each owner shall employ the services of available operators of the required classification and subclassification who shall make process control decisions for the operation of the water or wastewater system during all periods of operation. All process control decisions must be made by a certified operator. Such decisions may be made on site, from a remote location and communicated to operators on site or by means of an approved standard operating procedure as provided by the rules and regulations adopted under this act.

(c) An individual who holds a valid certificate issued pursuant to the rules and regulations adopted under this act which were in effect before the effective date of this act may continue to operate under the terms and conditions of that certification as long as he or she is in compliance with the act and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder and any orders of the board or the department relative to certification. Annual renewals of certificates shall continue in full force and effect upon application and payment of the renewal fees heretofore prescribed by law in section 607-A of The Administrative Code² until such fees are superseded and repealed by the rules and regulations adopted under this act. Such certification shall expire and the operator shall apply for renewal of certification within such time as may be set by the revised rules and regulations adopted under this act and upon the receipt of notice from the board that such operator shall apply for and obtain certification in accordance with the revised rules and regulations.

(d) An owner of a nontransient noncommunity water system or a wastewater collection system who has not employed a certified operator prior to the effective date of this act and is required to comply with the provisions of the act may continue to employ such operator as was associated with the system on the effective date of this act on an interim basis provided that the owner applies for the grandparenting of such operator or operators within sixty days of notification by the department, but in any case no later than two years after the effective date of this act. Certification for such grandparented operators shall be temporary, site-specific and nontransferable to other systems. The grandparenting of such operator shall expire and the operator must apply for and be granted certification or renewal of certification on or before a date specified in the rules and regulations adopted under this act.

(e) It shall be the duty of all certified operators to comply with the applicable Federal and State laws, and rules and regulations associated with a water or wastewater system, including, but not limited to:

(f) It shall be the duty of all owners to comply with the applicable Federal and State laws, and rules and regulations associated with a water or wastewater system, including, but not limited to: