Being a member of the CWQA validates you as a water professional to the public. It improves your level of professionalism. Learn more about water and water quality issues. Build confidence and knowledge.

Prepare yourself for certification with the WQA as either a Certified Water Specialist, Certified Sales Representative, Certified Installer or Certified Contractual Operator for Very Small Systems at Thursday's Seminar. This session is conducted directly by the National WQA and prepares you for the actual test, given the following morning.

WQA Certification is a voluntary credentialing process. Water treatment professionals can enhance their credibility and demonstrate their depth of knowledge and experience to both the customers and employers through WQA's professional certification program. To achieve any WQA-certified title, the individual must pass a comprehensive exam and accept the WQA Code of Ethics for the Water Quality Improvement Industry. It guarantees validity, enhances your credibility and increases your expertise. As in previous years, the National WQA has made a commitment to join forces with the CWQA by not only attending the event, but also conducting seminars and offer certification for water quality industry personnel.

The WQA Certification Program* offers the following categories:

• Certified Water Specialist (CWS)
  For individuals involved in the sales, installation and/or manufacturing of water treatment products or who manage a water treatment business. There are six possible levels of Water Specialist certification.
• Certified Sales Representative (CSR)
  For individuals responsible for the sale of water improvement products.
• Certified Installer (CI) For individuals who are responsible for planning, installing and/or servicing water quality improvement products.
• Certified Contractual Operator (CCO) for Very Small Systems For individuals who are responsible for the operation of water systems serving less than 500 people. Persons desiring certification as a Certified Contractual Operator for Very Small Systems must meet additional program requirements.

* WQA membership is NOT required for certification. If you are interested in attending our state conference and begin the certification process, feel free to complete and submit the WQA certification form.

It's as easy as 1,2,3. Study the appropriate materials (available through the WQA). Reserve your spot at the upcoming conference. Test your knowledge Friday afternoon during CWQA's annual conference. All exams are closed book and contain true/false and multiple-choice questions. Results will be mailed to you by the WQA in approximately four to six weeks as well as additional certification documentation.

Should success elude you,
Do not be discouraged&
You may try again!

Maintaining your certification consists of earning Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits, also referred to as "seat time", and paying a re-certification fee. You can earn CPD (Continued Professional Development) credits in a variety of ways:

1. Seat Time
   You can earn CEU's (Continuing Education Units) by attending the seminars during our upcoming conference.
2. Measured Learning
   You can earn credits by taking additional classes - from WQA, college courses related to water quality, state licensing courses and other trade organizations.
3. Experiential Learning
   Presenting technical seminars at schools, meetings, etc.
4. Certified Water Specialist Level I
   Individuals may advance their learning and expertise as well as their level of certification (CWS-II through CWS-VI) by passing one or more of the specialty exams. Each exam passed will earn 1.50 CPD credits. The exams vary in length from 50 to 150 questions. The questions are all True/False or multiple-choice. You may choose the following specialty exams:
   • Deionization
   • Disinfection
   • Filtration
   • Ozonation
   • Reverse Osmosis/Ultrafiltration

For those of you that have earned certification, it is imperative to maintain re-certification status. Your certification cycle is three years (for example, if you passed your first exam in 2007, your cycle end date would be 9/30/2010.

If you are a CWS (Certified Water Specialist), you are required to earn 3.0 CPD credits during your cycle. If you are a CI (Certified Installer), you will require 2.0 CPD credits during the same time. CSR's (Certified Sales Representatives) also are required to earn 2.0 CPD credits. CCO's (Certified Contractual Operators) have to earn 3.0 CPD credits in the same time span.

NOTE: All of the above are required completing the WQA Business Ethics Course.

At the end of your cycle - if you've earned the appropriate number of CPD credits - you'll receive a re-certification invoice. Upon payment of the invoice to the WQA, you'll be re-certified for the next three-year cycle. Rather than having to travel to the National WQA's conventions and having to pay the additional travel expenses, you and your staff have the opportunity to earn seat time right here at your very own conference in-state.

WQA Professional Certification shows consumers and competitors that you have acquired the industry-recognized body of technical knowledge. It also indicated that you have chosen to support the water quality improvement industry Code of Ethics and are dedicated to the principles of honesty, integrity and credibility. And for a certified individual's company it specifies that said company has chosen to provide quality customer service by employing certified persons.

Please review the WQA certification application and choose the option best suited for you. Order the study books early and prepare yourself for the test. Certification in-state saves travel time and expenses compared to out-of-state conferences.

Each hour of accredited education (by speakers that are authorized by the WQA) builds 0.1 points toward the re-certification qualifications. We at the CWQA make a commitment to bring you as many hours as possible in seat time to earn your CEU's (Continued Education Units). This is another reason to attend the next upcoming CWQA conference this coming September.

For more detailed information feel free to visit the WQA Home Page and contact them directly in case you have questions that have not been answered on this link.