Water Supply Rule Revisions

There is a revised Water Supply Rule that is now in effect. Click here to see the Revised Water Supply Rule.

Some of the most significant revisions include:

• Distribution Operator Requirement: many water systems will required to have a certified Class D operator as well as a certified treatment operator. This would apply to all Public Community and NTNC water systems serving more than 500 people that have fire hydrants connected to the distribution system or multiple pressure zones within the distribution system. Systems are required to have a Class D operator by July 1, 2029. See pages 79–80 of the Revised Water Supply Rule (linked above).
• Legacy Distribution Certification: operators who have passed a water treatment certification exam before July 1, 2029 can receive a “Legacy Distribution” certification by taking a distribution training class—they do not need to take the distribution certification exam. However, this Legacy Distribution certification is only applicable to a system where an operator has at least 1.5 years of experience. If you start working at a new system, the Legacy Distribution certification will not transfer and you will need to take the distribution certification exam. See page 80 of the Revised Water Supply Rule.
• Training Categories: for certification renewal, operators will be required to take classes on particular topics. For Class 2, 3, and 4 operators, a minimum of 30% of training contact hours (TCHs) must be from classes about regulations, public health, or management and finance. Another 30% of TCHs must be from classes about treatment, distribution, source protection, or operation and maintenance. See page 83–85 of the Revised Water Supply Rule.

Water/Sewer Bill Assistance Program Ends in March

The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) will be ending next month. This is a pandemic-era relief program run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) to help eligible households pay their water and sewer bills. There is still $300,000 available that must be spent by the end of March or it will be returned to the federal government.

DCF is not doing any promotion of this program, so utilities are encouraged to reach out to customers who may be eligible. Eligible households are those with overdue water/sewer bills and income below 60% of the state median income based on household size. Applications are due by March 15, 2024.

Vermont Rural Water has put together outreach materials that you can use:
Full-page flyer (PDF)
Full-page flyer (Word doc)
Bill stuffer (PDF)
Bill stuffer (Word doc)
Press release (Word doc)
Social media graphic (png)

Find information for utilities at https://vtruralwater.org/lihwap/

The customer application is at https://dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/hwa

2024 Conference & Trade Show

Thursday, May 9, 2024 • 8 am to 3 pm
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