A complete list of all programs within the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Community involvement and public participation are an essential part of EGLE’s mission, vision, and values.
SARA Title III establishes requirements regarding emergency planning and "Community Right-to-Know" reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals for federal, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as regulated facilities.
Resources and information on utilizing RRD's data exchange and the Inventory of Facilities.
An interactive map displaying contaminated sites throughout Michigan regulated under Parts 213, 201, and 211.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Water Well Viewer (WWV), is an interactive mapping system that displays water wells along with other information, such as wellhead protection areas, underground storage tanks, and sites of environmental contamination. Water well locations have been identified by address matching, the use of global positioning systems (GPS), and by legal descriptions.
This system allows water well drilling and pump installation contractors to submit water well records.
EGLE's interactive calendar is designed to provide timely information on decisions before the Director, proposed settlements of contested cases, administrative rules promulgation, public hearings, meetings and comment deadlines, and environmental conferences, workshops and training programs.
Anyone wishing to formally serve legal documents upon the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), or its officers or employees, may do so by the following methods.
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Municipal and industrial wastewater systems are vital for public health and environmental protection, with certified operators ensuring proper treatment and compliance. Municipal wastewater, from residential and commercial sources, requires effective treatment before discharge, while industrial wastewater often contains more complex contaminants needing specialized processes, including stormwater coverage. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) certifies operators to ensure they have the necessary expertise to manage these systems, prevent pollution, and meet regulatory standards, contributing to cleaner water and healthier communities.
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Water Resources Division (WRD), through its Licensing and Technology Support Unit (LATS), administers certification programs for municipal and industrial wastewater, industrial stormwater, construction stormwater, and soil erosion and sedimentation control plan review and design.
The unit is also responsible for exam scheduling and reviews, certification renewals, reciprocity, operator outreach and correspondence, facilitating application payment, Board coordination, and oversight of activities related to the Part 41, Sewerage Systems, statute and Part 41 Administrative Rules; Part 31, Water Resources Protection, statute and Part 10 Administrative Rules; and Part 91, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control statute, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended.
Individuals interested in becoming certified wastewater and/or stormwater operators may obtain certification by completing EGLE-approved training and passing the required examination. An operator may hold multiple wastewater and stormwater certifications (a municipal certification, industrial certification, industrial stormwater certification, construction stormwater certification, and/or a soil erosion and sedimentation control plan review and design certification). Operators holding multiple wastewater and/or stormwater certification are required to fulfill all requirements of each certification types.
All certifications are issued to and owned by the individual operator, not the employing company. Certifications are maintained under the individual operator’s name and shall remain with the operator upon separation from employment, transfer, or change of employer, regardless of whether the employer funded or reimbursed the cost of training or certification.
The certification number is uniquely assigned to the certified individual and is the sole responsibility of that individual. The operator is responsible for maintaining the certification in good standing, ensuring compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, and providing valid documentation when required.
Under the Part 41 Sewerage System Administrative Rules for municipal wastewater treatment plant operators, the owner of a treatment facility may replace the superintendent with another properly certified operator at any time, and shall notify the department in writing within 10 days after the replacement.
Under the Part 10 Treatment Plant Operators Administrative Rules for industrial/commercial wastewater and stormwater operators, the owner of a waste treatment facility may replace the designated operator with another properly certified operator at any time and shall notify the commission within 10 days after the replacement.
For all certification programs, it is the operator's responsibility to contact the Department with any employment or contact information changes.
The minimum age for an operator applying for an exam is 18 years old.
Your application must be approved before you are allowed to sit for the examination. Once your application has been reviewed and processed, you will be notified of your examination eligibility.
The Board has recommended to the Director of the EGLE that the issuance or denial of a certificate be contingent upon achieving a passing score of 70% or higher.
Payments may be made by check or credit card. For program-specific requirements, please see the relevant certification page and application. For additional information, please contact the EGLE WRD Operator Certification Unit.
Replacement certification requests must be submitted to the EGLE WRD Operator Certification Unit and should include the operator’s full name and all requested certification numbers.
It is the Operator’s responsibility to keep their personal and business information up to date for future correspondence. Failure to do so may result in not receiving renewal information or notifications. Please send any updates to EGLE-WRD-OpCert@Michigan.gov.
If you have received greater than a 50% on any of your examinations, you may request feedback based on your exam score. Please email EGLE-WRD-OpCert@Michigan.gov to request exam feedback. Additionally, please visit our training Webpage to review previously offered PowerPoint presentations regarding process-specific topics. Additionally, the Activated Sludge Process Control Manual and the Wastewater Stabilization Lagoon Training Manual are good resources depending on the exam you are preparing for.
Michigan honors certification reciprocity with any state or nation that allows reciprocity for Michigan operators.
Please contact EGLE-WRD-OpCert@Michigan.gov to request a certification reciprocity application and staff will follow up with you.
For questions on topics not listed below, please reach out to EGLE-WRD-OpCert@Michigan.gov with a clear description of your question.
