Water & Wastewater Utility Operator / Technician

12 Months – Total Clock Hours: 1,023

2025 2026 Tuition: $14,400

Start dates: 8/18/2025, 1/6/2026

Admission Requirements

Application Fee, Application for Admission, Enrollment Agreement, High School Diploma or GED, Criminal Record Check, and Child Abuse Clearance.

Program Overview

The Water and Wastewater Utility Operator Diploma Program (“Program”) provides students with the skills and knowledge to work in the field of potable water and wastewater treatment and management. Additionally, the program prepares students for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Certification examinations required to operate water & wastewater treatment facilities. The program also prepares students for the Control System’s Technician I Certification examination, written and administered by the International Society of Automation (“ISA”).

Maximum # of Students Per Class:  8

Program starts in January and July. Please check with CPI Admissions and review the Program Enrollment Agreement for specific start dates.

Entry-Level Career Opportunities:

• Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator
• Water Resource Specialists
• Water / Wastewater Engineers
• Conservation Specialists

Courses In This Program Include:

Course Descriptions

EIW-110 – Global Water Issues and Management
Global Water & Management introduces students to the environmental and regulatory water supply challenges facing the world today. Specifically, students’ study and discuss the global and local effects of pollution, population growth, and climate change on water resources. The history, on-going implementation, and impact of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Water Drinking Act and Clean Water Act are also thoroughly examined and discussed.
(16 Lecture Hours – 0 Lab Hours)

EIW-140 – Potable Water Treatment and Distribution Processes
Potable Water Treatment & Distribution Processes focuses on the specific water treatment processes utilized to purify ground and surface raw water into potable water – that is, water that is safe and suitable for drinking. Potable water treatment processes covered in this course include Coagulation, Sedimentation, Filtration, Disinfection, Taste & Odor Control, and Corrosion Control. The equipment that comprises the different treatment processes are covered in-depth in the course. Students also study relevant aspects of mathematics, chemistry, and microbiology in the context of optimizing potable water treatment processes. Also covered in this course is the design, components, and maintenance requirements of potable water distribution systems. (140 Lecture Hours – 0 Lab Hours)

EIT-190 – Wastewater Collection and Treatment Processes
Wastewater Collection & Treatment Processes focuses on domestic and industrial wastewater collection systems and treatment processes. In addition to examining the design, components, and maintenance requirements of collection systems, students study specific domestic and industrial wastewater processes. These processes include Activated Sludge, Trickling Filters, Rotating Biological Contactors, Sequential Batch Reactors, Ultra Violet Light Disinfection Systems and Specialized Ponds and Lagoons. All of these water collection and treatment processes are utilized to remove microscopic pathogens, chemical contaminants, and disagreeable physical constituents from wastewater flows, rendering such flows suitable to discharge into receiving bodies of water such as streams, rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. (137 Lecture Hours – 0 Lab Hours)

EIE-190 – Industrial Electricity
In the Industrial Electricity course, students’ study and apply the fundamental principles and laws of electricity, such as electro-magnetism, capacitance, inductance, Ohms Law, Kirchhoff’s Voltage/ Current laws, and electrical power principles. Students also wire, analyze, and troubleshoot different single-phase and three-phase power and control circuits containing capacitors, control relays, timers, as well as limit, pressure, float, and proximity switches. Additionally, students wire, configure, and troubleshoot several Variable Frequency Drives utilized to control the speed and torque of 3-phase motors. Throughout the Industrial Electricity course, students apply the different aspects of electrical power maintenance and safety.
(30 Lecture Hours – 260 Lab Hours)

EIM-196 – Mechanical Power
In the Mechanical Power course, students’ study and apply fundamental mechanical power principles of belt, chain, and gear driven power transmission systems. Student focus on the inverse relationship between rotational speed and torque. Similarly, students explore fluid power principles via hydraulic and pneumatic industry-current skill building activities. Throughout the Mechanical Power course, students apply the different aspects of mechanical power maintenance and safety.
(25 Lecture Hours – 150 Lab Hours)

EIP-168 – Process Control
In the Process Control course, students’ study and apply the fundamental principles of industrial automation. Specifically, students wire, configure, and troubleshoot On/Off and Continuous Control circuits utilizing a variety of physical and electronic sensors, Programmable Logic and analog controllers, and final control elements, such as valves and pumps. Students also utilize digital multi-meters as well as 4-20 milli-Amp and 3-15 psi control signal generators to analyze and calibrate process flows, level, pressure, and chemical feed control loop components. Throughout the Process control course, students apply the different aspects of process control maintenance and safety. (45 Lecture Hours – 220 Lab Hours)