Water and Wastewater Treatment

The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Water and Wastewater Treatment program is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of working in a wastewater plant. Students will understand the effective operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment, wastewater collection systems, and wastewater labs. The program assists students in their preparation for Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) examinations.

This program is designed to meet education requirements for licensure or certification in the State of Arizona. Granting licensure and certification is the sole responsibility of the state board or approval agency. This program is only offered and available to students located in the State of Arizona. The Maricopa County Community College District and colleges define student location within Administrative Regulation 2.2.3(7).

Details

Field of Interest

Applied Technology

Degree Type

Certificate of Completion (CCL)

Academic Plan

Water and Wastewater Treatment (CER)

Academic Plan Code

5136

Total credits required

27-32

Catalog Year

2024-2025

Effective Term

Fall 2020

Admissions criteria

A high school diploma OR GED equivalency is required. Placement into MAT120, MAT121, MAT122, MAT150, MAT151, MAT152, or higher level mathematics course for which College Algebra is a prerequisite.

Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

Analyze water and wastewater treatment calculations and measurements.
Utilize effective written or oral communication skills in accordance with the professional conventions within the field of water and wastewater treatment.
Practice industry accepted professional and ethical behavior.
Apply relevant safety standards to the operation of a water and wastewater treatment plant.
Collaborate with peers to problem solve within the water industry.
Evaluate water and wastewater treatment processes using appropriate municipal, state, and federal governmental standards.
Demonstrate the mechanical, technical, and scientific knowledge necessary to operate and maintain a water and wastewater treatment plant.

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

$50,370 Show expanded career information for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time
Part-time

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
WRT100	Introduction to Water Resources	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program and placement into MAT120, or MAT121, or MAT122, or MAT150, or MAT151, or MAT152, or higher-level mathematics course for which College Algebra is a prerequisite or permission of the Program Director.	Gateway course		3
WRT140	Water Quality for Treatment Industry	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in WRT100, or permission of Department or Division or Corequisites: WRT100.	Critical course		5
WRT115	Water Technology Calculations	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program. Prerequisites or Corequisites: WRT100 or permission of Program Director.	Critical course		3
WRT110	Principles of Water Treatment Plant Operations	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program. Prerequisites or Corequisites: WRT100 or permission of Program Director.			3
MAT120 or MAT121 or MAT122 or MAT15+	Intermediate Algebra or Intermediate Algebra or Intermediate Algebra or College Algebra/Functions	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in each of the following courses: (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), OR a grade of C or better in MAT09+, OR an appropriate district placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in each of the following courses: (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), OR a grade of C or better in MAT09+, OR an appropriate district placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of B or better in each of the following courses: (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), OR a grade of B or better in MAT09+, OR an appropriate district placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT095, or MAT096, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+, OR an appropriate district placement for MAT15+, OR permission of Department/Division Chair.	OR Higher-level course with an [MA] general designation for which College Algebra is a prerequisite OR Waiver of the math requirement by the Program Director.	None or MA	6

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
WRT121	Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program. Prerequisites or Corequisites: WRT100 or permission of Program Director.	3
WRT131	Wastewater Collection Systems Operation and Maintenance	Prerequisites: Admission into the Water Resources Technology program and (a grade of C or better in WRT100 and WRT115, or permission of Program Director).	3
WRT190AA	Water Resources Technologies Seminar		1
WRT204	Water/Wastewater Mechanical Systems, Power, and Instrumentation	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program and permission of the Program Director.	3
WRT134	Water Distribution System Operation and Maintenance	Prerequisites: Admission into the Water Resources Technology program and (a grade of C or better in WRT100 and WRT115, or permission of Program Director).	3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
WRT100	Introduction to Water Resources	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program and placement into MAT120, or MAT121, or MAT122, or MAT150, or MAT151, or MAT152, or higher-level mathematics course for which College Algebra is a prerequisite or permission of the Program Director.	Gateway course		3
WRT115	Water Technology Calculations	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program. Prerequisites or Corequisites: WRT100 or permission of Program Director.	Critical course		3
MAT120 or MAT121 or MAT122 or MAT15+	Intermediate Algebra or Intermediate Algebra or Intermediate Algebra or College Algebra/Functions	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in each of the following courses: (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), OR a grade of C or better in MAT09+, OR an appropriate district placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in each of the following courses: (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), OR a grade of C or better in MAT09+, OR an appropriate district placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of B or better in each of the following courses: (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), OR a grade of B or better in MAT09+, OR an appropriate district placement. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT095, or MAT096, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+, OR an appropriate district placement for MAT15+, OR permission of Department/Division Chair.	OR Higher-level course with an [MA] general designation for which College Algebra is a prerequisite OR Waiver of the math requirement by the Program Director.	None or MA	6

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
WRT140	Water Quality for Treatment Industry	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in WRT100, or permission of Department or Division or Corequisites: WRT100.	Critical course		5
WRT110	Principles of Water Treatment Plant Operations	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program. Prerequisites or Corequisites: WRT100 or permission of Program Director.			3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
WRT121	Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program. Prerequisites or Corequisites: WRT100 or permission of Program Director.			3
WRT131	Wastewater Collection Systems Operation and Maintenance	Prerequisites: Admission into the Water Resources Technology program and (a grade of C or better in WRT100 and WRT115, or permission of Program Director).			3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
WRT190AA	Water Resources Technologies Seminar		1
WRT204	Water/Wastewater Mechanical Systems, Power, and Instrumentation	Prerequisites: Admission to the Water Resources Technology program and permission of the Program Director.	3
WRT134	Water Distribution System Operation and Maintenance	Prerequisites: Admission into the Water Resources Technology program and (a grade of C or better in WRT100 and WRT115, or permission of Program Director).	3

Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

MA = Mathematics

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=143271).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.