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Water treatment operator training in Washington

13 water and wastewater programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

8 schools offer these water treatment programs, and Washington has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators run the machines that move and treat water. They typically need at least a high school diploma and long-term training on the job, and a state license is usually required; licenses have several levels, and employers may prefer applicants with a certificate or degree in a field such as water treatment technology.1 Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, every state must run a certification program for the operators of community water systems, or lose a fifth of its federal drinking water grant; the state sets the levels and exams.2

In Washington, 2 of the 13 programs take students without a high school diploma, 7 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 4 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 13 programs here are water or wastewater operator certificate (5 programs), water or wastewater apprenticeship (4 programs), water or wastewater (associate degree, 2 programs) and operator exam prep or short course (2 programs).

See the 13 programs

How much does water treatment operator training cost in Washington?

$4,706 to $6,475 is what most water and wastewater programs in Washington cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 7 programs with a price. All of them: $3,451 to $6,902

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
45 to 112 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Washington may also offer water treatment operator training. How these figures are made

Is there free water treatment operator training in Washington?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 13 water and wastewater programs in Washington approved for WIOA funding

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13 programs

How to pay for water treatment operator training in Washington

WIOA funding can pay for water treatment operator training in Washington

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for water treatment operator training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for water treatment operator training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Water treatment operator training in Seattle, Spokane, Shelton and other Washington cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Washington

How water treatment operator training compares with the rest of skilled trades: Trade school programs in Washington

Where the Washington water treatment program numbers come from

Which Washington water treatment programs are on this list?

These are the water treatment programs Washington approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Washington offers.

How the prices and results of Washington water treatment programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about water treatment operator training in Washington

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
  2. US Code: 42 U.S.C. 300g-8, operator certification
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List