The Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) is offering PA DEP Operator Certification Exams on different dates and locations in 2025. You may register for more than one exam date, but you should allow at least 30 days between paper-based exam dates so DEP has time to grade exams and send pass/fail notifications by email ONLY.
REGISTRATION IS A TWO-PART PROCESS ~ PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!
1. Complete your online registration and pay the registration fee (credit/debit cards only) in order to reserve your seat. After completing the registration and payment process, you will receive a system-generated email confirming your reserved seat at the exam location you selected.
2. You then need to complete and return to PWEA the PA DEP Test Selection Form within 10 work days - a link to this form will be included in your exam seat confirmation email. (IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT THIS FORM IN 10 DAYS YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM THAT TESTING DATE)
The Test Selection Form advises the DEP of your facility class and which drinking water or wastewater tests you want to take, so they can be loaded onto a computer for you or packaged for your written exam. Please do not delete any content from the DEP Test Selection Form prior to submitting to PWEA. Your completed DEP Test Selection Form must include your hand-written signature. DO NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR TEST SELECTION FORM WITH YOUR SMART PHONE; the images arrive blurry, are too dark, are crooked, or are too small when printed and the DEP will reject your form.
Completed DEP Test Selection Forms must be returned by email to breyanafulton@pwea.orgOR faxed to 717-303-5219 within 10 days of your online registration and payment.
PWEA will use your completed PA DEP Test Selection Form to prepare a detailed certification exam confirmation letter; it will be emailed to you at the email address you provide - be sure to check your Spam and Junk folders and to save the email with attachment for future reference. Please ensure you mark pwea@pwea.org as a safe sender in your address book to prevent the confirmation letter from going to the Spam or Junk folder. Your confirmation letter will include information you need to know prior to showing up at the exam site.
- Examinees taking computer-based exams at the DEP Regional Offices, receive immediate test results at end of exam.
- Examinees taking paper-based tests will receive results via email only; allow 30 days to receive your test results before contacting the PA DEP.
2025 Exam Date:
Written Exam May 6th
Registration cutoff April 7th.
Computer-Based June 3rd
Registration cutoff May 1st.
Written Exam June 25th
Registration cutoff May 21st..
Computer-Based August 12th
Registration cutoff July 9th.
Computer-Based August 21st
Registration cutoff July 17th.
Written Exam September 23rd
Registration cutoff August 20th.
Computer-Based Exam October 1st
Registration cutoff August 28th
Exam registration fees are:
$75 for PWEA Members
$125 for Non-Members
All credit/debit card transactions will include a 3.5% technology fee.
The name and address information for the credit/debit card you use to make an online payment must EXACTLY match what is on record with the financial institution issuing the card or else the transaction will be declined. This is a security measure to prevent fraudulent activity. Credit card numbers are NOT stored by PWEA or the payment gateway vendor.
Cancellation Policy: No refund will be offered after the detailed confirmation letter has been processed and sent to you, unless there is someone on a wait list for the same exam date. (30 days before the exam.)
BY INVITATION ONLY PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND PWEA Member Reception at WEFTEC
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2025 Time: Beginning at 8:00pm Place: Weathermark Tavern
1503 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
This year, PWEA will hold its Member Reception Weathermark Tavern. PWEA cordially invites its Members registered for WEFTEC 25 to attend this Appetizers, Deserts & Cocktails Reception. The reception will be a great way to network with other members of PWEA. We hope you will join fellow PWEA Members to kick off WEFTEC25!
Pre-registration is required to attend. PWEA must provide a count for food in advance of the reception. Members will be able to register only one guest, the guest being a spouse or life partner who is not involved in the water/wastewater industry. There will be a nominal fee of $25 charged for a guest registration.
If you plan to attend this Member Reception, register online by no later than NOON on Friday, September 12th. If you register and your plans change, we ask that you let us know so we have an opportunity to revise the food count. The guest registration fee is non-refundable if canceled after September 12th.
Questions? Email annmariewhalen@pwea.org or call (717) 642-9500 more info...
The Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) is offering PA DEP Operator Certification Exams on different dates and locations in 2025. You may register for more than one exam date, but you should allow at least 30 days between paper-based exam dates so DEP has time to grade exams and send pass/fail notifications by email ONLY.
REGISTRATION IS A TWO-PART PROCESS ~ PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!
1. Complete your online registration and pay the registration fee (credit/debit cards only) in order to reserve your seat. After completing the registration and payment process, you will receive a system-generated email confirming your reserved seat at the exam location you selected.
2. You then need to complete and return to PWEA the PA DEP Test Selection Form within 10 work days - a link to this form will be included in your exam seat confirmation email. (IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT THIS FORM IN 10 DAYS YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM THAT TESTING DATE)
The Test Selection Form advises the DEP of your facility class and which drinking water or wastewater tests you want to take, so they can be loaded onto a computer for you or packaged for your written exam. Please do not delete any content from the DEP Test Selection Form prior to submitting to PWEA. Your completed DEP Test Selection Form must include your hand-written signature. DO NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR TEST SELECTION FORM WITH YOUR SMART PHONE; the images arrive blurry, are too dark, are crooked, or are too small when printed and the DEP will reject your form.
Completed DEP Test Selection Forms must be returned by email to breyanafulton@pwea.orgOR faxed to 717-303-5219 within 10 days of your online registration and payment.
PWEA will use your completed PA DEP Test Selection Form to prepare a detailed certification exam confirmation letter; it will be emailed to you at the email address you provide - be sure to check your Spam and Junk folders and to save the email with attachment for future reference. Please ensure you mark pwea@pwea.org as a safe sender in your address book to prevent the confirmation letter from going to the Spam or Junk folder. Your confirmation letter will include information you need to know prior to showing up at the exam site.
- Examinees taking computer-based exams at the DEP Regional Offices, receive immediate test results at end of exam.
- Examinees taking paper-based tests will receive results via email only; allow 30 days to receive your test results before contacting the PA DEP.
2025 Exam Date:
Written Exam May 6th
Registration cutoff April 7th.
Computer-Based June 3rd
Registration cutoff May 1st.
Written Exam June 25th
Registration cutoff May 21st..
Computer-Based August 12th
Registration cutoff July 9th.
Computer-Based August 21st
Registration cutoff July 17th.
Written Exam September 23rd
Registration cutoff August 20th.
Computer-Based Exam October 1st
Registration cutoff August 28th
Exam registration fees are:
$75 for PWEA Members
$125 for Non-Members
All credit/debit card transactions will include a 3.5% technology fee.
The name and address information for the credit/debit card you use to make an online payment must EXACTLY match what is on record with the financial institution issuing the card or else the transaction will be declined. This is a security measure to prevent fraudulent activity. Credit card numbers are NOT stored by PWEA or the payment gateway vendor.
Cancellation Policy: No refund will be offered after the detailed confirmation letter has been processed and sent to you, unless there is someone on a wait list for the same exam date. (30 days before the exam.)
Pennsylvania Stormwater Summit 2025
“Staying Ahead of the Curve – Tools for Stormwater Resiliency” October 9, 2025, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Camelot Event Center – Wexford
250 Swinderman Rd, Wexford, PA 15090
Pennsylvania’s stormwater infrastructure is being strained by extreme rainfall events, with an increasing urgency for tools to adapt to modern day weather conditions while building for sustainability and resilience. This conference is organized by the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association Stormwater Committee, and the 2025 Stormwater Summit is crafted to deepen the technical knowledge of professionals from around Pennsylvania involved with meeting the regional challenges of stormwater management, as well as to provide an in-person forum where issues relating to stormwater can be discussed.
The target audience for the Summit includes municipal managers, authority directors, elected officials, public works directors, local government, non-profit and conservation organization representatives, stormwater professionals, planners, and engineers.
The Summit will include oral presentations, interactive discussions, exhibitors, and opportunities for networking in dynamic settings. Potential speakers are invited to submit an abstract for an oral presentation. Interaction with participants throughout the presentation is encouraged. All presentations are to be 45 minutes which includes audience Q&A.
Instructions for Submitting an Abstract/Presentation for the PWEA Annual Technical Conference June 16-18, 2026 • Hershey Lodge • Hershey, PA
The Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) has issued a Call for Abstracts for its 97th Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition – PennTec 2026.
Individuals desiring to present at the PennTec Conference should submit an abstract no later than October 31, 2025. Please read the criteria below to be sure your abstract contains the most relevant information. Presentations will be in blocks of 30 minutes or 1 hour, which includes time for questions and answers.
There is no limit to the number of abstracts that may be submitted by an individual, company, organization, or institution. However, in order to provide a valuable educational experience for attendees, the Program Subcommittee will work to limit the number of presentations by a single company or organization during a technical session. Membership in PWEA is not a requirement to present. Speakers are responsible for their own transportation, lodging and travel related expenses. Discounted registration fees will be offered to the Primary Presenter for the day of presentation, or for the entire conference. (Any additional presenters must register at the regular conference rates.) Please note that only one Primary Presenter per technical session will be published in the PennTec Conference Registration Brochure.
Abstracts are being solicited on cutting-edge and hot topics for Wastewater, Stormwater, and/or Drinking Water in the categories below. The main bullets are the Technical Program categories, indicating the focus for each program. The sub-bullets are suggestions for topics in each discipline. Other topics not included on this list are welcome.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Water operations
Wastewater operations
Engineering
Assessment and Planning
Legal Concern & Issues
Biosolids
Innovative usage
WWTP Case Studies
Emerging Technologies
Dewatering
Disposal
Collection Systems
Inflow & infiltration
Private property issues
Flow issues related to climate change
Pump station topics
Force main topics
Measurement – tv – laser – sonar
Smart or intelligent system management
Pipe or lateral rehab
Water impacts with Data Centers
Other relevant issues
Engineering (W/WW)
New techniques and equipment for underground utility verification/location
Improvements related to drinking water or wastewater safety
Mitigation of disinfection byproducts
New and innovative WW Treatment Processes
Construction (W/WW)
Alternative Project Delivery methods
Use of Design-Build for project delivery
New/innovative construction techniques
Constructability reviews for Design projects
Government/Regulatory Affairs (W/WW)
Complying with regulatory requirements
Case studies about regulatory agency and regulated entity cooperation
Needed regulatory program changes
Impact of legislation and/or regulations on facility operations and budgets
Privatization of Public Systems
Industrial Waste Pretreatment
Innovative Design
Municipal Industrial Pretreatment Program Tasks
Emerging Contaminants
PFOS/PFAS
Water Source Protection
Developing and complying with EPA mandated Industrial Pretreatment Programs
Laboratory Practices (W/WW)
Catalysts and Reagents
Ethics
Equipment
Innovative Techniques & Methods
Data Management
Professional Operations (W/WW)
Ethics/Best Practices
Innovation
Preventative Maintenance
DEP - such as handling NPDES Permit renewals, DEP inspections and/or Regulatory compliance
PA One Call
Mapping/GIS integration
System Optimization
Smart Development/System Growth Practices
Crisis/Emergency Management
Safety (W/WW)
OSHA Updates and Practices
Employee Safety – office, plant and field
Public Safety (EPCRA, DOT HazMat, RCRA, etc.
Stormwater
Regional approach to stormwater management
Integrated water resource planning
Ramping up a stormwater authority
Water quality at the watershed scale
GIS tools for planning and asset management
Stormwater BMPs – Case studies of funding, performance, and maintenance
Urban climate resilience
Impact of the new normal for weather patterns
Updating codes and ordinances for better stormwater management
Municipal collaboration for meeting MS4 requirements
Model programs for MS4 public education and involvement
Innovative and cost-effective approaches to community stormwater problems
Model programs for flood management
Stormwater rate making
Drinking Water Topics
PFAS
Microplastics
Mitigation of Disinfection By-Products
Jar Testing
Lead Contamination
Corrosion Control of Lead Pipes
Utility Management (W/WW)
Leadership Development and Organic Growth for Sustainable Management
Working effectively with neighboring utilities and municipalities; Community Outreach and meeting consumer demands with a focus on system sustainability
Effective Customer Service
Using Technology to Enhance Productivity
Setting rates based on sound operational and financial planning
Budgeting focused on critical activities for sustained performance
Inter-Agency cooperation: Meeting service expectations and regulatory requirements
Levels of Service: Improving responses to emergencies and the security and safety of assets
Prolonging asset life and improving decisions about asset rehabilitation, repair, and replacement
Asset Management/Business Case Evaluation/Capital Program Optimization: Reducing overall costs for both operations and capital expenditures
Abstracts should be a minimum of one and a maximum of three double-spaced full pages of text, including bibliography. Up to three additional pages of supporting tables and graphics may be included. The footer of each page should contain the corresponding author’s last name, abstract title, and the page number (example: Smith, Regional Approach to XYZ, page 1 of 3). Abstracts that fail to meet the maximum page requirement will be given consideration after other submissions. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL DOCUMENTS AS ONE ATTACHMENT. Abstracts must clearly define the objectives, status, methodology, findings, and significance of the investigation or study. Submissions on hot topics, regulatory issues, and new technologies are especially welcome. The Primary Presenter indicated on the Abstract Submission Form will be notified of acceptance or rejection by January 15, 2026.
CRITERIA FOR ABSTRACT SELECTION
RELEVANCE: The topic presented in the abstract should appeal to the Joint Conference audience; presenting breakthrough technologies, new concepts, novel applications of concepts, original ideas, new twists, hot topics, or application of fundamental techniques to today’s problems. The abstract should present ideas, concepts or lessons learned that are transferable and usable for other facilities and situations.
STATUS OF PROJECT: The abstract should establish that the project or case study is well-developed and should present data or results to support the hypothesis or principle being demonstrated. Data should have been subjected, at a minimum, to preliminary analysis. Abstracts showing concrete results with practical applications are more likely to be accepted.
TECHNICAL CONTENT: The objectives and scope of the project should be stated. The conditions under which the data were obtained, and the general procedures/methodology used should be presented. The abstract should address the consequences of the issue/project presented. The consequences, both intended and unintended, could include environmental, economic, and social impacts.
BENEFITS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Actual benefits and applications should be reported. Has the project helped to clean water or has it reduced pollutant discharges? Does the method described save time or money or increase accuracy? Is system management or operations more efficient or effective? Is this a specific finding or of more general application?
CONTENT, CLARITY, AND QUALITY: Authors should prepare clear, concise abstracts that follow the requirements. The quality and content of the abstract are considered indicative of the final technical presentation for PennTec 2026.