Our publicly offered classes are usually offered Anchorage or Fairbanks. After you register for a class you will receive a confirmation letter that will provide hotel booking information including preferred rates for NTL class attendees. Attendees are responsible for their own travel arrangements.

 

The classes are scheduled from Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a one-hour lunch break. Exams are proctored on Friday after the class has been completed, and usually start at 8:00 AM. Each exam has a maximum 3-hour time limit so you can plan your return travel arrangements as needed.

 

The introductory level classes are intended to provide basic operations instruction in that discipline (water treatment, water distribution, wastewater collection, or wastewater treatment) and to prepare the attendees for the Level 1 certification exam. The exams are produced by the Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) and are a four-answer multiple-choice format with 100 questions and a passing score of 70%.

 

Operators who pass the Level 1 exam can then apply to the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) for one of the following certificates:
 

• Provisional Level 1 – requires a high school diploma or GED, and completion of an ADEC approved training course or at least 3 months of operating experience

• Level 1 – requires a high school diploma or GED, and one year (1,950 hours) of operating experience, 50% of which must be in the discipline of that certificate
   

Some of our courses offer higher level exams such as the new Water Distribution 1 & 2 and Water Treatment 2 courses. To take a level 2 exam, the attendee must already have passed the Level 1 exam in that discipline. For example, if an attendee wishes to take the Level 2 Water Distribution exam, they must already have passed the Water Distribution Level 1 exam. The attendee must register for the course and indicate they wish to take a Level 2 exam at least four weeks in advance of the course as ADEC must special order the higher-level exams from ABC.

 

Information on certification is available at the ADEC Operator Certification website or by calling 907-456-1139.

 

The ADEC exam fee is $150.00 per exam and must be remitted to NTL at the time of registration for the class. NTL will remit the fees to ADEC for all exams proctored at the end of each class.

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REFUND POLICY

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To ensure your registration is secure, fees must be paid no later than three weeks prior to the first day of class.

If you need to cancel your class, notification must be received no later than1 week prior to the first day of class.
NO SHOW FEE​ - If a student is unable to attend due to a transportation delay, they can request their registration be applied to a future class.
If a student does not otherwise show up for a class, no refund will be given. Exam fees will be refunded.

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COURSE INFORMATION
 

The NTL courses are instructed by Michael Pollen, President of NTL. Mike has worked professionally in the water and wastewater field in Alaska, nationally, and internationally for over 50 years. He has been instructing water and wastewater operations classes since the early 1980s and has presented courses throughout the entire state and has authored water and wastewater manuals that focus on cold regions operations. He also develops courses and was the contractor for the three new ADEC water treatment and distribution operations courses listed below. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF). In 1994 and 1995, he served as the international President of WEF presiding over national and international conferences and meetings in 10 countries.

 

All the following NTL courses are accredited by ADEC for 3.0 core continuing education units (CEUs), which means they can be used to obtain or advance a certificate, or to renew any certificate in the water and wastewater field. NTL provides the following materials with all courses: textbook, calculator, notepad, number 2 pencils (required for the exams), pens with highlighters, practice exams, and informational handout materials relevant to that course.

 

Water Treatment 1 – This is the new ADEC approved introductory course for water treatment. The text is the AWWA Water Supply Operations Series Water Treatment Level 1, which was updated in 2016 to correlate to the latest ABC exams released in 2017. This course replaces the ADEC Introduction to Small Water Systems course that was used in Alaska since 1995 and covered both water treatment and water distribution systems. The new course focuses exclusively on water treatment.

The new course content includes basic microbiology, chemistry, water sources (both surface and groundwater), water treatment technologies, monitoring, instrumentation, electrical systems and pumps, regulations, and water system math and hydraulics. Examples of cold regions treatment technologies are featured in the course.

 

Water Distribution 1 & 2 – This is the new ADEC approved introductory to intermediate level course for water distribution systems. The text is the AWWA Water Supply Operations Series Water Distribution Level 1 and 2, which was updated in 2016 to correlate to the latest ABC exams released in 2017. This course replaces the ADEC Introduction to Small Water Systems course that covered both water treatment and water distribution systems. The new course focuses exclusively on water distribution systems.

 

The new course content includes basic microbiology, chemistry, potable water storage systems, water distribution systems equipment and operations, electrical systems and pumps, monitoring, instrumentation, regulations that apply to water distribution system operations, and water system math and hydraulics. Examples of cold regions treatment technologies are featured in the course. Please refer to the General Information above regarding requirements for selecting which exam you wish to take, particularly the deadlines for the Level 2 exam.

 

Water Treatment 2 – This is the new ADEC approved intermediate course for water treatment. The text is the AWWA Water Supply Operations Series Water Treatment Level 2, which was updated in 2016 to correlate to the latest ABC exams released in 2017. This course replaces the Alaska Water Treatment Systems course which was ADEC’s previous course for intermediate level water treatment training since 2000.

 

The new course content includes chemistry, an in-depth presentation of water treatment technologies, monitoring, instrumentation, electrical systems and pumps, regulations, and water system math and hydraulics. Examples of cold regions treatment technologies are featured in the course. It is highly recommended that attendees take the Water Treatment 1 course prior to taking this course, or to have completed the older Introduction to Small Water Systems course. Please refer to the General Information above regarding registering for a Level 2 exam.

 

Introduction to Small Wastewater Systems – This is the introductory course for wastewater collection and treatment systems operations in Alaska. Attendees can take the Wastewater Collection Level 1 and/or the Wastewater Treatment Level 1 exam upon course completion.

 

The course content includes basic characteristics of wastewater (physical, chemical & microbiological), wastewater collection systems equipment, inspection, and maintenance, electrical systems and pumps, wastewater treatment technology, biosolids treatment and disposal, process monitoring, instrumentation, wastewater discharge permits, and wastewater system math and hydraulics. Examples of cold regions treatment technologies are featured prominently in this course.