Upcoming Partner Events

MassDEP Drinking Water Program, in partnership with UMass Amherst and Bristol Community College is offering two FREE online self-paced pre-requisite training classes in Fall 2026 (starting in September).

Basic Drinking Water Distribution is approximately 30-40 hours long and is designed to prepare students to take the D2 through D4 Drinking Water Distribution exams. 

Basic Drinking Water Treatment is approximately 40-50 hours long and is designed to prepare students to take the T2 Drinking Water Treatment exam. Both classes are approved by the Board of Certification for Operators of Drinking Water Supply Facilities and have a capacity of 25-30 students.

 Course Descriptions

Basic Drinking Water Distribution: Topics include (but are not limited to) defining a public water system, proper operation, regulatory requirements, components, equipment and operation, water quality

monitoring, storage facilities, cathodic protection, corrosion control, hydraulics, chemistry, formulas, flow, pressure, performance and transmission, cross connection, pumps, motors and operator ethics, safety and more.

Basic Drinking Water Treatment: Topics include (but are not limited to) the principles of hydrology associated with groundwater and surface water supply management, the hydrologic cycle, precipitation type and measurement, aquifer types and groundwater flow measurements, surface water flow measurements, and surface water and well sampling. Students will also study source water supplies and protection, regulations, physical and chemical treatment processes, operator ethics and safety.

Teaching Procedure

These classes are self-paced and online. The class will be taught on an eLearning platform, and all instructional content will be available on this platform. Additionally, textbooks will be provided for all students. Each week, there will be approximately 3 hours of lecture content and additional hours for reading the textbook and reviewing other required instructional material. The Basic Drinking Water Treatment class also has additional laboratory exercises each week. Students can earn Training Contact Hours (TCHs) upon successful completion of the class and will be eligible to sit for Drinking Water exams.

How to Apply

If you are interested in taking the Basic Distribution or Basic Treatment  class, please click the link below and complete the questionnaire. Additional information on course requirements will be sent to you once the registration with BCC has been finalized. 

You can also send a letter or email expressing your interest, and/or a resume to Robert Rak of Bristol Community College at Robert.Rak@bristolcc.edu, or Drinking Water Program at program.director-dwp@mass.gov Subject: Interested in Bristol Community College Basic Drinking Water [Distribution/Treatment] Class. Or, you can contact the Drinking Water Program at program.director-dwp@mass.gov

 Minimum qualifications include, but are not limited to, an interest in a drinking water career, a high school diploma or GED (or close to completing), and 17 years or older. Interest emails from potential students will be reviewed and accepted in the order which they are received until all class spots are filled. There are approximately 25-30 available spots in the class. Registration and sign-up instructions will be sent after evaluating all inquiries. Please contact the Drinking Water Program at program.director-dwp@mass.gov with any questions.

 Interested in the Basic Treatment or Basic Distribution Class?

Complete the Pre Registration Questionnaire