A water system serving 14,000 people with conventional treatment requires which level of operator in charge under NM regulations?

• A. Level I
• B. Level II
• C. Level III
• D. Level IV

Answer: (D)

In New Mexico, the license level for the operator in charge scales with how many people a system serves and how complex the treatment process is. A system that serves about 14,000 people and uses conventional treatment involves multiple treatment stages, chemical feed systems, monitoring, and regulatory reporting, all of which require advanced, broad oversight. That level of responsibility and technical complexity is covered by the highest certification level, Level IV, ensuring the person in charge has the expertise to manage the plant, protect public health, and keep compliant with regulations. Lower levels are intended for smaller systems or simpler treatment configurations, which don’t demand the same breadth of operating authority. So, for a 14,000-person system with conventional treatment, the operator in charge must hold Level IV.