Home›Programs & Services›Professional Certification & Training›Maintain Your Certification

How to Get Recertified

Recertification helps ensure that certified persons remain up to date with current and new technology in order to effectively serve the public. Each certification title is valid for a period of three years before recertification is required. In order to become recertified you must earn the required number of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits and pay the applicable recertification fee.

Three types of CPD credit are available:

  1. Seat Time Credit: You can earn seat time credit by attending WQA-approved seminars, workshops, or convention sessions. Proof of attendance must be provided. Ten hours of seat time are worth one CPD credit.

  2. Measured Learning Credit: These credits are given for earning a passing grade on relevant examinations such as state licensing exams. Similar learning experience such as college or other post-secondary academic courses, are also eligible for measured learning credits. WQA publishes an Annual Education Kit containing a set of articles and short quizzes on current industry issues and refreshers on treatment fundamentals that help water treatment professionals hone their expertise. The Kits are provided free of charge to WQA members and certified personnel. Successful completion of all quizzes in the kit is worth to 1.0 CPD credit.

  3. Experiential Learning (EL) Credit: These credits are earned on an individual case-by-case basis for appropriately documented, unpaid volunteer activities such as providing water-related education in your community. All activities must be pre-approved by WQA's Professional Certification & Training Department in order to qualify.

If you have questions about CPD credits or need to verify your recertification status, please contact WQA Professional Certification & Training at [email protected].

Earning CPD Credits at the Annual WQA Convention

To earn and receive CPD credits at the Annual WQA Convention & Exposition: 

  1. Download the WQA 2017 Convention App on your mobile phone. For iPhones, use the Apple Store, for Android phones, use the Google Play store. Search for "WQA 2017 Convention", the App is a free download. 
  2. Open the App and create a login; make sure to include your email address in your app profile.
  3. Open Presentations and click on the technical presentation for which you are requesting credit.
  4. Click the Survey icon at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Enter the presentation code given by the session moderator in the space provided and click submit. 

All codes must be entered by Friday, April 7, 2017. Please contact the Professional Certification department, [email protected], with any questions.

Please allow up to 3 weeks for the courses to appear in your education history (accessed by logging into wqa.org).

Expired Certifications

Your certification will expire if the necessary number of CPD credits are not earned or the renewal fee is not paid in full before the expiration date. 

If your certification expires due to insufficient CPD credits, you can become recertified by retaking and passing one of the basic examinations, which include those for the Certified Water Specialist, Certified Installer, Certified Water Treatment Representative or Certified Service Technician designation. Within that new cycle you must earn the required CPD credits starting from zero; credits from the previous cycle will not carry over.

If your certification expires because the renewal fee was not paid on time, you must pay the regular certification renewal fee plus an additional $50 reinstatement fee within five months of the original expiration date to avoid retaking the exam.

Maintain Your Certification