 NGWA
Certification Exams Offered in
January
at
the Winter Conference
By
Todd
Giddings
,
Ph.D.
, P.G.
Special
Reminder:
If you took certification exams on
June
21, 2003
, and
passed only one of the two exams you took, you MUST pass the second exam within
12 months. Certification exams
are being offered at the 2004
PGWA
Winter
Conference in State College.
On
Saturday,
January 31, 2004,Todd
Giddings
will be
proctoring all twelve categories of certification exams.
The exams will begin at 9:00
a.m.
, and you may take as many categories of
exams as you wish.
We hope that you will attend the entire Winter Conference after
you take the exams, but Winter Conference attendance is not required.
We do need to know that you will be taking one or more exams so we
can set up enough space, and so you need to send an e-mail (or letter or fax) to
Jodi
Snyder
stating that you will be taking one or more
exams. If you are registering for
the Winter Conference, please write in a note that you will be taking a certification exam(s).
The
exams are designed to test knowledge of specialized equipment and geologic
formations. Most exams consist of 50 questions with a mix of true/false and
multiple choice. You must pass the
General Exam and at least one other exam in a specialized category with scores
of 70 percent or more to become certified. If an exam is failed, there is a
90-day waiting period before you may retest in that category. Both
exams have to be passed within a 12-month period.
Exam Categories that will be offered:
The General Exam,
which must be taken by all new applicants, tests your general knowledge
of ground water and the ground water industry. You must pass this exam in
addition to at least one other exam in a specialized category to qualify for
Certification.
Certified
Well Driller (CWD) categories:
 | Exam
A/B: Cable tool drilling |
| Exam
C/D: Air rotary drilling |
| Exam
E/F: Mud rotary drilling |
| Exam
G: Reverse rotary drilling in unconsolidated material |
| Exam
H: Jetting and driving wells in unconsolidated material |
| Exam
M: Monitoring well construction |
| Exam
N: Well servicing and maintenance Certified |
Pump Installer (CPI) categories:
| Exam
J: Domestic Pump Installation (General Pump Exam) |
| Exam
K: Pump Installation in Water Systems Less than 100 GPM |
| Exam
L: Pump Installation in Water Systems Greater than 100 GPM |
| Exam
O: Ground Water Heat Pumps |
If you achieve the status of Certified Well Driller or Pump
Installer, you must commit to annual continuing education. If you don't report
your continuing education points and pay recertification fees, you won't be
recognized as certified.
How to Prepare for the Exams: Study guides are designed to help the driller/pump
installer cover the material used in past NGWA contractor certification
examinations. While they do not identify specific questions that could be asked
on a current exam, they do provide an idea of what to expect. They are available
by calling NGWA at 800-551-7379 or visiting the On-Line Store on the NGWA Web
site.
Exam Fees: NGWA
member: $35 for the general exam and $20 for each exam in a specialized
category Prospective member: $275 for general exam and first exam in a
specialized category and $20 for additional exams in a specialized category.
If you have questions about the NGWA certification programs, contact Lee
Salvator, NGWA Certification Manager at (800) 551-7379.
To return to the Winter Conference Page, click
this link.
| 
