Certification of Groundwater Professionals

About

Certification program for consultants who conduct petroleum contamination assessment and cleanup at leaking Underground Storage Tank (UST) sites.

Code Citation IAC 567, Chapter 134

Who Applies Individuals who provide consulting services related to groundwater and subsurface soil contamination or who contract to perform or supervise remediation or corrective action services at leaking underground storage tank sites.

When To Apply Applications are accepted anytime. Applicants must submit application 2 weeks before attempting an exam.

Initial Requirements Individuals must meet at least one of the following minimum experience qualifications before qualifying for a Groundwater Professional certification.

1. Certified by the American Institute of Hydrology as a:
   1. Professional Hydrologist
   2. Professional Hydrogeologist
   3. Professional Hydrologist (Groundwater)
2. Groundwater Professional certified by the Association of Groundwater Scientists and Engineers (division of the National Water Well Association)
3. Industrial Hygienist certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene
4. Professional Engineer registered in Iowa
5. Professional Geological certified by a national organization:
   1. American Institute of Professional Geologists
   2. American Association of Petroleum Geologists
   3. Society of Independent Earth Scientists
6. License, certification, or registration to practice hydrogeology or groundwater hydrology issued by another state in the United States or by a National Organization, provided that, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and 5 years of related professional experience is required.
7. 5 years of direct or related experience and training as a Groundwater Professional or in the field of Earth Sciences. A minimum of 2 years education/training and 2 years of professional experience are required. The person must be able to show the professional application of scientific or engineering judgment, initiative, and application of scientific or engineering principles to execute work as a Groundwater Professional. This does not include performance of routine technical activities only, such as, drilling wells, water level measurements, laboratory work, sampling, soil excavation, drawing contour level measurements and maps, or compilation of data into a table. The applicant’s experience must include using the results of such routine technical work in determining underlying geology and hydrogeology, movement of groundwater, composition of groundwater, the presence and movement of any contamination, any future impact of contamination, and the design of remediation systems.

Duration Certificates are valid for 2 years with initial certificates expiring December 31 of each odd-numbered year. The renewal period is the November of each odd numbered year (2023, 2025, 2027, etc).

Processing Time One to 2 weeks.

Fee Structure There is an initial certification fee of $200 and a certification renewal fee of $200, both non-refundable and payable to the DNR

Renewal Requirements 12 hours of DNR approved continuing education are required for certification renewal.

Exam The Iowa Groundwater Professional certification exam is administered by the DNR UST section staff and is available in-person at the DNR Central Office in Des Moines, or online. Contact the UST Certifications Coordinator for more information.

Additional Information None.