North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 90A. Sanitarians and Water and Wastewater Treatment Facility Operators § 90A-31. Commercial water treatment operation firms

(a) Every person, corporation, company, association, partnership, unit of local government, State agency, federal agency, or other legal entity owning or having control of a water treatment facility may contract with a responsible commercial water treatment facility operation firm for operational and other services of that firm. The owner with the firm's consent may designate an employee of that contracting firm as the operator in responsible charge. This designee and other licensed employees of the firm shall be responsible for the total operation and maintenance of the water treatment facility, and shall be limited as to the number of facilities, distance between facilities, and frequency of visits as can reasonably be handled during the ordinary course of business as well as during emergencies. Contractual firms shall not be limited as to the number of facilities, distance between facilities, location of office or other internal management procedures.

(b) Any operator in responsible charge shall obtain certification from the Water Treatment Facility Operators Board of Certification and shall comply with all of the requirements specified in Chapter 90A and the rules and reasonable standards of the Board, applicable to all operators in responsible charge, designed to assure satisfactory operation of water treatment facilities.