Water Environment Federation Continuing Education Program

The Water Environment Federation appreciates your interest in our growing Continuing Education Program. We are pleased to offer continuing education certificates and transcripts to those who participate in our educational programs.

Continuing Education Program Overview

WEF and its global network of Member Associations (MAs) help provide water quality Professionals with the latest in water quality education and training. WEF's diverse membership includes engineers, scientists, regulators, academics, plant managers and operators, and other professionals working in the United States and around the world.

WEF follows IACET guidelines along with state-specific regulations to achieve strict policies and procedures regarding its Continuing Education Program. WEF is a founding member of the Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) and retains a seat on its Board of Trustees. WEF has received approval on a national level for educational events ranging from our annual conference, WEFTEC®, to products available through our distance learning program.

We have also obtained additional approvals for events and products through the APA (American Planning Association), The Florida Board of Professional Engineers, and the New York State Department of Education. WEF offers:

A number of multiday Specialty Conferences and Seminars annually
WEFTEC, the world’s leading annual water quality event, hosting up to 20,000+ attendees
Over 20 interactive webcasts each year on various water quality topics
14 interactive courses available through our Distance Learning Program (Web based training)

WEF’s diverse Educational Program is open to both members and nonmembers. Most events are attended by national and international audiences.

Average annual attendance for WEF educational events totals approximately 28,000
WEF distributes nearly 10,000 CEU & PDH certificates and transcripts each year

Additional Information

WEF offers Continuing Education credits for successful completion of its training programs, workshops, and seminars in the water-quality field. Both members and non-members can choose from self-paced and classroom courses for entry and advanced-level training; interactive and online courses for wastewater operators; and a variety of self-study training materials in print and electronic format.

Certification Agency Contact Information

The Association of Boards of Certification’s (ABC) compilation of U.S. state and Canadian province contacts - includes name, address, phone, fax, email, and web site addresses. Access your state or province’s web site to review existing regulations for Wastewater Operator certification.

Disclaimer

WEF calculates education credits following a standardized method that is widely accepted by many certification and licensing agencies. However, many states differ in the type and/or number of credits they will approve for educational events. Because of this, participants are responsible for exploring their state requirements and for ensuring that WEFTEC credits are accepted. WEF applies for approval in many states, and will be happy to work with individuals and Member Association on additional state approvals upon request.

Now available – your “one-stop” site for your CE Credit information from WEF education and training events 1-year older or more. The WEF CE Credit Archive offers efficient access to historical CE Credit documentation, along with the ability to track multiple license numbers and state licensing renewal deadlines for P.E.s and Operators. We will add data to this system for events and products eligible for CE credits at regular intervals and keep you posted with a schedule of future updates. Visit the site for related news or simply log in to the WEF CE Credit Archive to view available credits.

CE documentation for the following conferences is available for immediate review and download.

WEFTEC 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020
Collection Systems 2017, 2018, and 2019
Disinfection and Reuse 2018
JB Forum 2019
Nutrient Removal and Recovery 2018 and 2019
Odors and Air Pollutants 2018
Residuals and Biosolids 2018 and 2019
Stormwater Green Infrastructure 2019
Transformative Issues Symposium on Workforce 2019
Utility Management 2018 and 2020

WEF CE Credit Archive Login Instructions

Access the WEF CE Credit Archive

For access to CE credits for recent Virtual Events, please visit the WEF Learning Center.

Webcasts and Online Learning course credits - coming soon!

How does this pertain to me?

Recently there has been an increased focus on continuing education programs for licensed professionals. In addition to furthering your education, these programs provide opportunities to get involved and gain knowledge of technical advances in your field, and in many cases are required in order to renew licenses or certifications.

How can I earn these credits?

All WEF events require some form of registration, whether it be pre-registration or onsite. Once you have signed up for an event you will be given directions for tracking your participation for continuing education.

WEFTEC and Specialty Conferences - In order to receive educational credits an attendee must scan their badge when entering and exiting workshops, technical session, facility tours and the exhibit hall. A badge will be supplied to each attendee at the registration or sign in counter onsite.
Seminars – Individuals are required to fill out a Continuing Education Request Form on site and have a Room Monitor stamp each workshop, technical session and facility tour as they enter and exit those sessions. A Continuing Education Request Form will be supplied to each attendee at the registration or sign in counter onsite.
Webcasts – A certificate with recommended PDHs (1.5-2 for most technical webcasts) can be obtained for participation in a webcast. Users are responsible for contacting their accrediting body to determine if they are eligible to receive these training credits. Webcast attendees will receive PDH instructions within 24 hours after a webcast has ended.
Distance Learning Products – These are self-contained training tools with testing and grading components built in. Upon successful completion a user will receive a certificate with recommended PDHs. There are 14 courses with pre-approved in 30 states. For a full list please visit knowledgecenter.wef.org/credits.

Certificates and detailed Transcripts will be emailed to participants within 8-10 weeks of each training event. All attendance and continuing education participation files are kept by WEF for a minimum of 7 years and can be supplied to attendees and state approval boards upon request.

Educational Credits will not be recorded and documentation will not be distributed unless the attendee is a confirmed registrant of the event and the session information and attendance verification are complete as indicated in the directions provided.

What types of educational credits are available?

WEF offers continuing education units (CEUs), professional development hours (PDHs), and general contact hours as part of our large selection of training events and products. Credits can be attained by participating in training events such as; WEFTEC, Specialty Conferences and Seminars. Credits may also be earned by participating in Webcasts and utilizing training products available through our Distance Learning Program.

CEUs — One CEU is the equivalent to 10 clock hours of training or formal instruction. These are distributed for structured, relevant professional training above and beyond that of initial certification or employment in a particular field. The CEU calculation does not include time spent during breaks, meals, meetings or social activities. Most states use the CEU or a variation of this measure for water and wastewater operator license renewal and maintenance. WEF offers CEUs for full participation in workshops and for products available within the Distance Learning Program. Workshops are held as full and half day sessions in a classroom setting conducted by industry-leading professionals. These sessions are most often delivered as part of WEFTEC, Specialty Conferences and Seminars.
PDHs — A PDH is typically defined as one clock hour that is spent engaged in an activity that contributes to the advancement or enhancement of the professional skills or scientific knowledge of a professional engineer. The PDH is the most widely accepted unit of continuing education measurement for Professional Engineer license renewal and maintenance. WEF offers PDHs for participation in technical sessions held during conferences and for webcasts. These sessions cover diverse topics ranging from the fundamentals to research so there is something for everyone.
General contact hours — A contact hour is defined as one clock hour spent engaged in an activity that can contribute to the professional skills of the participant. These are given for time spent visiting the exhibition or participating in facility tours. Exhibitions provide the opportunity to see the newest developments in water and wastewater technology and get firsthand demonstrations from industry experts.