(a) Water system operators shall be licensed in appropriate grades according to responsibilities and in accordance with classifications designated by the State Board of Health which consider both the population served and the level of treatment required to produce an acceptable quality of water.
(b) Applicants for examination for licensing shall be examined in the various phases of water system operation as designated by the board.
(c) At its discretion, the Drinking Water Advisory and Operator Licensing Committee may delete or modify any of the adopted requirements where they are not applicable, but the licenses granted shall be limited and valid only under the conditions described.
(d) The committee at its discretion may waive the requirements or any part of the requirements for formal examination of an applicant for a license if the applicant holds a valid license or certificate from another state in which the requirements for license in the appropriate grade are at least equal to the requirements set forth by the board.
(e) The Department of Health shall conduct examinations to establish the qualifications of applicants for licensure. The department shall conduct regular examination sessions, at least annually, and may conduct additional examination sessions whenever it deems necessary.