IBWA CERTIFIED PLANT OPERATOR (CPO) PROGRAM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A. What is an IBWA Certified Plant Operator?
A certified plant operator (CPO) is any person who qualifies to operate and maintain, by experience, education, and training, the facilities of a bottled water plant. Certification is valid for a period of three years, beginning in the calendar year of the examination date and expiring on December 31 of the third calendar year. Example: A CPO candidate who attains a passing score on the examination on May 25, 2022 will be certified until December 31, 2025. A CPO must have successfully completed and passed the IBWA Certified Plant Operator Final Examination. The exam can be taken in three 1 hour modules or one 3 hour exam. The PTRM is designed to educate your plant operators on every phase of bottled water processing—from source to finished product. To facilitate studying for the CPO examination, the PTRM includes background information such as water chemistry, plant sanitation, and federal regulations. An updated version of the Plant Technical Reference Manual was released to the membership in late January 2023. The new version of the PTRM contains several improvements since the 2005 edition, including:
- information on IBWA’s Certified Plant Operator (CPO) program
- updates to regulatory issues, including details about the Food Safety Modernization Act and its rules
- an enhanced chapter on security programs
C. What is the IBWA Plant Technical Reference Manual (PTRM)?
The PTRM is designed to educate your plant operators in every phase of bottled water processing, from source to finished product. The PTRM includes background information such as water chemistry, plant sanitation, and federal regulations. An updated version of the Plant Technical Reference Manual was released to the membership in late January 2023. The new version of the PTRM contains several improvements since the 2005 edition, including:
- information on IBWA’s Certified Plant Operator (CPO) program
- updates to regulatory issues, including details about the Food Safety Modernization Act and its rules
- an enhanced chapter on security programs
To facilitate study for the CPO examination, the PTRM includes background information such as water chemistry, plant sanitation, and federal regulations. There are also study questions at the end of each Chapter.
D. How does a plant operator achieve IBWA certification?
Certification is achieved through preparing for the CPO examination by studying the 2023 PTRM and the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice. The CPO candidate then registers for the IBWA CPO Exam. To register, click here and then click “enroll now.” The CPO exam can be taken in three 1 hour modules or as one complete 3 hour exam. The three 1 hour modules must be completed within six months to receive CPO certification. Candidates who do not attain a passing score are encouraged to register for a future exam. There is no limit to the number of times a candidate may take the exam.
F. Where may a CPO candidate take the examination?
The CPO examination is offered at the IBWA Annual Convention and Trade Show. In June of 2023, IBWA completed a transition to a virtual, third-party proctor platform, ProctorU. This new system allows CPO exam candidates to register and schedule the exam at their convenience.
Complete the following steps to register and take the CPO exam:
Register for the exam at https://cpo-exam.bottledwater.org/shop/. Select how you’d like to sit for the exam:
1) one of three CPO exam modules or 2) the complete CPO exam.
2. After you complete registration, you will receive confirmation from IBWA. You will also receive registration and confirmation emails from ProctorU (the third-party proctor system). Messages from ProctorU will provide instructions on how to create an account, what to expect on exam day, and how to schedule your exam. If you do not see those emails in your inbox, don’t forget to check your email’s junk/clutter folders.
Register and schedule your exam through ProctorU. Once you register, you will be able to schedule your exam for 72 hours or later.
Prepare for exam. Here are a few tips to help CPO candidates prepare for the exam:
- Use the 2023 Plant Technical Reference Manual and October 2022 IBWA Code of Practice to study for the CPO exam.
- Review video on what to expect on test day: https://meazurelearning.wistia.com/medias/x8sicg86fm
- Test equipment prior to exam day and please note that dual monitors are not allowed.
- Test in a quiet, private, well-lit location away from others, and test on a hard surface.
- The launch process can range between 5-15 minutes, but it does not take away from exam time.
- For additional information from ProctorU, CLICK HERE.
Take the exam on the scheduled day and time.
Please note that results are contingent on final review by IBWA. When an exam taker has passed all three CPO exam modules or the complete CPO exam, candidates can expect certificates within three to four business days following the exam date.
