Final Approval Coming Shortly!

As of January 2026, COWTI is in the final stages of full approval for our onsite wastewater practitioner program in Alberta. We expect approval before the month's end! This will allow successful learners to apply for their Certificate of Competency with Municipal Affairs, the department of the Government of Alberta that certifies all onsite wastewater practitioners in the province. Our program is made up of 10 units, done online from the comfort of your home on any device. Once you have completed the online component, complete the course by attending and passing the hands-on portion of the program -- done over 3 days at our field training shop and soils training facility near Edmonton, Alberta.

Benefits of taking your training with COWTI:

Get started right away
Begin learning immediately—many students complete Unit 1 the same day they enroll, so there’s no waiting period or delay.

Learn from home
Complete the online portions of the program from anywhere, saving time and money by avoiding travel, hotel stays, and meal expenses.

Up-to-date “living” training materials
Our content is continuously reviewed and updated to reflect current standards, technologies, and best practices—when something changes, you see it right away.

Individual Mentorship
You’ll meet one-on-one with a technical instructor as you progress through the units, giving you space to ask questions, review concepts, and deepen your understanding.

Self-paced Learning
Move through the material at a pace that works for you, whether that’s quickly or gradually, with built-in self-check quizzes to reinforce learning along the way.

Year-Round Heated Facility
Both hands-on training facilities are heated for year-round instruction—earn your certification in winter and be ready for construction season in spring.

Respectful and Knowledgeable Instructors
Our instructors bring decades of real-world experience and approach teaching with patience, professionalism, and respect—no question is dismissed.

Positive and Supportive Learning Environment
We prioritize a learning culture that builds confidence both online and during field training, so participants feel supported rather than intimidated.

Accessible for Different Learning Styles
Learn through videos, animations, graphics, and text, with tools like Immersive Reader available to support comprehension and accessibility.

Small Class Sizes
 Our 3-day hands-on training runs with just 6–8 students and two instructors, ensuring every student has a chance to apply their knowledge and design real effluent distribution systems (i.e. students build a lateral system and dose it using a pump!)

Apprenticeship-style Approach
Like other trades, we train for long-term success, so you leave with practical skills, sound judgment, and confidence to work independently in the onsite industry. 

Comprehensive Content
You’ll learn how to design and install all major soil treatment systems, including fields, mounds, LFH at-grades, and open discharge systems.

Job-ready Resources
Gain access to custom design process documents and homeowner interview guides you can use directly in your professional practice.

Complimentary Soils Field Kit
Receive a practical set of tools and worksheets during the 3-day hands-on training—yours to keep and use in the field after the course ends.

The COWTI team is proud to announce that we have a year-round, heated field training shop outside Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. We will be using this space to facilitate hands-on skills development for onsite wastewater practitioners. One of the programs running out of the field shop will be the 3 day practical component that goes hand-in-hand with the online component of our Full Training Program for Certified Installers in Alberta (CoC). Check out the video below for a sample of what you will be building and learning in the shop space!

 

We have also been busy building a Soils Training Facility near Westlock, Alberta. This facility will be part of our field training component for the Alberta certification program for onsite wastewater system installers/designers (we call them practitioners!). Here, each learner will get a chance to apply the theory of soil assessment to a soil wall. Learners will identify soil horizons, assess texture, determine soil structure and soil grade. These real-world details will then be used to create a system design for a practice site.

North Side of the Soils Training Facility

Bottom level of STF facility with platform for soil analysis

West side of Soils Training Facility

We are also excited to welcome our first batch of beta-testers to commence Units 1 - 6 on the online system! These units have already been approved. Contact Michelle at 1 888 729 5139 if this is something that interests you. We've been working hard with 2 wonderful animators to bring the world of septic systems to life for our learners. Check out the animation of a "basic" septic system below: