Certified Pool Operator (CPO) Certification

Live. Instructor-Led. Nationally Recognized. Zero Guesswork.

If you operate, supervise, or service a commercial swimming pool, you are legally and professionally responsible for water safety.

Not just chlorine.

Not just pH.

Public health.

This is not a checkbox class.

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This is the nationally recognized CPOยฎ Certification Course โ€” taught live by Rudy Stankowitz, industry educator, columnist, and instructor trusted by universities, municipalities, hotels, HOAs, and service companies across the country.



CPO Certified Pool Operator Certification Classes for Veterans, Active-Duty Military, First Responders, and Lifeguards receive 5% OFF reg price on Online CPO Certification or AFO Class. On checkout, use discount code: POOL

Cannot be combined with sales or other discounts

2026 Added Value (Included at No Additional Cost)

Every passing student also receives:

Algae Prevention & Eradication Specialist Certification
(Value: $199.99 โ€” OnDemand)

Because knowing how to maintain water is one thing.
Knowing how to control biological outbreaks is another.

Total Program Value: $594.98
Your Investment: $394.99


Upcoming Classes Fill Quickly

Seats are limited per session to maintain instructional quality.

๐Ÿ‘‰ View Upcoming Dates & Register Now

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If you prefer a private class for your organization or need to register multiple staff members:

๐Ÿ‘‰ Request Group Training Information

We are the ONLY Organization we know of currently including a CPO Patch in the cost of tuition!

Get Yours Today!

2026 Class Schedule and Registration:

โšก In-person & Virtual CPO classes taught by Rudy Stankowitz, CPOI

Take the CPO Practice Test:

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What is the ideal range for pH?

Correct! Wrong!

How often should you clean or backwash your filter?

Correct! Wrong!

What should the pump lid o-ring should be lubricated with?

Correct! Wrong!

What is the best method of algae prevention?

Correct! Wrong!

Which chemical is used to raise the total alkalinity?

Correct! Wrong!

Which is an important step in preparation for a major storm?

Correct! Wrong!

Water dripping from where the motor attaches to the pump is an indication of what?

Correct! Wrong!

If you did not winterize your pool, what is the best method of preventing equipment damage during the threat of a hard freeze?

Correct! Wrong!

What is the correct level for the water in the pool?

Correct! Wrong!

What is the effect of aiming the return jets towards the surface?

Correct! Wrong!

How is a saltwater pool sanitized?

Correct! Wrong!

What does it mean when a pool has "that chlorine smell"?

Correct! Wrong!

What day is National Swimming Pool day?

Correct! Wrong!

What does muriatic acid disassociate into when added to water?

Correct! Wrong!

Which of the following is something you should NEVER do?

Correct! Wrong!

Establishing a Borate level in a swimming pool will

photo: Flikr user Don O'Brien
Correct! Wrong!

Bromine is

Erin Thibodeau
Correct! Wrong!

What is the Best lubricant for the viton chlorinator lid O-ring?

Correct! Wrong!

What is wrong with the pool in the picture?

Correct! Wrong!

Cloudy Water Can Contribute to

Correct! Wrong!

What should you do before adding sand to a sand filter?

Correct! Wrong!

What is wrong with the pool in the picture?

Correct! Wrong!

What type of Candy Bar did Bill Murray's character Carl Spackler pull from the swimming pool in the movie Caddyshack?

Correct! Wrong!

Which of the following statements about black algae is true?

Correct! Wrong!

What is wrong with the pool in the picture?

Keith Jig Courvelle, Legacy Pools
Correct! Wrong!

CPO Practice Test
Certified Pool Ninja!

Certified Pool Ninja: You are an unbeatable force of backyard Water Wisdom. You have mastered the art of Hโ‚‚O!
The Water Warrior!

Water Warrior: You are a true Water Warrior. pH crawls back into balance at the mere mention of your name.
The Algae Buster

Algae Buster: Green in your pool? I don't think so!
The Pool Apprentice

The Pool Apprentice: You know many things, but there is still much to learn
Step Away From The Pool!

Step Away From The Pool! You've been Busted!!! The water police are en route to your location.

Share your Results:

Who CPO Certification Is For:

โ€ข Commercial pool operators
โ€ข Hotel & resort maintenance directors
โ€ข HOA property managers
โ€ข Aquatics facility directors
โ€ข Municipal pool staff
โ€ข YMCA & university operators
โ€ข Professional service companies
โ€ข Anyone responsible for public water safety

If your name is on the paperwork โ€” this course is for you

Why This Course Is Different

Most CPO classes teach you how to pass a test.

This one teaches you how to think.

You will understand:

โ€ข Water chemistry beyond memorized ranges
โ€ข How to prevent algae instead of reacting to it
โ€ข How to protect plaster, equipment, and bathers
โ€ข How to reduce liability exposure
โ€ข How to explain decisions to health inspectors and management

You leave with certification โ€” and competence.

Certification Format

โœ” Live virtual instructor-led (where permitted)
โœ” Two-day structured course
โœ” Nationally recognized certification
โœ” Exam included
โœ” Ongoing instructor support after class

State acceptance varies. Check your state approval status below.

Ongoing Instructor Support โ€” Not Just a Two-Day Class

Most CPO courses end when the exam is over.

This one doesnโ€™t.

When you take a Certified Pool Operatorยฎ course with Rudy Stankowitz, you gain ongoing access to real support โ€” for as long as you need it.

Water chemistry question?
Equipment issue?
Inspection concern?
Unusual treatment situation?

You donโ€™t get silence.
You get answers.

That alone separates this program from most CPO classes in the country.


Why Choose Virtual CPOยฎ Certification With Rudy Stankowitz?

Because compliance is the minimum.

Competence is the standard.

When your team earns CPO certification through Rudy Stankowitz, they donโ€™t just satisfy a requirement โ€” they learn how to operate a commercial pool correctly.

This is not slide-reading.
This is not scripted theory.

This is live, instructor-led training built on decades of field experience, regulatory knowledge, and real-world problem solving.


Benefits for Employers

Hiring a CPO-certified operator is responsible.

Training them properly is strategic.

Fewer Shutdowns. Fewer Violations.

Improper water management leads to failed inspections, emergency closures, and unnecessary attention from health departments.

Operators trained by Rudy understand inspection standards, documentation expectations, and corrective action procedures.

That means fewer surprises.
Fewer closures.
Fewer compliance failures.

Your facility stays open.


Lower Chemical and Equipment Costs

Overdosing is expensive.
Underdiagnosing is worse.

When operators understand water balance, chlorine demand, alkalinity control, calcium management, and filtration dynamics, waste drops dramatically.

Chemical usage becomes intentional.
Equipment lasts longer.
Corrosion and scale are reduced before they become repair invoices.

Training pays for itself.


Reduced Liability and Stronger Risk Control

A commercial pool is a regulated public health environment.

Improper chemistry can trigger Recreational Water Illness outbreaks.
Improper suction safety can cause catastrophic injury.
Improper documentation can create legal exposure.

This course teaches operators how to prevent those problems โ€” not just react to them.

Risk management teams notice the difference.
Insurance carriers notice the difference.
Inspectors notice the difference.


Stronger Reputation and Guest Confidence

Clear, balanced water is not cosmetic.
It signals competence.

Guests, residents, and members trust facilities that look and operate professionally.

When water is consistently maintained, complaints decrease and satisfaction rises.

That is operational credibility.


No Travel. No Downtime. No Excuses.

No flights.
No hotel rooms.
No per diem.
No schedule disruption.

Live, instructor-led training delivered virtually โ€” without sacrificing interaction or accountability.

Your team gets the full educational experience without leaving the property.


Training From Someone Who Has Done the Work

Rudy Stankowitz brings more than 30 years of hands-on pool industry experience.

Commercial facilities.
Residential routes.
Municipal systems.
Water chemistry consulting.
Regulatory education.

This is not academic theory.

It is instruction from someone who has solved the exact problems your operators face.


Benefits for Students / Operators

This is not a check-the-box class.

This is professional elevation.

Understand Water Chemistry โ€” Not Just Memorize It

You will learn why pH drifts.
Why chlorine disappears.
How alkalinity actually buffers.
How calcium balance affects surfaces.
How seasonal changes alter demand.

When something goes wrong, you will understand why.

That is the difference between certified and competent.


Become the Technical Authority on Site

After this course, when water turns cloudy, the pump fails, or the inspector arrives โ€” you will not guess.

You will diagnose.

Confidence replaces uncertainty.
Decisions become deliberate.

That is professional credibility.


Increase Your Career Value

CPO certification is nationally recognized.

Training from a respected instructor adds another layer of credibility.

Hotels, HOAs, municipalities, universities, and aquatic facilities need qualified operators.

When you understand the science and the regulations, you become more valuable โ€” and more difficult to replace.


Live Interaction Without Losing Accountability

Virtual does not mean passive.

You ask questions.
You engage in discussion.
You work through real-world scenarios.

You receive real instruction โ€” not a pre-recorded video and a hope-you-pass exam.


The Bottom Line

Compliance keeps you legal.

Competence keeps you open.

Proper training reduces:

Shutdowns
Chemical waste
Equipment damage
Regulatory violations
Liability exposure

It increases:

Operational confidence
Inspection readiness
Water quality consistency
Professional credibility

This is not discount certification.

This is structured, serious training for professionals responsible for public water safety.

That is what this program delivers.

What People Are Saying About Us

โ€œTell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.โ€โ€• Benjamin Franklin

Alex Nichols
Emergency Operations Coordinator at The University of Georgia
โ€œRudy is very knowledgeable when it comes to aquatic facilities and the maintenance that it takes to keep them running successfully. His CPO class was very informative and a great value.I would highly recommend his CPO class for anyone looking to gain knowledge regarding the operation and maintenance of an aquatic facility.
Abi Shaefer
Director of Aquatics at Duke University
โ€œ Rudy is the best in the business when it comes to pools, pool knowledge, and CPO instruction. I have personally taken his class, and even after 10+ years of running pools, I learned so many new skills and tricks of the trade. Additionally Duke University hosted Rudy this past summer and I had several head lifeguards take his CPO course- these students walked away wide-eyed and ready to take on pools. Rudy gets an A+ from me and Duke Aquatics!
John Poma
Pool Service Company Owner
“Would absolutely recommend Rudy to anyone that is wanting to get CPO certified.
Couldn’t ask for a better pool professional absolutely the most knowledgeable person that I have met in over 30 years in the pool industry with the most knowledge of pool chemistry that I have ever seen.
The most enjoyable class that I’ve ever been in; he takes learning to a whole new level..
Award Winning CPO Instructor Rudy Stankowitz
I began teaching and consulting due to an injury that pulled me out of the field (swimming pool service), and I immediately felt it clicked. The Certified Pool Operator Certification classes have been just a small part of it. For me, the best part comes from all of the people I have had the opportunity to meet either here in the US or abroad. Those relationships, the friendships I have gained, and the experiences we have shared have made these classes a remarkable and rewarding journey.

Now, a little over halfway through my 8th year as an instructor, I wanted to take a moment to mention how lucky I am to have met the folks I have met along the way and to have received accolades each year for doing something I love to do. Thank you! – Rudy Stankowitz

U.S. STATES THAT APPROVE ONLINE/VIRTUAL CPO CERTIFIED POOL OPERATOR CERTIFICATION: See HERE

GREEN = APPROVED RED = NOT PERMITTED

CPO Class ALABAMA โœ” CPO Class Baldwin County AL x
CPO Class ALASKA โœ”
CPO Class City of Anchorage AK โœ”
CPO Class ARIZONA โœ”

CPO Class Cochise County x
CPO Class Pima County x

CPO Class ARKANSAS โœ”
CPO Class CALIFORNIA โœ”
CPO Class COLORADO โœ”
CPO Class CONNECTICUT โœ”

CPO Class DELAWARE x
CPO ClassDistrict of Columbia โœ”
CPO Class FLORIDA โœ”
CPO Class GEORGIA
โœ”
CPO Class HAWAII โœ”
CPO Class IDAHO x
CPO Class ILLINOIS โœ”
CPO Class INDIANA โœ”
CPO Class IOWA โœ”
CPO Class KANSAS โœ”
CPO Class KENTUCKY โœ”
CPO Class LOUISIANA โœ”
CPO Class MAINE โœ”
CPO Class MARYLAND โœ”
CPO Class MASSACHUSETTS โœ”
CPO Class MICHIGAN โœ”
CPO Class MINNESOTA โœ”
CPO Class MISSISSIPPI โœ”
CPO Class MISSOURI โœ”

CPO Class St. Charles County x
CPO Class City of Kansas City x

CPO Class St. Louis County โœ”
CPO Class MONTANA x
CPO Class NEBRASKA x

CPO Class NEVADA โœ”
CPO Class Southern Nevada Health District โœ”
CPO Class Washoe County NV โœ”
CPO Class NEW HAMPSHIRE โœ”
CPO Class NEW JERSEY โœ”
CPO Class NEW MEXICO โœ”
CPO Class Bernalillo County NM โœ”
CPO Class City of Albuquerque NM โœ”
CPO Class NEW YORK โœ”
CPO Class Suffolk County NY โœ”
CPO Class NORTH CAROLINA โœ”
CPO Class NORTH DAKOTA โœ”
CPO Class OHIO โœ”
CPO Class OKLAHOMA โœ”
CPO Class OREGON โœ”
CPO Class PENNSYLVANIA โœ”
CPO Class Allegheny County PA โœ”
CPO Class RHODE ISLAND N โœ”
CPO Class SOUTH CAROLINA โœ”

CPO Class SOUTH DAKOTA โœ”
CPO Class TENNESSEE โœ”
CPO Class TEXAS โœ”
CPO Class UTAH โœ”
CPO Class VIRGINIA โœ”
CPO Class City of Alexandria VA โœ”

CPO Class Arlington County VA x
CPO Class Fairfax County VA โœ”
CPO Class Loudoun County VA โœ”
CPO Class VERMONT โœ”
CPO Class WASHINGTON โœ”
CPO Class WEST VIRGINIA โœ”
CPO Class WISCONSIN โœ”

CPO Class WYOMING x