ONSITE SEWAGE SYSTEM INSTALLER EXAM
2026 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Commercial Sewage Waste. Answer: Non-toxic, non-hazardous
wastewater generated from commercial facilities, such as food
operations and laundry facilities.
◉ Construction inspection. Answer: A critical assessment of the
construction and installation of an onsite sewage treatment and
disposal system performed by a qualified individual.
◉ Department. Answer: The Department of Environmental
Protection, including authorized agents from individual district
offices.
◉ Domestic sewage. Answer: Wastewater generated from
residential sources, which includes both blackwater and graywater.
◉ Blackwater. Answer: Wastewater that contains human waste and
is typically generated from toilets.
,◉ Graywater. Answer: Wastewater generated from sinks, showers,
and laundry, excluding toilet waste.
◉ Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD5). Answer: A
measure of the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to
decompose organic matter in water over a five-day period, with a
maximum allowable concentration of 300 mg/l in domestic sewage.
◉ Total Suspended Solids (TSS). Answer: A measure of the solid
particles suspended in water, with a maximum allowable
concentration of 200 mg/l in domestic sewage.
◉ pH. Answer: A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water, which
should be between 6 and 8 for domestic sewage.
◉ Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN). Answer: A measure of the total
concentration of organic nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen in water,
with a maximum allowable concentration of 100 mg/l in domestic
sewage.
◉ Dosing Tank. Answer: A tank used to store and pump wastewater
to a treatment system, often referred to as a pump tank.
◉ Drainage Ditch. Answer: A trench designed to drain water from
land or transport water for agricultural or landscaping purposes.
,◉ Dwelling unit. Answer: A residential space intended for housing a
single family, which can be either a detached structure or part of a
multi-family building.
◉ Effective capacity. Answer: The liquid volume of a tank that is
below the liquid level line, indicating the usable space for
wastewater.
◉ Effective soil depth. Answer: The depth of soil material that is
slightly or moderately limited at a drainfield site, affecting its ability
to treat wastewater.
◉ Establishment. Answer: A multi-family housing complex, mobile
home park, or commercial development that includes all associated
buildings and land, managed by an owners association.
◉ Failure. Answer: A condition in an onsite sewage treatment
system that prevents proper functioning, leading to the discharge of
untreated wastewater.
◉ Filled System. Answer: A drainfield system where some sidewalls
are elevated above the level of undisturbed native soil.
, ◉ Flooding. Answer: The inundation of soil surfaces by water from
various sources, including overflowing streams and elevated
groundwater tables.
◉ Frequent flooding. Answer: Flooding that occurs more than once
every two years on average.
◉ Ten year flood elevation. Answer: The flood elevation that has a
10% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
◉ Florida Keys. Answer: A specific geographic region in Florida as
defined by state regulations.
◉ Food Establishment Sludge. Answer: Waste materials including
oils, fats, greases, and food scraps generated by food preparation
facilities.
◉ Impermeable. Answer: A condition in which soil has very low
hydraulic conductivity, preventing water from passing through.
◉ Industrial, hazardous or toxic sewage waste. Answer: Wastewater
from industrial sources or commercial operations that exceeds
certain thresholds, including wastewater from manufacturing and
large-scale laundry facilities.
2026 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Commercial Sewage Waste. Answer: Non-toxic, non-hazardous
wastewater generated from commercial facilities, such as food
operations and laundry facilities.
◉ Construction inspection. Answer: A critical assessment of the
construction and installation of an onsite sewage treatment and
disposal system performed by a qualified individual.
◉ Department. Answer: The Department of Environmental
Protection, including authorized agents from individual district
offices.
◉ Domestic sewage. Answer: Wastewater generated from
residential sources, which includes both blackwater and graywater.
◉ Blackwater. Answer: Wastewater that contains human waste and
is typically generated from toilets.
,◉ Graywater. Answer: Wastewater generated from sinks, showers,
and laundry, excluding toilet waste.
◉ Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD5). Answer: A
measure of the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to
decompose organic matter in water over a five-day period, with a
maximum allowable concentration of 300 mg/l in domestic sewage.
◉ Total Suspended Solids (TSS). Answer: A measure of the solid
particles suspended in water, with a maximum allowable
concentration of 200 mg/l in domestic sewage.
◉ pH. Answer: A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water, which
should be between 6 and 8 for domestic sewage.
◉ Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN). Answer: A measure of the total
concentration of organic nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen in water,
with a maximum allowable concentration of 100 mg/l in domestic
sewage.
◉ Dosing Tank. Answer: A tank used to store and pump wastewater
to a treatment system, often referred to as a pump tank.
◉ Drainage Ditch. Answer: A trench designed to drain water from
land or transport water for agricultural or landscaping purposes.
,◉ Dwelling unit. Answer: A residential space intended for housing a
single family, which can be either a detached structure or part of a
multi-family building.
◉ Effective capacity. Answer: The liquid volume of a tank that is
below the liquid level line, indicating the usable space for
wastewater.
◉ Effective soil depth. Answer: The depth of soil material that is
slightly or moderately limited at a drainfield site, affecting its ability
to treat wastewater.
◉ Establishment. Answer: A multi-family housing complex, mobile
home park, or commercial development that includes all associated
buildings and land, managed by an owners association.
◉ Failure. Answer: A condition in an onsite sewage treatment
system that prevents proper functioning, leading to the discharge of
untreated wastewater.
◉ Filled System. Answer: A drainfield system where some sidewalls
are elevated above the level of undisturbed native soil.
, ◉ Flooding. Answer: The inundation of soil surfaces by water from
various sources, including overflowing streams and elevated
groundwater tables.
◉ Frequent flooding. Answer: Flooding that occurs more than once
every two years on average.
◉ Ten year flood elevation. Answer: The flood elevation that has a
10% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
◉ Florida Keys. Answer: A specific geographic region in Florida as
defined by state regulations.
◉ Food Establishment Sludge. Answer: Waste materials including
oils, fats, greases, and food scraps generated by food preparation
facilities.
◉ Impermeable. Answer: A condition in which soil has very low
hydraulic conductivity, preventing water from passing through.
◉ Industrial, hazardous or toxic sewage waste. Answer: Wastewater
from industrial sources or commercial operations that exceeds
certain thresholds, including wastewater from manufacturing and
large-scale laundry facilities.
