CERTIFIED STORM WATER OPERATOR
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ List seven types of PPE.
Answer: - Head protection- Eye and face protection- Hand protection-
Hearing protection- Protective clothing- Skin protection- Reflective
protection
◍ During regular business hours, if there is a spill or release to waters of the
state, someone at the facility must
____________________________________________________________________
Answer: Contact a MDEQ, Water Bureau staff person at the district office.
◍ Name activities undertaken at facilities where Good Housekeeping Practices
must be followed.
Answer: - Vehicle fueling, washing, maintenance and repair- Mosquito
control- Wastewater treatment plant chemical delivery/storage- Construction
project management- Landscaping/storage of landscaping tools- Hazardous
materials use and storage- Street repair and maintenance- Stormwater drain
maintenance
◍ Locate tanks _____________________________ surface waters, storm
sewers inlets, and other sensitive areas.
Answer: Away from
◍ List the measures that should be considered when developing a Spill
Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan.
Answer: - A general layout of the facility including entrances and exits-
Physical nature of the facility (opportunities for spills)- Material handling
procedures- Material storage procedures- Emergency contact numbers-
, Direction of drainage, floor drains, stormwater inlets, outfalls and
stormwater discharge- Proper storage and disposal of waste- Location of
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)- Procedures for spill cleanup, reporting, and
disposal- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
◍ Name the two purposes of a stormwater management system.
Answer: Attempt to guarantee that the recharge, volume, peak discharge
rate, and pollutant loads are approximately the same after the development
as they were before the development
◍ If the certificate of Coverage (COC) or permit authorizes a storm water
discharge from Sites of Environmental Contamination or secondary
containment structure a
__________________________________________________________________
must be submitted to the district supervisor for approval..
Answer: Short term storm water characterization study plan
◍ Name a type of mid-size equipment and give an example of how it is used in
stormwater management (3 out of 10).
Answer: - Spray trucks: Usually equipped with 4-wheel drive and have a
100-300 gallon tank on the bed- Trucks use a diaphragm pump and hoses to
apply herbicides and pesticides
◍ What does being certified as a Stormwater Operator mean?.
Answer: Individuals have shown themselves to have a standard level of
knowledge of stormwater systems.
◍ ________________________ are lower areas within a containment structure
from which liquid is collected.
Answer: Sumps
◍ Name twelve types of constructed stormwater structures..
Answer: - Detention systems/ ponds - Exfiltration trenches- Inlets (ditch
bottom, grate, curb-opening and sump)- Manholes- Outfalls- Skimmers-
Orifice/ Bleeders- Weirs- Berms- Underdrains (infiltration trench)- Swales-
Low impact development (LID) Practices (i.e. tree boxes, rain gardens,
, permeable pavers. etc)
◍ What should be included in the good housekeeping practices of the
SWPPP?.
Answer: 1. Operations and maintenance procedures 2. Material storage and
inventory procedures 3. Employee participation
◍ Name a kind of light equipment and give an example of how it is used in
stormwater management (7 out of 8).
Answer: - Radios: Key to successful field communication- Identification
numbers for employees or vehicles should be established- Radio type and
range are both important considerations when choosing a radio
◍ The SWPPP shall describe the ways in which the significant materials is or
has ______________________________________________.
Answer: Reasonable potential to become exposed to storm water runoff
◍ Routine inspections should focus on
____________________________________________________________________
Answer: Areas in which there is a greater potential for the storm water to
become contaminated
◍ A sewer system in which the storm water is kept separate from sanitary
sewage and discharges directly into a surface body water is called a
___________________________________..
Answer: Separate storm sewers
◍ The general storm water permits do not authorize the discharge of
_______________________________________ wash water..
Answer: Equipment and vehicle
◍ What are the thirteen types of constructed BMPs used to manage runoff
names in the chapter?.
Answer: - Ditch bottom or grate inlets: used at low points on roads., parking
lots, swales, or ditches- Curb Opening Inlets: Used along the curb of roads.
Some curb inlets have grates, others have slots to collect and carry runoff
from the inlet to a piped stormwater system- Manholes: Connect stormwater
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ List seven types of PPE.
Answer: - Head protection- Eye and face protection- Hand protection-
Hearing protection- Protective clothing- Skin protection- Reflective
protection
◍ During regular business hours, if there is a spill or release to waters of the
state, someone at the facility must
____________________________________________________________________
Answer: Contact a MDEQ, Water Bureau staff person at the district office.
◍ Name activities undertaken at facilities where Good Housekeeping Practices
must be followed.
Answer: - Vehicle fueling, washing, maintenance and repair- Mosquito
control- Wastewater treatment plant chemical delivery/storage- Construction
project management- Landscaping/storage of landscaping tools- Hazardous
materials use and storage- Street repair and maintenance- Stormwater drain
maintenance
◍ Locate tanks _____________________________ surface waters, storm
sewers inlets, and other sensitive areas.
Answer: Away from
◍ List the measures that should be considered when developing a Spill
Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan.
Answer: - A general layout of the facility including entrances and exits-
Physical nature of the facility (opportunities for spills)- Material handling
procedures- Material storage procedures- Emergency contact numbers-
, Direction of drainage, floor drains, stormwater inlets, outfalls and
stormwater discharge- Proper storage and disposal of waste- Location of
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)- Procedures for spill cleanup, reporting, and
disposal- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
◍ Name the two purposes of a stormwater management system.
Answer: Attempt to guarantee that the recharge, volume, peak discharge
rate, and pollutant loads are approximately the same after the development
as they were before the development
◍ If the certificate of Coverage (COC) or permit authorizes a storm water
discharge from Sites of Environmental Contamination or secondary
containment structure a
__________________________________________________________________
must be submitted to the district supervisor for approval..
Answer: Short term storm water characterization study plan
◍ Name a type of mid-size equipment and give an example of how it is used in
stormwater management (3 out of 10).
Answer: - Spray trucks: Usually equipped with 4-wheel drive and have a
100-300 gallon tank on the bed- Trucks use a diaphragm pump and hoses to
apply herbicides and pesticides
◍ What does being certified as a Stormwater Operator mean?.
Answer: Individuals have shown themselves to have a standard level of
knowledge of stormwater systems.
◍ ________________________ are lower areas within a containment structure
from which liquid is collected.
Answer: Sumps
◍ Name twelve types of constructed stormwater structures..
Answer: - Detention systems/ ponds - Exfiltration trenches- Inlets (ditch
bottom, grate, curb-opening and sump)- Manholes- Outfalls- Skimmers-
Orifice/ Bleeders- Weirs- Berms- Underdrains (infiltration trench)- Swales-
Low impact development (LID) Practices (i.e. tree boxes, rain gardens,
, permeable pavers. etc)
◍ What should be included in the good housekeeping practices of the
SWPPP?.
Answer: 1. Operations and maintenance procedures 2. Material storage and
inventory procedures 3. Employee participation
◍ Name a kind of light equipment and give an example of how it is used in
stormwater management (7 out of 8).
Answer: - Radios: Key to successful field communication- Identification
numbers for employees or vehicles should be established- Radio type and
range are both important considerations when choosing a radio
◍ The SWPPP shall describe the ways in which the significant materials is or
has ______________________________________________.
Answer: Reasonable potential to become exposed to storm water runoff
◍ Routine inspections should focus on
____________________________________________________________________
Answer: Areas in which there is a greater potential for the storm water to
become contaminated
◍ A sewer system in which the storm water is kept separate from sanitary
sewage and discharges directly into a surface body water is called a
___________________________________..
Answer: Separate storm sewers
◍ The general storm water permits do not authorize the discharge of
_______________________________________ wash water..
Answer: Equipment and vehicle
◍ What are the thirteen types of constructed BMPs used to manage runoff
names in the chapter?.
Answer: - Ditch bottom or grate inlets: used at low points on roads., parking
lots, swales, or ditches- Curb Opening Inlets: Used along the curb of roads.
Some curb inlets have grates, others have slots to collect and carry runoff
from the inlet to a piped stormwater system- Manholes: Connect stormwater
