CWEA - Lab Analyst III Exam Questions with Verified
Answers |2026/2027 Update | A+ Graded
Performance standards do not place emphasis on which of the following? - Answer -Personality
characteristics
Of the following inquiries during an interview, which one is appropriate? - Answer -"By whom
were you referred for a position here?"
You are asked to determine the cost per test of the COD analysis. Use the following information:
The base salary of an analyst is $30,000; employer paid benefits add 35% to the base salary;
administrative overhead adds another 45% to the base salary; there are 10 paid holidays, 15
days paid vacation leave, and 12 days paid sick leave per year; the hourly salary is determined
by dividing the monthly salary by 174. Each COD test requires an average of 20 minutes of labor
from sample preparation to cleanup. Costs for chemicals, glassware, and equipment use
average $1.00 per test. Disposal costs average $2000/year for reagents from 1,000 tests.
What is the total cost per test? - Answer -$11.62 /test
The lower warning limit (LWL) on an LCS control chart indicates: - Answer -The recovery which is
two standard deviations below the average recovery.
When two of three successive determinations fall outside the warning limits: - Answer -Another
determination should be made, and if it is within the warning limits no action is needed.
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, Which of the below statements is NOT correct when collecting samples for the detection of
mercury by EPA 245.1 or SM 3112B? - Answer -a. Collect in polyethylene bottle and preserve
with nitric acid and measure within 2 weeks.
b. Collect in glass bottle and preserve with nitric acid and measure within 28 days.
c. Collect in fluoropolymer bottle and preserve with nitric acid and measure within 28 days.
d. All of the above are true.
Which of the below statements is correct when collecting samples for the detection of mercury
by EPA 1631? - Answer -Collect in fluoropolymer bottle and preserve with HCl within 48 hours.
Alkalinity - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -250mL plastic/glass, unpres, 14 days
1,4 Dioxane - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -500ml amber, sulfite/bisulfate, 28 days
Ammonia - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -500ml plastic/glass, pH<2 H2SO4, 28 days
BNAS - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -1L amber glass, sod thiosulfate, 7 days
BOD / cBOD - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -1L plastic/glass, unpreserved, 48 hr
2|Page
Answers |2026/2027 Update | A+ Graded
Performance standards do not place emphasis on which of the following? - Answer -Personality
characteristics
Of the following inquiries during an interview, which one is appropriate? - Answer -"By whom
were you referred for a position here?"
You are asked to determine the cost per test of the COD analysis. Use the following information:
The base salary of an analyst is $30,000; employer paid benefits add 35% to the base salary;
administrative overhead adds another 45% to the base salary; there are 10 paid holidays, 15
days paid vacation leave, and 12 days paid sick leave per year; the hourly salary is determined
by dividing the monthly salary by 174. Each COD test requires an average of 20 minutes of labor
from sample preparation to cleanup. Costs for chemicals, glassware, and equipment use
average $1.00 per test. Disposal costs average $2000/year for reagents from 1,000 tests.
What is the total cost per test? - Answer -$11.62 /test
The lower warning limit (LWL) on an LCS control chart indicates: - Answer -The recovery which is
two standard deviations below the average recovery.
When two of three successive determinations fall outside the warning limits: - Answer -Another
determination should be made, and if it is within the warning limits no action is needed.
1|Page
, Which of the below statements is NOT correct when collecting samples for the detection of
mercury by EPA 245.1 or SM 3112B? - Answer -a. Collect in polyethylene bottle and preserve
with nitric acid and measure within 2 weeks.
b. Collect in glass bottle and preserve with nitric acid and measure within 28 days.
c. Collect in fluoropolymer bottle and preserve with nitric acid and measure within 28 days.
d. All of the above are true.
Which of the below statements is correct when collecting samples for the detection of mercury
by EPA 1631? - Answer -Collect in fluoropolymer bottle and preserve with HCl within 48 hours.
Alkalinity - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -250mL plastic/glass, unpres, 14 days
1,4 Dioxane - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -500ml amber, sulfite/bisulfate, 28 days
Ammonia - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -500ml plastic/glass, pH<2 H2SO4, 28 days
BNAS - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -1L amber glass, sod thiosulfate, 7 days
BOD / cBOD - Bottle, Preservation, Hold Time - Answer -1L plastic/glass, unpreserved, 48 hr
2|Page
