AALSO Level 1 Operator Certification Final Test Questions with
Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What is the purpose of the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification
Commission (WPCSOCC)?.
Answer: To protect public health, conserve and protect water quality, protect public investment, classify
facilities, and provide operator certification.
Question 2: What are the general eligibility requirements for the exam?.
Answer: Must be 18 years old or older, have a high school degree or GED, have attended an approved
training school, and be able to perform calculations and read/understand regulations.
Question 3: What does being certified as a Stormwater Operator mean?.
Answer: Individuals have shown themselves to have a standard level of knowledge of stormwater systems.
Question 4: What constitutes 'actual experience' for exam eligibility?.
Answer: Hands-on experience working as an operator, specifically physical operation of the system for at
least 200 hours/year.
Question 5: What are the basic science courses required for certification?.
Answer: Courses in Agronomy, Geology, Soils, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Math, Physics,
Engineering, and Environmental Health & Sciences.
Question 6: What are the requirements t become a Certified Stormwater Operator?.
Answer: - Must complete 100% of the training- Correctly answer 75% of the questions on the exam given
at the end of the training.
Question 7: What do the objectives at the beginning of each chapter do?.
Answer: Points to the specific knowledge to be covered on the chapter
Question 8: What is the passing score for the certification exam?.
Answer: The passing score is 70%.
Page 1
, Question 9: Where will you find definitions of the terms used in this manual?.
Answer: They are found in the glossary at the back of the manual
Question 10: What happens if an operator's certification is invalidated?.
Answer: They must complete all continuing education hours and pay all renewal and late fees, and may
have to pass the exam again if invalidated for over 2 years.
Question 11: Name two problems stormwater management help avoid.
Answer: - Flooding - Water pollution
Question 12: What are the responsibilities of an Operator-in-Training (OIT)?.
Answer: An OIT must gain required experience and can convert to full certification without a time limit but
cannot act as an ORC or Backup.
Question 13: What is required to renew a certification annually?.
Answer: Operators must complete 6 hours of continuing education and pay a renewal fee by December 31.
Question 14: Name five types of stormwater pollution in the first-flush runoff.
Answer: - Sediment- Fertilizer - Debris- Bacteria- Chemicals
Question 15: What are the grounds for disciplinary action by the WPCSOCC?.
Answer: Failure to use reasonable care or judgment, incompetence, practicing fraud or deception, and
failure to apply knowledge and abilities.
Question 16: Describe two impacts of sedimentation.
Answer: - Clogs both natural and constructed conveyance systems and reduces the amount of water that
these systems can store and move efficiently- Damage wetlands and increase the cost of treating water
Page 2
Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What is the purpose of the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification
Commission (WPCSOCC)?.
Answer: To protect public health, conserve and protect water quality, protect public investment, classify
facilities, and provide operator certification.
Question 2: What are the general eligibility requirements for the exam?.
Answer: Must be 18 years old or older, have a high school degree or GED, have attended an approved
training school, and be able to perform calculations and read/understand regulations.
Question 3: What does being certified as a Stormwater Operator mean?.
Answer: Individuals have shown themselves to have a standard level of knowledge of stormwater systems.
Question 4: What constitutes 'actual experience' for exam eligibility?.
Answer: Hands-on experience working as an operator, specifically physical operation of the system for at
least 200 hours/year.
Question 5: What are the basic science courses required for certification?.
Answer: Courses in Agronomy, Geology, Soils, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Math, Physics,
Engineering, and Environmental Health & Sciences.
Question 6: What are the requirements t become a Certified Stormwater Operator?.
Answer: - Must complete 100% of the training- Correctly answer 75% of the questions on the exam given
at the end of the training.
Question 7: What do the objectives at the beginning of each chapter do?.
Answer: Points to the specific knowledge to be covered on the chapter
Question 8: What is the passing score for the certification exam?.
Answer: The passing score is 70%.
Page 1
, Question 9: Where will you find definitions of the terms used in this manual?.
Answer: They are found in the glossary at the back of the manual
Question 10: What happens if an operator's certification is invalidated?.
Answer: They must complete all continuing education hours and pay all renewal and late fees, and may
have to pass the exam again if invalidated for over 2 years.
Question 11: Name two problems stormwater management help avoid.
Answer: - Flooding - Water pollution
Question 12: What are the responsibilities of an Operator-in-Training (OIT)?.
Answer: An OIT must gain required experience and can convert to full certification without a time limit but
cannot act as an ORC or Backup.
Question 13: What is required to renew a certification annually?.
Answer: Operators must complete 6 hours of continuing education and pay a renewal fee by December 31.
Question 14: Name five types of stormwater pollution in the first-flush runoff.
Answer: - Sediment- Fertilizer - Debris- Bacteria- Chemicals
Question 15: What are the grounds for disciplinary action by the WPCSOCC?.
Answer: Failure to use reasonable care or judgment, incompetence, practicing fraud or deception, and
failure to apply knowledge and abilities.
Question 16: Describe two impacts of sedimentation.
Answer: - Clogs both natural and constructed conveyance systems and reduces the amount of water that
these systems can store and move efficiently- Damage wetlands and increase the cost of treating water
Page 2
