Class D Water Exam TCEQ Questions and Complete Solutions

Class D Water Exam TCEQ Questions and Complete Solutions T/F: In Texas, about 75% of all water is used for commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes. - Answer: True Water covers approximately ________ of Earth's surface. - Answer: 71% Drought is an extended period when a region receives a deficiency in its ________ water supply. - Answer: atmospheric, ground, or surface T/F: Only about 1 gallon of tap water per person/day is used for drinking and cooking - Answer: True Excluding outside water use, the average household uses about _______ gallons of water per month for inside use - Answer: 2,000 T/F: Only 3% of all the fresh water on earth can be easily accessed for use. - Answer: False (only 1%) T/F: In 1978, the Texas Department of Health (TDH) assumed primacy over the Safe Drinking Water Act from the EPA. - Answer: True T/F: PWS officials should be pro-active in their approach to terrorism. - Answer: True _________ permits the owner of a well to pump as much water as desired, even if the water is drained from beneath the land of others. - Answer: Rule of Capture In Texas, agricultural water demand accounts for about ___% of the total water used. - Answer: 57% T/F: An example of a non-transient non-community PWS is a rural school. - Answer: True Monitoring average and maximum daily water ______ enables us to plan ahead for growth. - Answer: Demand T/F: The Safe Drinking Water Act sets standards for drinking water including physical, chemical, bacteriological, and radiological characteristics. - Answer: True "Potable" means water is safe to drink and has a measurable chlorine ________. - Answer: Residual The plant operator is responsible for a sufficient supply of safe and ________ drinking water. - Answer: Palatable T/F: The Texas State Board of Fire Insurance requires utilities that provide fire protection to have a minimum amount of water available based on 30 gals per person per day. - Answer: False (130 gals per person per day) T/F: The primary state regulator of water utilities is the TCEQ. - Answer: True T/F: All community and non-transient non-community PWS, regardless of source of water, must be under the supervision of a licensed water works operator. - Answer: True Meter readers bring in operating revenue and profoundly impact _____ relations. - Answer: Public The federal regulator of drinking water is the _____. - Answer: EPA T/F: Duties of distribution operator include repairing leaks, making taps, flushing mains, and taking radiological samples. - Answer: False (Repair leaks, Make taps, Flush mains, Operate pumps, Take *bacteriological* samples) A service area has 1000 service connections. What can we estimate the population of this service area to be? - Answer: 3,000 (multiply connections x 3) T/F: The State must be notified after an existing facility is changed or after construction of a new facility. - Answer: False (must notify *before*) T/F: A Class "D" license is valid for 2 years at ground and purchase water systems with 250 connections or less. - Answer: False (3 years) T/F: The physical characteristics of water are color, taste, odor, temperature, and turbidity. - Answer: True An alkaline or basic solution has a pH greater than ____. - Answer: 7 T/F: The terms mg/L and ppm are not interchangeable. - Answer: False (they are interchangeable) Suspended solids in water cannot be filtered out. - Answer: False (they can) Solids, water hardness, pH and gases are ____ characteristics. - Answer: Chemical T/F: There are 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom in each water molecule. - Answer: True T/F: The State recommends a water pH of less than 7 to be maintained at all time. - Answer: False (The state recommends a pH slightly greater than 7 and for the water to be non-corrosive.) T/F: Taste and odor can come from organisms such as vegetation, bacteria, and algae, and from certain chemicals and metals. - Answer: True T/F: The deeper the well, the warmer the water. - Answer: True T/F: The threshold odor number (TON) relates to the number of dilutions needed for the water to be tasteless. - Answer: False (It reflects the number of dilutions needed for water sample to be *odorless*) One part per million or 1 mg/L means that for every ____ pounds of water there is one pound of material in it. - Answer: 1 million The State requires filtered water to be equal to or less than ____ turbidity units in at least 95% of the monthly samples. - Answer: 0.3 The State recommends a TON of ___ or less. - Answer: 3 T/F: The State recommends 20 color units or less for a quality water. - Answer: False (The state recommends 15 units of color or less for drinking water.) T/F: Examples of inorganic matter found in water include rock, sand, metals, and minerals. - Answer: True T/F: The red color caused by iron is an example of suspended or apparent color and it can be removed by filtration. - Answer: True Excessive calcium and _____ are the primary cause of hardness in water. - Answer: Magnesium T/F: The State recommends a maximum total dissolved solids content of 500 mg/L - Answer: False (The state recommends that TDS not exceed 1000 mg/L) There are 3 common gases found in water: methane, carbon dioxide, and __________ ___________. - Answer: hydrogen sulfide T/F: Turbidity must be limited because it shelters and nourishes bacteria and interferes with disinfection. - Answer: True T/F: Bleach or alcohol require less contact time than flaming to disinfect a faucet. - Answer: False (flaming requires less contact time) T/F: The "primary limits" refer to chemicals with maximum contaminant levels that can be exceeded. - Answer: False (refers to chemicals with maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that *CANNOT* be exceeded.) T/F: The term "total coliform" means fecal and non-fecal coliform. - Answer: True T/F: Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms. - Answer: True If a routine sample is positive, flush the positive sample point, check the chlorine residual, then resample within 24 days of notification. - Answer: False (If a routine sample is total coliform-positive, the PWS should flush the positive sample point, check the chlorine residual, then resample within *24 hrs* of notification) To prevent the formation of THMS in surface water, chlorine is combined with _____ forming chloramine, combined chlorine residual. - Answer: Ammonia If there is no chlorine ______ at a faucet, do not sample, flush longer. - Answer: residual T/F: All repeat samples must be collected on successive days. - Answer: False (Collect all repeat sample on the same day) In the event of distribution pressure below ___ psi, _______ outages, repeated bad samples or chlorine _____ below minimum, special precautions must be instituted. - Answer: 20/water/residual Get the sample to the lab within ___________ or it will be rejected. - Answer: 30 hours (for BacT samples) At 0.8 - 1.0 mg/L, fluoride reduces dental cavities, but in higher doeses (>2.0 mg/L) can cause _____ of teeth over time. - Answer: mottling T/F: One by-product of chlorinated drinking water is trihalomethane, a suspected carcinogen. - Answer: True Repeat samples must be taken at (a) the _______ ______ (b) within 5 connections upstream and (c) within 5 connections downstream. - Answer: positive point T/F: If you do not fill out the submission form completely, you risk losing credit for the sample. - Answer: True T/F: The presence of fecal coliform in a water sample indicates fecal contamination from a human or warm-blooded animal. - Answer: True The purpose of the sample site plan is to assure bacteriological samples are collected from ______ service connections which are representative of the distribution system. - Answer: active T/F: Keep the sample in ice or in a cooler prior to and during lab transport because heat stimulates bacterial growth. - Answer: True The action level for lead is _______ mg/L and for copper it is _____ mg/L. - Answer: .015 / 1.3 T/F: Low doses of heavy metals such as lead and copper can cause damage to the central nervous system over time. - Answer: True A certain group of bacteria is used to indicate the possible presence of a pathogen--- the ________ group. - Answer: Coliform Disinfection is the destruction of disease-causing microorganisms called ______. - Answer: Pathogens At room temperature chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas that is ___ times heavier than air. - Answer: 2.5 The State requires ________ to be kept in stock for disinfecting new water lines. - Answer: Calcium hypochlorite T/F: Hypochlorinators consist of a mixing tank and chemical solution feed pump. - Answer: True A full-face self-contained breathing apparatus or supplied air respirator must be readily accessible outside the fire station when chlorine gas is used. - Answer: False (A full-face self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or supplied air respirator that meets OSHA standards shall be readily accessible outside the *chlorinator room* when chlorine gas is used.) T/F: All public water systems must have chlorination facilities. - Answer: True If chlorine enters the eyes, flush with running cool water for at least ___ minutes and seek medical attention. - Answer: 15 minutes Liquid bleach used in PWS must be ______ approved. - Answer: NSF T/F: Primary components of a gas feed chlorinator include an injector, flowrate controller, rotameter, and mixing tank. - Answer: False (injector, vacuum regulator, flowrate controller, rotameter- *not a mixing tank*) The maximum sustained gas withdrawal rate for pressure transmission 150 lb cylinders is ____ lbs/day - Answer: 40 T/F: Utility operators use chlorine in three commercial forms: 1) pure chlorine in the liquid or gas state 2) bleach solutions 3) granular/tablet compounds - Answer: True T/F: If chlorine contacts the skin, flush with an emergency shower or garden hose for at least an hour. - Answer: False (15 minutes) Hypochlorous acid is the disinfectant and the _____ residual. - Answer: Free If a major chlorine leak occurs, call the supplier and ______. - Answer: TCEQ The rotameter indicates the feed rate in _____ per day - Answer: pounds T/F: Chlorine reacts with hydrocarbons producing heat or fire - Answer: True Chlorinator rooms must be provided with facilities from determining the amount of disinfectant used _______ - Answer: daily T/F: Dosage is the amount of chlorine applied in milligrams per liter or parts per billion. - Answer: False (parts per million) DPD reacts with chlorine producing a pink to ____ color. - Answer: red T/F: Residual is the amount of chlorine left after the demand is met. - Answer: True (Dosage: How much Cl you put in the system, Demand: How much Cl is used by the system, Residual: How much Cl is left over) T/F: TCEQ requires a faucet for raw water sampling on the discharge pipe of each PWS well. - Answer: True Permeability is the ability to _____ water through the aquifer. - Answer: transmit T/F: The difference between the static level and pumping level is call the drawdown. - Answer: True Wells dug into artesian aquifers are considered _____ wells. - Answer: deep The well screen prevents _____ from entering the well. - Answer: sand T/F: Treatment of corrosive groundwater can be accomplished by adding alkalinity as lime or soda ash to adjust the pH. - Answer: True T/F: The line shaft turbine is driven by a motor located above the pump at ground level. - Answer: True T/F: Well casing supports the bore hole and helps protect the aquifer from contamination. - Answer: True T/F: The State requires a physical and chemical analysis of the water after 24 hours of pumping. - Answer: False (36 hours) T/F: Some artesian aquifer recharge areas (outcrop) are located many miles away from the well development site. - Answer: True (Artesian Wells can be recharged from many miles away) A BacT sample, taken from a newly constructed well, on ____ consecutive days, must show negative results. - Answer: 3 Water in an aquifer is called _____ water. - Answer: ground T/F: A sanitary control easement covering land within 1500 feet of a public well must be recorded in county courthouse records. - Answer: False (150 feet) The casing must extend at least ____ inches above the floor of the pump room or ground surface. - Answer: 18 T/F: Aquifers sandwiched between impermeable layers of rock or clay are called confined aquifers or artesian aquifers. - Answer: True Three ways to measure water levels is the wetted tape, electric sounder, and the ______. - Answer: airline (most often used) A well drilled into a water table aquifer is usually a ______ well. - Answer: Shallow Abandoned wells, not plugged, within ___ mile of a proposed well site must be reported to TCEQ. - Answer: 1/4 The State requires wells be protected by ______-______ fences or locked well houses. - Answer: Intruder-resistant Groundwater is usually clear and void of __________. - Answer: bacteria TCEQ defines "complete treatment" as the following sequence of processes: pretreatment disinfection, taste and odor control, continuous coagulation, filtration, sedimentation, terminal disinfection, and covered storage. - Answer: False (1. Pretreatment disinfection 2. Taste and odor control 3. Continuous coagulation *4. Sedimentation* *5. Filtration* 6. Terminal disinfection 7. Covered storage) T/F: Most solids should be removed in the filtration step. - Answer: False (Sedimentation) T/F: TCEQ requires filtered water to be 0.3 NTUs or less in at least 95% of measurements each month. - Answer: True Destratification is the mixing of lake water by compressed air to prevent layers of different __________ from developing. - Answer: temperature All PWS in Texas are required to use ________ as the final disinfectant. - Answer: chlorine T/F: Powdered activated carbon (PAC) is commonly used to treat iron and manganese. - Answer: False (removes the tastes and odors usually caused by dead and decaying *algae* and vegetation) A restricted zone of ______ ft radius from the raw water intake must be established and recreational activities and trespassing shall be prohibited. - Answer: 200 T/F: The Rio Grande River is the longest river in Texas, stretching 250 miles along the Mexico border. - Answer: False (1250 miles) T/F: Filtration is the first step in the removal of suspended solids. - Answer: False (Sedimentation) Surface water is usually low in ________ and ________. - Answer: minerals / gases Chemical dosage, water temperature, pH, _______, and the characteristics of the raw water all have an effect on the coagulation process. - Answer: mixing The two pathogenic protozoans resistant to chlorination are: ________ and _________ - Answer: giardia / cryptosporidium T/F: Bacteria, algae, and turbidity can be a problem in surface water as can be municipal, industrial and agricultural pollution. - Answer: True T/F: Coagulation works by the bonding of negatively charged turbidity to positively charged chemical coagulants. - Answer: True T/F: Turbidity can shelter bacteria from the disinfection process. - Answer: True _______ is the last treatment step before storage. - Answer: Disinfection T/F: Treated water is stored at the plant in a tank called a clear well. - Answer: True The process of separating floc from water by gravity is called: __________ - Answer: sedimentation Filtration is the last barrier between the public and _______ or ________. - Answer: giardia / cryptosporidium T/F: If the media collects in the wash water troughs, the wash rate is too high. - Answer: True T/F: A check valve located on the discharge side of a pump is an isolating valve that allows water to flow one direction only. - Answer: False (it is a *controlling valve*) T/F: The total dynamic head a pump must overcome is the distance from the water level on the suction side of the pump to the top of the water level on the discharge side of the pump and includes any friction and head loss encountered. - Answer: True Dead-end mains must be provided with ________ - Answer: Flush valves T/F: Common cross connections include a garden hose connected to a potable water source and submerged in a stock tank, a home served by a city water supply and private well, and a chemical container connected to a potable water supply. - Answer: True T/F: If a repaired main must be returned to service quickly, does with 50 mg/L for 30 minutes. - Answer: False (*500 mg/L*) T/F: TCEQ requires at least 1 BacT sample for each 1000 ft of new main. - Answer: True Pipe and fittings must not contain more than ____% lead or solderandflux containing more than ___% lead. - Answer: 8.0% 0.2% The _________ is TCEQ's first choice to be used for backflow prevention when health hazards are involved and protect against sewage contaminations. - Answer: air gap Service tap components usually include a tapping saddle, corporation stop, service line tubing, curb stop, and _______. - Answer: meter T/F: A distribution system without dead ends is called an open system - Answer: False (looped system) An intruder-resistant fence with lockable gates must enclose the storage site. - Answer: True T/F: Ground water supply systems serving more than 50 connections must have a -ground (total) storage capacity of 200 gallons per connection and -elevated storage capacity of 100 gallons per connection or -pressure tank capacity of 20 gallons per connection. - Answer: True The system must maintain a minimum pressure of ____ psi under normal conditions and at least _____ psi during emergencies. - Answer: 35 / 20 The primary advantage of elevated storage is that pressure is ___________ when supply pumps are off or electrical power is lost. - Answer: maintained Stored water can meet sudden demands such as fire, absorb pressure surges, provide detention/contact time for ________, and allow for expansion of the distribution system. - Answer: chlorination T/F: Methods of fighting corrosion include coatings, temperature adjustment, and cathodic protection. - Answer: False (pH adjustment, Orthophosphates, Poly-pigs) T/F: The most common design for residential service is the positive replacement meter. - Answer: False T/F: The curb stop connects the main service line and the corporation stop isolates the meter for repair or replacement - Answer: False (The *corporation stop* connects to the city main and the *curb stop* is used to isolate the meter for repair) T/F: Close a fire hydrant slowly or a water log could occur. - Answer: False To help safeguard against electrocution or machine injury, a safety program should have a ___________ policy. - Answer: lockout / tagout Install all _______ from the top down and remove from the bottom up. - Answer: shoring T/F: Before digging, notify underground utilities. - Answer: True The Texas Hazard Communication Act requires employers to provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for hazardous ______ used in the workplace. - Answer: chemicals T/F: Training in the hazardous chemicals must be taken only once a year. - Answer: False The STOP/SLOW paddle should be the ______ traffic control device. - Answer: primary T/F: A confined space entry program should identify confined spaces, establish a permit system, train personnel, provide safety equipment and develop rescue procedures. - Answer: True A good safety program should have management leadership, employee participation, hazard identification, training, and ____________. - Answer: equipment T/F: A competent person should inspect the cave-in protection at least daily. - Answer: True T/F: The Texas Hazard Communication Act is known as the "Right to Risk Law" - Answer: False ("Right to Know") A confined space entry team consists of a supervisor, an attendant, and an authorized _________. - Answer: entrant Oxygen deficiency is considered to be less than ____% oxygen. - Answer: 19.5 The spoil should be placed no closer than ___ft from the edge of the excavation. - Answer: 2 ft Which of the following is part of a hypochlorination system? a) solution feed pump b) gas cylinder c) rotameter d) injector/ejector e) all of the above - Answer: a) solution feed pump An elevated storage tank should be protected against corrosion by: a) painting b) cathodic protection c) water stabilization d) all of the above e) galvanizing - Answer: d) all of the above (painting, cathodic protection, and water stabilization) The pH of water indicates whether it is acidic or basic and is expressed by a scale of numbers ranging from: a) 0 - 7 b) 0 - 14 c) 1 - 7 d) 1 - 14 e) none of the above - Answer: b) 0 - 14 Before a new main is placed into service, it must be properly disinfected with a minimum chlorine dosage of: a) 50 mg/L b) 30 mg/L c) 40 mg/L d) 75 mg/L e) 25 mg/L - Answer: a) 50 mg/L A common chemical used for disinfecting a small public water supply is: a) soda ash b) copper sulfate c) sodium hypochlorite d) fluoride e) sodium chloride - Answer: c) sodium hypochlorite Gravity filters will remove which of the following from surface water supplies: a) turbidity b) taste and odors c) nitrates d) hardness e) chlorides - Answer: a) turbidity If you added 3.5 mg/L of chlorine to your storage tank and 30 minutes later measured the residual at 1.2 mg/L, what was the chlorine demand in the tank? a) 4.2 b) 2.9 c) 0.3 d) 2.3 e) 4.7 - Answer: d) 2.3 Your ground storage tank is 15 feet high and 30 feet in diameter. About how much water can it hold? a) 31,700 gallons b) 79,270 gallons c) 50, 490 gallons d) 25,150 gallons e) 10,600 gallons - Answer: ... When fecal coliform organisms are found in a water supply, it is an indication that: a) the water supply is contaminated b) pathogenic organisms might be present c) the water may be unsuitable for drinking d) follow-up sampling must take place e) all of the above - Answer: e) all of the above Which of the following is an acceptable level of residual chlorine in the far reaches of a distribution system? a) 0.2 mg/L of free chlorine for a small GWS b) 0.5 mg/L of chloramine for a large SWS c) 1.0 mg/L of combined when using ammoniation facilities d) 1.0 mg/L of total for a large SWS e) all of the above - Answer: e) all of the above The purpose of an air line on a well is to: a) aerate the well b) determine the depth of the aquifer c) inject chlorine into the well d) allow the well to breathe e) determine the water level (drawdown) - Answer: e) determine the water level (drawdown) The drawdown of a well is determined by: a) a properly installed air line b) the difference between the static and pumping level c) a psi gage calibrated in feet of water d) a tape measure e) an electronic sounder - Answer: b) the difference between the static and pumping level A common type of oxidant that is used at most SW treatment plants to kill bacteria and to prevent trihalomethane formation is: a) total chlorine b) combined chlorine c) chlorine dioxide d) free chlorine e) ozonation - Answer: b) combined chlorine A PWS is responsible for providing: a) potable water b) adequate water pressure c) an adequate quantity of water d) all of the above e) soft water - Answer: d) all of the above The amount of chlorine in mg/L that is used up by reactions with organics and inorganics is called: a) dosage b) demand c) total chlorine d) residual e) free chlorine - Answer: b) demand A potable water supply: a) is free of pathogenic organisms b) has an adequate chlorine residual c) contains a safe level of chemicals d) maintained at adequate pressure e) all of the above - Answer: e) all of the above According to state rules, all PWS wells must be provided with concrete sealing slabs, screened casing vents, raw water sampling taps and: a) liquid level indicators b) surge suppressors c) flow measuring devices d) fluoridation injection equipment e) pressure gauges - Answer: c) flow measuring devices How much does one gallon of water weigh? - Answer: 8.34 lbs How much water does the average person use a day? - Answer: 130 gallons How many years must you keep a BacT analysis? - Answer: 5 years How many years must you keep a chemical analysis? - Answer: 10 Years How many years must you keep documentation of an action taken to correct primary violations of drinking water - Answer: 3 years How many years must you keep written reports, summaries or communication relating to sanitary surveys conducted by a system, consultant or the commission? - Answer: 10 years How many years must you keep variance or exemptions granted? - Answer: 5 years How many year must you keep Consumer Confidence Reports? - Answer: 5 years How many cubic feet of water are in 1 psi? - Answer: 2.31 Ft How many gallons of water are in 1 cubic foot? - Answer: 7.48 gallons How many pounds of pressure are in one column foot of water? - Answer: .433 psi How many minutes are in one day? - Answer: 1440 In the distribution system where would the valve commonly referred to as a Corporation Stop be? - Answer: at the providers line What are examples of a community water system? - Answer: municipalities, municipal utility districts, rural water supply corporations, mobile home parks, and housing developments What are examples of non-community systems? - Answer: travel trailer spaces, hotel/motel rooms, service stations, Restaurants In the distribution system where would the valve commonly referred to as a curb valve be? - Answer: at the property line and immediately in front of water meter PWS in Texas are required to compile and maintain reports showing: A. pumpage & chemical used B. Date of Dead End Flushing & Storage tanks cleaned C. Microbiological Test & Chemical analysis D. A & C Only E. A, B, & C - Answer: E. A, B, & C The process of adding enough chlorine to a water supply to complete all reactions with reducing compounds, ammonia and organic materials so that some free chlorine is left is called? - Answer: Breakpoint Chlorination For Cross Connection Control the TCEQ's preferred method is? - Answer: Physical Air Gap Calcium Hypochlorite (granule form) is used as a disinfectant in small systems, what percentage chlorine is this material typically? - Answer: 65%-75% Sodium Hypochlorite (liquid form) is used as a disinfectant in small systems, what percentage chlorine is this material typically? - Answer: 5.25%-15% A Texas Class D Certified Operator can operate a public water system up to how many connections? - Answer: 250 The most common valve used for isolating a water leak is what? - Answer: Gate valve TCEQ requires community water systems to have a minimum production capacity of __________ per connection at peak demand. - Answer: 0.6 gpm