WATER OPERATOR CLASS D STUDY
GUIDE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS
m The primary purpose of the Water Utility Industry - The production and delivery of safe drinking water
to consumers
Those who work in the public water industry have a responsibility to meet standards created by these
types of government entities. - Federal and State
basic federal and state standards state that Water must be: - disinfected, delivered at adequate pressure,
and be ample in quantity.
Employees should guard what - the water supply and facilities
Employees should guard the water supply and facilities from these three things. - contamination,
vandalism and terrorism
Bacteriological analysis records are kept for - 5 years
Chemical analysis records are kept for - 10 years
Records about action taken to correct violations of primary drinking water regulations are kept for - 3
years after last action taken
Written documentation relating to sanitary surveys conducted are kept for - 10 years after the survey is
completed
Documentation of a variance or exemption granted is kept for - 5 years after its expiration
Results of required tests, measurements or analysis must be reported - within 10 days following its
completion
A copy of Consumer Confidence reports (EPA Required)must be kept for - 5 years
Administers water operator licensing - TCEQ
TCEQ - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Description of a public water system - Regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of
the year.Services at least 15 service connections.
MUDs - Municipal Utility Districts
Water is essential to - Life and health
Customers are entitled to - courteous treatment & answers to questions about water
,This type of public system is not required to compile monthly reports - systems that serve less than 100
connections OR purchase treated water
Job training for water utility operators is available through these 3 organizations - American Water Works
Association, Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas Water Utilities Association
All public water systems are required to employ certified operators even if the system only - redistributes
treated water bought from another source
cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations mobile home parks, campgrounds are
examples of: - Public Water Systems
Examples of community water systems - cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations,
mobile home parks, campgrounds
Non-community water system - Any public water system that is not a community system
travel trailer spaces, Hotel and motel rooms, service stations are examples of this type of water systems -
non-community water systems
The federal agency that impacts the water industry - EPA
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
The most important federal law impacting the water utility industry is the - Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act establishes these 4 national safety and quality standards - Physical,
Chemical, Bacteriological, Radiological
The state agency that regulated drinking water in Texas and administers the Federal Safe Drinking Water
Act - TCEQ
The water system must notify the TCEQ when (5 items) - there is a change or alteration of the system; a
new facility to be build; water supply health hazards; change in water quality; change in water source
MUDs; Rural Water Supply Corporations; Drainage Districts; Ground Water Conservation Districts;
Subsidence Districts and River Authorities -- These are what type of agencies and what do they impact? -
Regional and local agencies that impact the water utility industry
The relationship between you and the customer - Public Relations
PR - Public Relations
Wat are the three keys to good customer relations - Everything the utility does is PR; Customers are
entitles to courteous treatment; Every employee is a PR person
Customers have the most contact with - Meter Readers
Meter readers can be ambassadors of goodwill by doing these 5 things - wearing identifying clothing;
being neat and courteous; Teaching customers how to read their meter; Explaining utility policies such as
delinquent notices or disputed readings; Taking care or property
Maintenance crews can warn customers of - service interruptions
,Maintenance crews can provide this to protect the public - signs and barriers
The plant operator is responsible for making the water - safe to drink and use
Water bills should be 4 things - accurate; itemized; neat; legible
It is important that the utility have a sense of this (attitude) - pride and professionalism
Employees should be kept informed of utility... - plans and policies
How should customer complaints be treated? - as legitimate and investigated as soon as possible
In small water systems the operator is often - a meter reader, repair crew and pump operator; the
highest paid employee; a college graduate
Stuffers are - sent to customers in billing statements
Suffers can be many things. Name 4. - departments to call for service; explanations of utility policy; a
history of the utility; tips on water conservation
Delinquent payment notices should be (4 things) - tactful and tasteful; mailed in an envelope;
businesslike
The EPA requires community water systems to The water system must provide customers with a report
on the system's water quality how often? - yearly
The annual system water quality report should be - attractive; easy to understand
The annual system water quality report can build what - goodwill and trust with the customer
Good treatment of employees includes 3 primary things - fair wages; benefits; safe working conditions
After action is taken on a complaint the employee should do this to to make sure everything is
satisfactory(OK). - follow up with a phone call, post card or e-mail
Give 3 reasons that water plant facilities should be kept neat and clean - to indicate a professional
attitude; to keep public support; to keep confidence in the water quality
The employee should listen to special requests and look for ways to oblige the customer within - utility
policy
The chemical symbol for water - H2O
Three forms of water - solid(ice); liquid(water); water(vapor/gas)
Hydrological cycle - the natural exchange of water between the earth and atmosphere
Average water use depends on these 5 things - temperature; rainfall; cost; supply; economic level
Ground Water is located - located below the earth's surface (underground)
Name the three places that surface water comes from. - rivers; lakes; reservoirs
According to the TCEQ, future water supplies will be - more scarce
, Raw Water - Surface water or ground water prior to treatment
Ground water is tapped by - wells
Potable water - water that is free of disease-causing organisms, has a chlorine residual and is safe for
human consumption
Before construction, the utility must submit engineering plans to - the AWWA
Operators should keep records of 5 types of things - water usage; system pressure; sample results;
repairs; amount of chlorine used
Reports by Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ at this location - Austin
Reports for Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ by - the 15th of the following month
How often are ground water systems are required to compile reports? - monthly
Reports for Ground Water Systems must be kept for... - inspection or review but are not required to mail
them in
Types of systems that are not required to compile monthly reports - Ground Water & Surface Water that
serve less than 100 connections
Water is never found in nature with this characteristic - pure
Name the 5 physical characteristics of water - Temperature; Turbidity; Color; Taste and Odor
Chemical Characteristics of water - Hardness; pH; Solids; Gases
Turbidity - the amount of suspended matter such as clay, silt, organic matter and microorganisms in
water
Color in water can result from - mineral or organic matter
True color - dissolved in water; cannot be removed by filtering
Apparent Color - suspended in water; can be filtered out
an example of true color - tea
an example of apparent color - red water caused by oxidized iron
algae; bacteria; organic matter; gases; and chemicals give what to water - taste and color
chemicals in water are measured in - mg/L
mg/L - milligrams per liter
How often should surface water be sampled for chemical analysis? - once a year
How often should ground water be sampled for chemical analysis? - every 3 years
Hardness is caused by - calcium and magnesium and other minerals
GUIDE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS
m The primary purpose of the Water Utility Industry - The production and delivery of safe drinking water
to consumers
Those who work in the public water industry have a responsibility to meet standards created by these
types of government entities. - Federal and State
basic federal and state standards state that Water must be: - disinfected, delivered at adequate pressure,
and be ample in quantity.
Employees should guard what - the water supply and facilities
Employees should guard the water supply and facilities from these three things. - contamination,
vandalism and terrorism
Bacteriological analysis records are kept for - 5 years
Chemical analysis records are kept for - 10 years
Records about action taken to correct violations of primary drinking water regulations are kept for - 3
years after last action taken
Written documentation relating to sanitary surveys conducted are kept for - 10 years after the survey is
completed
Documentation of a variance or exemption granted is kept for - 5 years after its expiration
Results of required tests, measurements or analysis must be reported - within 10 days following its
completion
A copy of Consumer Confidence reports (EPA Required)must be kept for - 5 years
Administers water operator licensing - TCEQ
TCEQ - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Description of a public water system - Regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of
the year.Services at least 15 service connections.
MUDs - Municipal Utility Districts
Water is essential to - Life and health
Customers are entitled to - courteous treatment & answers to questions about water
,This type of public system is not required to compile monthly reports - systems that serve less than 100
connections OR purchase treated water
Job training for water utility operators is available through these 3 organizations - American Water Works
Association, Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas Water Utilities Association
All public water systems are required to employ certified operators even if the system only - redistributes
treated water bought from another source
cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations mobile home parks, campgrounds are
examples of: - Public Water Systems
Examples of community water systems - cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations,
mobile home parks, campgrounds
Non-community water system - Any public water system that is not a community system
travel trailer spaces, Hotel and motel rooms, service stations are examples of this type of water systems -
non-community water systems
The federal agency that impacts the water industry - EPA
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
The most important federal law impacting the water utility industry is the - Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act establishes these 4 national safety and quality standards - Physical,
Chemical, Bacteriological, Radiological
The state agency that regulated drinking water in Texas and administers the Federal Safe Drinking Water
Act - TCEQ
The water system must notify the TCEQ when (5 items) - there is a change or alteration of the system; a
new facility to be build; water supply health hazards; change in water quality; change in water source
MUDs; Rural Water Supply Corporations; Drainage Districts; Ground Water Conservation Districts;
Subsidence Districts and River Authorities -- These are what type of agencies and what do they impact? -
Regional and local agencies that impact the water utility industry
The relationship between you and the customer - Public Relations
PR - Public Relations
Wat are the three keys to good customer relations - Everything the utility does is PR; Customers are
entitles to courteous treatment; Every employee is a PR person
Customers have the most contact with - Meter Readers
Meter readers can be ambassadors of goodwill by doing these 5 things - wearing identifying clothing;
being neat and courteous; Teaching customers how to read their meter; Explaining utility policies such as
delinquent notices or disputed readings; Taking care or property
Maintenance crews can warn customers of - service interruptions
,Maintenance crews can provide this to protect the public - signs and barriers
The plant operator is responsible for making the water - safe to drink and use
Water bills should be 4 things - accurate; itemized; neat; legible
It is important that the utility have a sense of this (attitude) - pride and professionalism
Employees should be kept informed of utility... - plans and policies
How should customer complaints be treated? - as legitimate and investigated as soon as possible
In small water systems the operator is often - a meter reader, repair crew and pump operator; the
highest paid employee; a college graduate
Stuffers are - sent to customers in billing statements
Suffers can be many things. Name 4. - departments to call for service; explanations of utility policy; a
history of the utility; tips on water conservation
Delinquent payment notices should be (4 things) - tactful and tasteful; mailed in an envelope;
businesslike
The EPA requires community water systems to The water system must provide customers with a report
on the system's water quality how often? - yearly
The annual system water quality report should be - attractive; easy to understand
The annual system water quality report can build what - goodwill and trust with the customer
Good treatment of employees includes 3 primary things - fair wages; benefits; safe working conditions
After action is taken on a complaint the employee should do this to to make sure everything is
satisfactory(OK). - follow up with a phone call, post card or e-mail
Give 3 reasons that water plant facilities should be kept neat and clean - to indicate a professional
attitude; to keep public support; to keep confidence in the water quality
The employee should listen to special requests and look for ways to oblige the customer within - utility
policy
The chemical symbol for water - H2O
Three forms of water - solid(ice); liquid(water); water(vapor/gas)
Hydrological cycle - the natural exchange of water between the earth and atmosphere
Average water use depends on these 5 things - temperature; rainfall; cost; supply; economic level
Ground Water is located - located below the earth's surface (underground)
Name the three places that surface water comes from. - rivers; lakes; reservoirs
According to the TCEQ, future water supplies will be - more scarce
, Raw Water - Surface water or ground water prior to treatment
Ground water is tapped by - wells
Potable water - water that is free of disease-causing organisms, has a chlorine residual and is safe for
human consumption
Before construction, the utility must submit engineering plans to - the AWWA
Operators should keep records of 5 types of things - water usage; system pressure; sample results;
repairs; amount of chlorine used
Reports by Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ at this location - Austin
Reports for Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ by - the 15th of the following month
How often are ground water systems are required to compile reports? - monthly
Reports for Ground Water Systems must be kept for... - inspection or review but are not required to mail
them in
Types of systems that are not required to compile monthly reports - Ground Water & Surface Water that
serve less than 100 connections
Water is never found in nature with this characteristic - pure
Name the 5 physical characteristics of water - Temperature; Turbidity; Color; Taste and Odor
Chemical Characteristics of water - Hardness; pH; Solids; Gases
Turbidity - the amount of suspended matter such as clay, silt, organic matter and microorganisms in
water
Color in water can result from - mineral or organic matter
True color - dissolved in water; cannot be removed by filtering
Apparent Color - suspended in water; can be filtered out
an example of true color - tea
an example of apparent color - red water caused by oxidized iron
algae; bacteria; organic matter; gases; and chemicals give what to water - taste and color
chemicals in water are measured in - mg/L
mg/L - milligrams per liter
How often should surface water be sampled for chemical analysis? - once a year
How often should ground water be sampled for chemical analysis? - every 3 years
Hardness is caused by - calcium and magnesium and other minerals
