GEORGIA WATER TREATMENT
OPERATOR CLASS III
EXAM
QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
JUST RELEASED
EXAM SPECIFICATIONS
Time Allocation: 3 Hours
Total Questions: 100 Questions
Question Format: Multiple Choice with Calculations
Minimum Competency: 70% Required to Pass
Core Focus: Regulations, Treatment, Math, Safety, Laboratory, Operations
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam Just Released Page 1
, Exam Overview & Content Outline
EXAM PURPOSE
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam covers water treatment plant operations, Georgia
EPD regulations, SDWA, treatment processes, mathematics, safety, and laboratory procedures per
Georgia Rule 391-3-5 for Class III operators. Class III operates conventional filtration plants.
CONTENT DISTRIBUTION
• Georgia Regulations & SDWA (20%) — GA EPD 391-3-5, SDWA, MCLs, monitoring, reporting,
violations
• Water Treatment Processes (30%) — Coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration,
disinfection, corrosion control
• Mathematics & Hydraulics (25%) — Dosage, detention time, flow, velocity, pressure, pumping,
chemical feed
• Safety & Laboratory (15%) — Chemical safety, confined space, chlorine safety, sampling, lab tests
• Operations & Maintenance (10%) — Start-up, shutdown, troubleshooting, records, maintenance
QUESTION FORMAT & SCORING
Each item presents four options with calculations. Correct answers are highlighted in green with
checkmark (✓). Every question includes detailed solution with Georgia EPD and SDWA references.
Requires 70% to pass.
STUDY STRATEGY
Master Georgia Rule 391-3-5 requirements. Know SDWA MCLs and treatment techniques.
Understand conventional filtration processes. Review water math formulas. Study chlorine
disinfection and CT values. Know safety procedures. Practice bacteriological sampling.
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
Questions reflect current standards: Georgia EPD Rule 391-3-5, Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA
regulations, AWWA standards, and Georgia water operator certification requirements.
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam Just Released Page 2
, SECTION I: Georgia Regulations & SDWA
1. Georgia EPD Rule 391-3-5 requires Class III operators for:
A. Distribution only
✓ B. Conventional filtration plants and complex groundwater
C. Small groundwater only
D. No license needed
Rationale: Georgia 391-3-5: Class III required for conventional filtration plants (coagulation, flocculation,
sedimentation, filtration), lime softening, or complex groundwater with 4-log virus treatment. Class IV for
surface water plants. Class II for simple groundwater. Class I for distribution. Experience and education
requirements increase with class.
2. SDWA Total Coliform Rule MCL:
A. 10% positive
✓ B. 0, no more than 5% positive samples/month
C. 1 positive sample
D. No limit
Rationale: SDWA Total Coliform Rule: MCL = 0. Systems collecting ≥40 samples/month: no more than 5.0%
positive. Systems <40 samples/month: no more than 1 positive. Positive requires repeat sampling and E.
coli testing. E. coli MCL = 0. Acute violation if E. coli positive or failure to test.
3. Georgia requires bacteriological sampling frequency for community systems:
A. Annually
✓ B. Monthly, based on population
C. Weekly
D. Daily
Rationale: Georgia 391-3-5: Community water systems monthly sampling based on population. <1,000 = 1
sample, 1,001-2,500 = 2, 2,501-3,300 = 3, etc. Samples from distribution system. More samples if positive.
Monthly operating reports to EPD. Non-community: quarterly or annually.
4. Turbidity MCL for conventional filtration:
A. 5.0 NTU
✓ B. ≤0.3 NTU in 95% of samples, never >1 NTU
C. 10.0 NTU
D. No limit
Rationale: Surface Water Treatment Rule: Conventional/direct filtration ≤0.3 NTU in 95% of combined filter
effluent samples each month, never >1 NTU. Slow sand/DE ≤1 NTU in 95%, never >5 NTU. Individual filter
monitoring required. High turbidity indicates filtration failure, potential pathogens. Measure continuously or
every 4 hours.
5. Chlorine residual minimum in Georgia distribution:
A. 0.0 mg/L
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam Just Released Page 3
OPERATOR CLASS III
EXAM
QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
JUST RELEASED
EXAM SPECIFICATIONS
Time Allocation: 3 Hours
Total Questions: 100 Questions
Question Format: Multiple Choice with Calculations
Minimum Competency: 70% Required to Pass
Core Focus: Regulations, Treatment, Math, Safety, Laboratory, Operations
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam Just Released Page 1
, Exam Overview & Content Outline
EXAM PURPOSE
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam covers water treatment plant operations, Georgia
EPD regulations, SDWA, treatment processes, mathematics, safety, and laboratory procedures per
Georgia Rule 391-3-5 for Class III operators. Class III operates conventional filtration plants.
CONTENT DISTRIBUTION
• Georgia Regulations & SDWA (20%) — GA EPD 391-3-5, SDWA, MCLs, monitoring, reporting,
violations
• Water Treatment Processes (30%) — Coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration,
disinfection, corrosion control
• Mathematics & Hydraulics (25%) — Dosage, detention time, flow, velocity, pressure, pumping,
chemical feed
• Safety & Laboratory (15%) — Chemical safety, confined space, chlorine safety, sampling, lab tests
• Operations & Maintenance (10%) — Start-up, shutdown, troubleshooting, records, maintenance
QUESTION FORMAT & SCORING
Each item presents four options with calculations. Correct answers are highlighted in green with
checkmark (✓). Every question includes detailed solution with Georgia EPD and SDWA references.
Requires 70% to pass.
STUDY STRATEGY
Master Georgia Rule 391-3-5 requirements. Know SDWA MCLs and treatment techniques.
Understand conventional filtration processes. Review water math formulas. Study chlorine
disinfection and CT values. Know safety procedures. Practice bacteriological sampling.
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
Questions reflect current standards: Georgia EPD Rule 391-3-5, Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA
regulations, AWWA standards, and Georgia water operator certification requirements.
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam Just Released Page 2
, SECTION I: Georgia Regulations & SDWA
1. Georgia EPD Rule 391-3-5 requires Class III operators for:
A. Distribution only
✓ B. Conventional filtration plants and complex groundwater
C. Small groundwater only
D. No license needed
Rationale: Georgia 391-3-5: Class III required for conventional filtration plants (coagulation, flocculation,
sedimentation, filtration), lime softening, or complex groundwater with 4-log virus treatment. Class IV for
surface water plants. Class II for simple groundwater. Class I for distribution. Experience and education
requirements increase with class.
2. SDWA Total Coliform Rule MCL:
A. 10% positive
✓ B. 0, no more than 5% positive samples/month
C. 1 positive sample
D. No limit
Rationale: SDWA Total Coliform Rule: MCL = 0. Systems collecting ≥40 samples/month: no more than 5.0%
positive. Systems <40 samples/month: no more than 1 positive. Positive requires repeat sampling and E.
coli testing. E. coli MCL = 0. Acute violation if E. coli positive or failure to test.
3. Georgia requires bacteriological sampling frequency for community systems:
A. Annually
✓ B. Monthly, based on population
C. Weekly
D. Daily
Rationale: Georgia 391-3-5: Community water systems monthly sampling based on population. <1,000 = 1
sample, 1,001-2,500 = 2, 2,501-3,300 = 3, etc. Samples from distribution system. More samples if positive.
Monthly operating reports to EPD. Non-community: quarterly or annually.
4. Turbidity MCL for conventional filtration:
A. 5.0 NTU
✓ B. ≤0.3 NTU in 95% of samples, never >1 NTU
C. 10.0 NTU
D. No limit
Rationale: Surface Water Treatment Rule: Conventional/direct filtration ≤0.3 NTU in 95% of combined filter
effluent samples each month, never >1 NTU. Slow sand/DE ≤1 NTU in 95%, never >5 NTU. Individual filter
monitoring required. High turbidity indicates filtration failure, potential pathogens. Measure continuously or
every 4 hours.
5. Chlorine residual minimum in Georgia distribution:
A. 0.0 mg/L
Georgia Water Treatment Operator Class III Exam Just Released Page 3
