CERTIFIED STORM WATER OPERATOR EXAM
PREP 2026 FULL QUESTION SET WITH STEP-BY-
STEP SOLUTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES GUIDE
◉ 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*)
PREP 2026 FULL QUESTION SET WITH STEP-BY-
STEP SOLUTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES GUIDE
◉ 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*)
