CPO CERTIFIED POOL OPERATOR EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS |
Water Chemistry, Filtration and Safety
Question 1
What is considered the necessary backwash rate to achieve proper agitation when
backwashing sand filters?
Correct Answer
15 gpm/sf
Question 2
Calcium hypochlorite contains percent available chlorine by weight.
Correct Answer
65
Question 3
One cubic foot of water weighs pounds.
Correct Answer
62.4
Question 4
Assuming that your local health department requires you to raise the free chlorine to
5 ppm, how much sodium hypochlorite would be needed to raise the free chlorine in
the pool in question #1 to that level?
Correct Answer
3.5 gallons
Page 1 of 261
,Question 5
With an incident of diarrheal discharge in a pool, the free available chlorine should be
raised to _____ ppm.
Correct Answer
20
Page 2 of 261
,Question 6
Channeling of filters occurs when:
Correct Answer
the FMR is exceeded, and water cuts a channel through the media
Question 1
You operate a 120,000 gallon pool, and upon performing your hourly chemical
tests you observe the following readings:
Total Available Chlorine reading is 1.6
Free available chlorine reading is 1.5
pH is 7.4
Your supervising lifeguard has just informed you that you have had a fecal
incident occur; a solid stool has been discharged into the pool. According to
the Centers for Disease Control, as the CPO, you should do the following:
A. clear the pool of users and boost the free chlorine to 17 ppm
B. clear the pool and raise the free chlorine to 2 ppm
C. allow swimmers to remain in the pool, but raise the free chlorine to 10 ppm.
D. none of the above
Correct Answer
B. clear the pool and raise the free chlorine to 2 ppm
Question 2
Assuming that your local health department requires you to raise the free
chlorine to 5 ppm, how much sodium hypochlorite would be needed to raise
the free chlorine in the pool in question #1 to that level?
A. 6 gallons
B. 3.5 gallons
C. 9 gallons
D. 35 gallons
Correct Answer
B. 3.5 gallons
Page 3 of 261
, Question 3
You are the CPO for an indoor health club pool. The facility manager informs
you that he is receiving complaints about a strong chlorine odor in the pool
area, and several members have complained of eye irritation. The most likely
cause of these complaints is:
A. too much free chlorine in the water
B. too few swimmers in the pool
C. high levels of chloramines in the pool
D. high calcium levels in the water
Correct Answer
C. high levels of chloramines in the pool
Question 4
To determine the level of chloramines in the water, you should do which of the
following?
A. test for free chlorine and pH, then divide the pH number by the free chlorine
number
B. test for total chlorine and free chlorine, then subtract the free chlorine
number from the total chlorine number
C. test for total chlorine and combined chlorine, then subtract the combined
chlorine number from the free chlorine number
D. test for total alkalinity and pH, then multiply the total alkalinity number by
the pH number
Correct Answer
B. test for total chlorine and free chlorine, then subtract the free chlorine
number from the total chlorine number
Page 4 of 261
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS |
Water Chemistry, Filtration and Safety
Question 1
What is considered the necessary backwash rate to achieve proper agitation when
backwashing sand filters?
Correct Answer
15 gpm/sf
Question 2
Calcium hypochlorite contains percent available chlorine by weight.
Correct Answer
65
Question 3
One cubic foot of water weighs pounds.
Correct Answer
62.4
Question 4
Assuming that your local health department requires you to raise the free chlorine to
5 ppm, how much sodium hypochlorite would be needed to raise the free chlorine in
the pool in question #1 to that level?
Correct Answer
3.5 gallons
Page 1 of 261
,Question 5
With an incident of diarrheal discharge in a pool, the free available chlorine should be
raised to _____ ppm.
Correct Answer
20
Page 2 of 261
,Question 6
Channeling of filters occurs when:
Correct Answer
the FMR is exceeded, and water cuts a channel through the media
Question 1
You operate a 120,000 gallon pool, and upon performing your hourly chemical
tests you observe the following readings:
Total Available Chlorine reading is 1.6
Free available chlorine reading is 1.5
pH is 7.4
Your supervising lifeguard has just informed you that you have had a fecal
incident occur; a solid stool has been discharged into the pool. According to
the Centers for Disease Control, as the CPO, you should do the following:
A. clear the pool of users and boost the free chlorine to 17 ppm
B. clear the pool and raise the free chlorine to 2 ppm
C. allow swimmers to remain in the pool, but raise the free chlorine to 10 ppm.
D. none of the above
Correct Answer
B. clear the pool and raise the free chlorine to 2 ppm
Question 2
Assuming that your local health department requires you to raise the free
chlorine to 5 ppm, how much sodium hypochlorite would be needed to raise
the free chlorine in the pool in question #1 to that level?
A. 6 gallons
B. 3.5 gallons
C. 9 gallons
D. 35 gallons
Correct Answer
B. 3.5 gallons
Page 3 of 261
, Question 3
You are the CPO for an indoor health club pool. The facility manager informs
you that he is receiving complaints about a strong chlorine odor in the pool
area, and several members have complained of eye irritation. The most likely
cause of these complaints is:
A. too much free chlorine in the water
B. too few swimmers in the pool
C. high levels of chloramines in the pool
D. high calcium levels in the water
Correct Answer
C. high levels of chloramines in the pool
Question 4
To determine the level of chloramines in the water, you should do which of the
following?
A. test for free chlorine and pH, then divide the pH number by the free chlorine
number
B. test for total chlorine and free chlorine, then subtract the free chlorine
number from the total chlorine number
C. test for total chlorine and combined chlorine, then subtract the combined
chlorine number from the free chlorine number
D. test for total alkalinity and pH, then multiply the total alkalinity number by
the pH number
Correct Answer
B. test for total chlorine and free chlorine, then subtract the free chlorine
number from the total chlorine number
Page 4 of 261
