Basic Wastewater Operations Exam Questions with Verified Answers Latest Update 2024 (Already
Passed)
What are the types of water resources in Texas? - Answers Lakes and rivers, bays and estuaries,
wetlands and groundwater
What happens when poorly treated wastewater discharges into a water resource? - Answers decreases
the oxygen level and introduce pollutants into water sources, causing fish kills.
What is a fish kill? - Answers a mass extinction or death of aquatic life in a river, lake or stream
Groundwater - Answers The supply of fresh water under Earth's surface that is stored in underground
aquifers.
Groundwater is primarily used for - Answers small public water systems and agricultural irrigation.
Pollutant - Answers Anything that affects the original water quality. includes organic and inorganic
materials, heat and radiation.
contaminant - Answers A health threat
What are the two categories of water contamination - Answers Point-source discharge and non-point-
source discharges
Point-source dischare - Answers Come from pipes or concrete ditches that are monitored, controlled
and inspected.
Non-point-source discharge - Answers intermittent, dispersed flows having little or no control.
Benefits or treating point-source and non-point-source wastes: - Answers 1. Prevention of water
pollution
2. Protection of human and animal health
3. Prevention of Dissolved Oxygen depletion in water
4. Prevention of nutrients which cause algae blooms (EUTROPHICATION)
Water quality goals: stream standards - Answers The state of TX sets quality standards on rivers and
streams, depending on the water's use. Water used for contact recreation and public water supply have
stricter standards than water used for industrial barge traffic.
Discharge limitations - Answers Permits issued for waste discharges. Permits can be stricter when
effluent discharges into water used for drinking or swimming, and also if the receiving stream or lake has
multiple discharges or large volumes of waste.
What is the maximum fine for polluting state water? - Answers As much as $25,000 per day.
, Who are the biggest groundwater contaminators? - Answers Cities and municipalities
blue baby syndrome - Answers The illness that occurs when we have too much nitrates in our water,
especially in children. Nitrates bind to hemaglobin in blood and deprive oxygen transfer throughout the
body.
hydrological cycle (water cycle) - Answers the movement of water through the environment from the
atmosphere to Earth and back
Evaporation - Answers The change of state from a liquid to a gas, from bodies of water.
Transpiration - Answers Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant. a general term for water given
off by earth's surface.
sublimation - Answers A change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid
(ice)
Condensation - Answers The change of state from a gas to a liquid. Needs a solid surface to form (dust
and dirt particles in atmosphere).
Precipitation - Answers Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface. Infiltrates
top 1" of soil, will infiltrate rootzone, and recharge watershed or will runoff.
Infiltration - Answers Downward movement of water through soil.
streamflow - Answers the speed and amount of water discharged by a watershed
Ground water storage - Answers Large amounts of water are stored here. The water is still moving,
possibly very slowly, and it is still part of the water cycle. Most of the water here comes from
precipitation that infiltrates downward from the land surface. Another term for this is "aquifer,"
although this term is usually used to describe water-bearing formations capable of yielding enough
water to supply peoples' uses. Aquifers are a huge storehouse of Earth's water and people all over the
world depend on it in their daily lives.
What is the human water cycle - Answers Water begins at source (lakes rivers streams), is treated for
drinking, travels through the distribution system to be brought to the consumer and generator, the
water is then used and sent to the collection system where it makes it's way to the wastewater
treatment plant and then discharged into the water source.
The operators knowledge skills abilities and ______ are critical to protecting the water quality of the
state. - Answers Attitudes
The role of an operator to an employer? - Answers Performing assigned duties
The role of supervision and management? - Answers Assign work, provide safety training, provide tools
and secure permits/finance.
Passed)
What are the types of water resources in Texas? - Answers Lakes and rivers, bays and estuaries,
wetlands and groundwater
What happens when poorly treated wastewater discharges into a water resource? - Answers decreases
the oxygen level and introduce pollutants into water sources, causing fish kills.
What is a fish kill? - Answers a mass extinction or death of aquatic life in a river, lake or stream
Groundwater - Answers The supply of fresh water under Earth's surface that is stored in underground
aquifers.
Groundwater is primarily used for - Answers small public water systems and agricultural irrigation.
Pollutant - Answers Anything that affects the original water quality. includes organic and inorganic
materials, heat and radiation.
contaminant - Answers A health threat
What are the two categories of water contamination - Answers Point-source discharge and non-point-
source discharges
Point-source dischare - Answers Come from pipes or concrete ditches that are monitored, controlled
and inspected.
Non-point-source discharge - Answers intermittent, dispersed flows having little or no control.
Benefits or treating point-source and non-point-source wastes: - Answers 1. Prevention of water
pollution
2. Protection of human and animal health
3. Prevention of Dissolved Oxygen depletion in water
4. Prevention of nutrients which cause algae blooms (EUTROPHICATION)
Water quality goals: stream standards - Answers The state of TX sets quality standards on rivers and
streams, depending on the water's use. Water used for contact recreation and public water supply have
stricter standards than water used for industrial barge traffic.
Discharge limitations - Answers Permits issued for waste discharges. Permits can be stricter when
effluent discharges into water used for drinking or swimming, and also if the receiving stream or lake has
multiple discharges or large volumes of waste.
What is the maximum fine for polluting state water? - Answers As much as $25,000 per day.
, Who are the biggest groundwater contaminators? - Answers Cities and municipalities
blue baby syndrome - Answers The illness that occurs when we have too much nitrates in our water,
especially in children. Nitrates bind to hemaglobin in blood and deprive oxygen transfer throughout the
body.
hydrological cycle (water cycle) - Answers the movement of water through the environment from the
atmosphere to Earth and back
Evaporation - Answers The change of state from a liquid to a gas, from bodies of water.
Transpiration - Answers Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant. a general term for water given
off by earth's surface.
sublimation - Answers A change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid
(ice)
Condensation - Answers The change of state from a gas to a liquid. Needs a solid surface to form (dust
and dirt particles in atmosphere).
Precipitation - Answers Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface. Infiltrates
top 1" of soil, will infiltrate rootzone, and recharge watershed or will runoff.
Infiltration - Answers Downward movement of water through soil.
streamflow - Answers the speed and amount of water discharged by a watershed
Ground water storage - Answers Large amounts of water are stored here. The water is still moving,
possibly very slowly, and it is still part of the water cycle. Most of the water here comes from
precipitation that infiltrates downward from the land surface. Another term for this is "aquifer,"
although this term is usually used to describe water-bearing formations capable of yielding enough
water to supply peoples' uses. Aquifers are a huge storehouse of Earth's water and people all over the
world depend on it in their daily lives.
What is the human water cycle - Answers Water begins at source (lakes rivers streams), is treated for
drinking, travels through the distribution system to be brought to the consumer and generator, the
water is then used and sent to the collection system where it makes it's way to the wastewater
treatment plant and then discharged into the water source.
The operators knowledge skills abilities and ______ are critical to protecting the water quality of the
state. - Answers Attitudes
The role of an operator to an employer? - Answers Performing assigned duties
The role of supervision and management? - Answers Assign work, provide safety training, provide tools
and secure permits/finance.
