Septic Installer Test For Washington
State (WOSSA)
ANSI - Correct AnswerAmerican National Standards Institute
BOD - Correct Answerbiochemical oxygen demand, typically expressed in mg/L.
CBOD - Correct AnswerCarbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand, expressed
in mg/L.
FC - Correct AnswerFecal Coliform, expressed in number of colonies 100/ml.
LOSS - Correct Answerlarge on-site sewage system
NSF - Correct AnswerNation Sanitation Foundation International
O&G - Correct AnswerOils and Grease, component of sewage typically
originating from food stuffs (animal fats of vegetable oils) expressed in mg/L.
RS&G - Correct AnswerRecommended Standards and Guidance
SSAS - Correct Answera subsurface soil absorption system
TAC - Correct AnswerTechnical Advisory Committee established in WAC 247-
272A-0400
TN - Correct AnswerTotal Nitrogen, expressed in mg/L.
TSS - Correct AnswerTotal Suspended Solids. A measure of the total suspended
solids in a given solution, expressed in mg/L.
USEPA - Correct AnswerUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
Additive - Correct Answera commercial product added to an on-site sewage
system intended to affect the performance or aesthetics of an on-site sewage system
Approved - Correct AnswerAcceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. Local
health officer or the department
,BED - Correct Answera soil dispersal component consisting of an excavation
with a width greater than 3 feet
Building Sewer - Correct Answerthat part of the horizontal piping of a drainage
system which starts from the end of the building drain and which receives the discharge
of the building drain and conveys it to a public sewer, private sewer, individual sewage
disposal system or other point of disposal. It begins two feet outside the building wall
and conveys sewage from the building drain to the remaining portions of the on-site
sewage system.
Cesspool - Correct Answera covered hole or pit for receiving drainage or
sewage, as from a house allowing liquid to seep into the surronding rock or soil
Conforming System - Correct Answeran on-site sewage system of component
meeting rules of: New construction requirements
Approved and installed within previous requirements
Permitted by WAC-246-272A-0420
Cover Material - Correct AnswerSoil placed over dispersal component, made up
of mineral material with no greater than 10% organic content. Cover may contain
organic surface material, an organic landscaper to help reduce and contain soil erosion.
Cuts and Banks - Correct Answera naturally occurring or artificially formed slope
greater than one hundred percent (forty-five degrees) and extending vertically at least
five from the toe of the slope to top of the slope.
Department - Correct AnswerWashington State Department of Health
Designer - Correct AnswerPerson who matches site and soil characteristics with
approved components
Design Flow - Correct AnswerMeans the maximum volume of sewage a
residence, structure or other facility is estimated to generate in a twenty-four hour
period. It incorporates both an operating capacity and a surge capacity for the system
during periodic heavy use events. The sizing and design of a on-site sewage system
component is based on the design flow.
Development - Correct AnswerThe creation of a residence, structure, facility,
subdivision, area, or similar activity resulting in the production of sewage.
Disinfection - Correct AnswerThe process of destroying pathogens in sewage
through the application of chlorination, ultra-violent light, or ozonation.
,Distribution Technology - Correct Answerany arrangement of equipment and/or
material that distributes sewage within and on-site sewage system.
Drainfield - Correct Answersubsurface soil absorption system, and soil dispersal
component
Drainrock - Correct Answercleaned washed gravel or crushed rock ranging in
size from 3/4" to 2.5", and containing no more than two percent by weight passing a US
No.8 sieve and no more than one percent by weight passing through a US No. 200
Sieve.
Effluent - Correct Answerliquid waste discharged to a septic tank or other on-site
sewage system
Expanding Clay - Correct Answermeans a clay soil with the mineralogy of clay
particles. Clay particles expand when absorbing water
expansion - Correct Answera change in residence, facility or site that results in
the quantity of sewage to exceed the original design
Extremely gravely - Correct Answersoils with 60% or more, but not less than
90% rock fragments by volume.
Failure - Correct Answera condition of an on-site sewage component that
threatens the public health by inadequately treating the sewage, or creating a potential
direct or indirect contact between sewage and the public.
Fecal coliform bacteria - Correct Answerbacteria found in the intestinal tracts of
warm-blooded animals that are cultured in standard tests. Generally expressed as
colonies per 100 ml.
Gravely - Correct AnswerSoils with 15% or more, but less than 35% rock
fragments by volume.
Gray Water - Correct AnswerSewage from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks,
kitchen sinks, washing machines, and dishwashers.
Ground water - Correct AnswerSubsurface water in the zone of saturated soils,
seasonally, permanently, or as the result of the tides.
Holding tank sewage system - Correct Answeran on-site sewage system that a
holding tank with no discharge outlet
, hydraulic loading rate - Correct Answerthe amount of effluent applied to a given
treatment step, expressed as gallons per square foot per day, (gal./sq.ft./day)
industrial waste - Correct AnswerWaste from production of consumer goods,
mining, agriculture and petroleum extraction and refining
Infiltrative surface - Correct AnswerSurface within a treatment component or soil
dispersal component to which effluent is applied and through which effluent moves into
original, undisturbed soil or other porous treatment media.
Installer - Correct Answera person approved by the local health office to install
on-site sewage systems or components
Local Health Officer - Correct AnswerThe provincial or municipal health officer.
Maintenance - Correct AnswerThe actions necessary to keep the on-site sewage
system components functioning as designed
Massive structure - Correct Answerthe condition of a soil layer in which the layer
appears as a coherent of solid mass not separated into peds of any kind
Moderated structure - Correct AnswerWell- formed distinct peds evident in
undisturbed soil. When disturbed, soil material parts into mixture of whole peds, broken
peds, and material that is not in peds.
Monitoring - Correct AnswerPeriodic or continuous surveillance of on-site
sewage system, which is performed by observations and measurements, to determine if
the system is functioning as intended and if system is in need of maintenance.
On-site sewage system (OSS) - Correct AnswerAn integrated system of
components , located on or nearby the property it serves. that conveys, stores, treats,
and/or provides subsurface soil treatment and dispersal of sewage. It consists of a
collection system, a treatment component or treatment sequence, and a soil dispersal
component.
Operating capacity - Correct Answerthe average daily volume of sewage an OSS
can treat and disperse on a sustained basis. The operating capacity, which is lower than
design flow, is an integral part of the design and is used as an index in OSS monitoring.
State (WOSSA)
ANSI - Correct AnswerAmerican National Standards Institute
BOD - Correct Answerbiochemical oxygen demand, typically expressed in mg/L.
CBOD - Correct AnswerCarbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand, expressed
in mg/L.
FC - Correct AnswerFecal Coliform, expressed in number of colonies 100/ml.
LOSS - Correct Answerlarge on-site sewage system
NSF - Correct AnswerNation Sanitation Foundation International
O&G - Correct AnswerOils and Grease, component of sewage typically
originating from food stuffs (animal fats of vegetable oils) expressed in mg/L.
RS&G - Correct AnswerRecommended Standards and Guidance
SSAS - Correct Answera subsurface soil absorption system
TAC - Correct AnswerTechnical Advisory Committee established in WAC 247-
272A-0400
TN - Correct AnswerTotal Nitrogen, expressed in mg/L.
TSS - Correct AnswerTotal Suspended Solids. A measure of the total suspended
solids in a given solution, expressed in mg/L.
USEPA - Correct AnswerUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
Additive - Correct Answera commercial product added to an on-site sewage
system intended to affect the performance or aesthetics of an on-site sewage system
Approved - Correct AnswerAcceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. Local
health officer or the department
,BED - Correct Answera soil dispersal component consisting of an excavation
with a width greater than 3 feet
Building Sewer - Correct Answerthat part of the horizontal piping of a drainage
system which starts from the end of the building drain and which receives the discharge
of the building drain and conveys it to a public sewer, private sewer, individual sewage
disposal system or other point of disposal. It begins two feet outside the building wall
and conveys sewage from the building drain to the remaining portions of the on-site
sewage system.
Cesspool - Correct Answera covered hole or pit for receiving drainage or
sewage, as from a house allowing liquid to seep into the surronding rock or soil
Conforming System - Correct Answeran on-site sewage system of component
meeting rules of: New construction requirements
Approved and installed within previous requirements
Permitted by WAC-246-272A-0420
Cover Material - Correct AnswerSoil placed over dispersal component, made up
of mineral material with no greater than 10% organic content. Cover may contain
organic surface material, an organic landscaper to help reduce and contain soil erosion.
Cuts and Banks - Correct Answera naturally occurring or artificially formed slope
greater than one hundred percent (forty-five degrees) and extending vertically at least
five from the toe of the slope to top of the slope.
Department - Correct AnswerWashington State Department of Health
Designer - Correct AnswerPerson who matches site and soil characteristics with
approved components
Design Flow - Correct AnswerMeans the maximum volume of sewage a
residence, structure or other facility is estimated to generate in a twenty-four hour
period. It incorporates both an operating capacity and a surge capacity for the system
during periodic heavy use events. The sizing and design of a on-site sewage system
component is based on the design flow.
Development - Correct AnswerThe creation of a residence, structure, facility,
subdivision, area, or similar activity resulting in the production of sewage.
Disinfection - Correct AnswerThe process of destroying pathogens in sewage
through the application of chlorination, ultra-violent light, or ozonation.
,Distribution Technology - Correct Answerany arrangement of equipment and/or
material that distributes sewage within and on-site sewage system.
Drainfield - Correct Answersubsurface soil absorption system, and soil dispersal
component
Drainrock - Correct Answercleaned washed gravel or crushed rock ranging in
size from 3/4" to 2.5", and containing no more than two percent by weight passing a US
No.8 sieve and no more than one percent by weight passing through a US No. 200
Sieve.
Effluent - Correct Answerliquid waste discharged to a septic tank or other on-site
sewage system
Expanding Clay - Correct Answermeans a clay soil with the mineralogy of clay
particles. Clay particles expand when absorbing water
expansion - Correct Answera change in residence, facility or site that results in
the quantity of sewage to exceed the original design
Extremely gravely - Correct Answersoils with 60% or more, but not less than
90% rock fragments by volume.
Failure - Correct Answera condition of an on-site sewage component that
threatens the public health by inadequately treating the sewage, or creating a potential
direct or indirect contact between sewage and the public.
Fecal coliform bacteria - Correct Answerbacteria found in the intestinal tracts of
warm-blooded animals that are cultured in standard tests. Generally expressed as
colonies per 100 ml.
Gravely - Correct AnswerSoils with 15% or more, but less than 35% rock
fragments by volume.
Gray Water - Correct AnswerSewage from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks,
kitchen sinks, washing machines, and dishwashers.
Ground water - Correct AnswerSubsurface water in the zone of saturated soils,
seasonally, permanently, or as the result of the tides.
Holding tank sewage system - Correct Answeran on-site sewage system that a
holding tank with no discharge outlet
, hydraulic loading rate - Correct Answerthe amount of effluent applied to a given
treatment step, expressed as gallons per square foot per day, (gal./sq.ft./day)
industrial waste - Correct AnswerWaste from production of consumer goods,
mining, agriculture and petroleum extraction and refining
Infiltrative surface - Correct AnswerSurface within a treatment component or soil
dispersal component to which effluent is applied and through which effluent moves into
original, undisturbed soil or other porous treatment media.
Installer - Correct Answera person approved by the local health office to install
on-site sewage systems or components
Local Health Officer - Correct AnswerThe provincial or municipal health officer.
Maintenance - Correct AnswerThe actions necessary to keep the on-site sewage
system components functioning as designed
Massive structure - Correct Answerthe condition of a soil layer in which the layer
appears as a coherent of solid mass not separated into peds of any kind
Moderated structure - Correct AnswerWell- formed distinct peds evident in
undisturbed soil. When disturbed, soil material parts into mixture of whole peds, broken
peds, and material that is not in peds.
Monitoring - Correct AnswerPeriodic or continuous surveillance of on-site
sewage system, which is performed by observations and measurements, to determine if
the system is functioning as intended and if system is in need of maintenance.
On-site sewage system (OSS) - Correct AnswerAn integrated system of
components , located on or nearby the property it serves. that conveys, stores, treats,
and/or provides subsurface soil treatment and dispersal of sewage. It consists of a
collection system, a treatment component or treatment sequence, and a soil dispersal
component.
Operating capacity - Correct Answerthe average daily volume of sewage an OSS
can treat and disperse on a sustained basis. The operating capacity, which is lower than
design flow, is an integral part of the design and is used as an index in OSS monitoring.
