Texas Wastewater Examination Versions A & B TCEQ Question
Bank (Latest 2026/2027 Edition) – 100% Correct Questions,
Answers & Detailed Rationales
Total Questions: 60 (Version A: 30, Version B: 30)
Time Allowed: 90 Minutes
Passing Score: 80%
Instructions: Select the BEST answer for each question based on TCEQ regulations,
treatment processes, safety protocols, and operational practices. Each question
includes a detailed rationale referencing applicable standards.
VERSION A
QUESTIONS 1–30
Question 1
Under Chapter 26 of the Texas Water Code, which of the following statements
accurately describes the authority granted to the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ)?
A. TCEQ may only regulate industrial discharges and has no authority over municipal
wastewater systems.
,B. TCEQ is authorized to control all discharges of pollutants into waters of the state,
including the power to issue and enforce permits, revoke licenses, and impose penalties
for violations.
C. TCEQ's authority is limited to water quality monitoring and does not extend to
enforcement actions against permit violators.
D. Chapter 26 applies only to surface water discharges and excludes groundwater
protection from TCEQ oversight.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Chapter 26 of the Texas Water Code is the primary state law controlling water
pollution in Texas. It grants TCEQ comprehensive authority to regulate all wastewater
discharges, issue TPDES permits, enforce effluent limitations, and take administrative
action against violators—including license revocation for operators who falsify records
or neglect duty. TCEQ's authority extends to both surface and groundwater protection.
Question 2
A municipal wastewater treatment plant in Texas holds a TPDES permit with effluent
limitations. According to TCEQ regulations (30 TAC §309), what are the standard
secondary treatment limits for BOD₅ and TSS?
A. 30 mg/L monthly average for both BOD₅ and TSS
B. 20 mg/L 30-day average and 30 mg/L 7-day average for both BOD₅ and TSS, with a
daily maximum of 45 mg/L
C. 10 mg/L for BOD₅ and 15 mg/L for TSS as 30-day averages
D. 45 mg/L daily average for BOD₅ and 30 mg/L daily average for TSS
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per 30 TAC §309.4, domestic wastewater treatment plants using secondary
treatment must meet effluent limitations of 20 mg/L for the 30-day average, 30 mg/L for
the 7-day average, and a daily maximum of 45 mg/L for both BOD₅ and TSS. These
standards are more restrictive than the federal technology-based limits and reflect
Texas's commitment to protecting state waters.
Question 3
Which federal legislation requires permits for all wastewater discharges to navigable
waters and establishes the framework that TCEQ implements through the TPDES
program?
A. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974
B. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
C. The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972
D. The Texas Water Development Board Act
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq.) establishes
the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which Texas administers
through the TPDES program. This Act requires permits for all wastewater discharges,
including sludge disposal and ocean discharges, and mandates the restoration and
maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of U.S. waters.
Question 4
, An operator at a Texas wastewater treatment facility discovers that the plant has been
exceeding its permitted effluent limits for three consecutive days. The operator's
supervisor instructs the operator to modify the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) to
show compliance. What is the operator's most appropriate course of action under TCEQ
regulations?
A. Follow the supervisor's instructions to avoid workplace conflict, as the violation was
not the operator's fault.
B. Refuse to falsify the report, document the actual readings, and report the violation
through proper channels because falsification can result in criminal penalties and
license revocation.
C. Submit the falsified report but anonymously notify TCEQ later to protect employment.
D. Ignore the violation entirely since TCEQ only reviews reports quarterly.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Under TCEQ regulations and Texas Water Code Chapter 26, knowingly
making false statements on reports or falsifying monitoring data constitutes a serious
violation subject to criminal penalties, civil fines, and license revocation. Operators have
a professional and legal duty to report accurate data. The permittee must report effluent
violations exceeding 40% deviation within 5 working days to the TCEQ Enforcement
Division (MC 224).
Question 5
A maintenance crew is preparing to enter a lift station for pump repairs. Which gas
poses the greatest immediate threat to life at concentrations above 100 ppm and is
characterized by a "rotten egg" odor at low concentrations?
Bank (Latest 2026/2027 Edition) – 100% Correct Questions,
Answers & Detailed Rationales
Total Questions: 60 (Version A: 30, Version B: 30)
Time Allowed: 90 Minutes
Passing Score: 80%
Instructions: Select the BEST answer for each question based on TCEQ regulations,
treatment processes, safety protocols, and operational practices. Each question
includes a detailed rationale referencing applicable standards.
VERSION A
QUESTIONS 1–30
Question 1
Under Chapter 26 of the Texas Water Code, which of the following statements
accurately describes the authority granted to the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ)?
A. TCEQ may only regulate industrial discharges and has no authority over municipal
wastewater systems.
,B. TCEQ is authorized to control all discharges of pollutants into waters of the state,
including the power to issue and enforce permits, revoke licenses, and impose penalties
for violations.
C. TCEQ's authority is limited to water quality monitoring and does not extend to
enforcement actions against permit violators.
D. Chapter 26 applies only to surface water discharges and excludes groundwater
protection from TCEQ oversight.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Chapter 26 of the Texas Water Code is the primary state law controlling water
pollution in Texas. It grants TCEQ comprehensive authority to regulate all wastewater
discharges, issue TPDES permits, enforce effluent limitations, and take administrative
action against violators—including license revocation for operators who falsify records
or neglect duty. TCEQ's authority extends to both surface and groundwater protection.
Question 2
A municipal wastewater treatment plant in Texas holds a TPDES permit with effluent
limitations. According to TCEQ regulations (30 TAC §309), what are the standard
secondary treatment limits for BOD₅ and TSS?
A. 30 mg/L monthly average for both BOD₅ and TSS
B. 20 mg/L 30-day average and 30 mg/L 7-day average for both BOD₅ and TSS, with a
daily maximum of 45 mg/L
C. 10 mg/L for BOD₅ and 15 mg/L for TSS as 30-day averages
D. 45 mg/L daily average for BOD₅ and 30 mg/L daily average for TSS
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per 30 TAC §309.4, domestic wastewater treatment plants using secondary
treatment must meet effluent limitations of 20 mg/L for the 30-day average, 30 mg/L for
the 7-day average, and a daily maximum of 45 mg/L for both BOD₅ and TSS. These
standards are more restrictive than the federal technology-based limits and reflect
Texas's commitment to protecting state waters.
Question 3
Which federal legislation requires permits for all wastewater discharges to navigable
waters and establishes the framework that TCEQ implements through the TPDES
program?
A. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974
B. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
C. The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972
D. The Texas Water Development Board Act
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq.) establishes
the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which Texas administers
through the TPDES program. This Act requires permits for all wastewater discharges,
including sludge disposal and ocean discharges, and mandates the restoration and
maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of U.S. waters.
Question 4
, An operator at a Texas wastewater treatment facility discovers that the plant has been
exceeding its permitted effluent limits for three consecutive days. The operator's
supervisor instructs the operator to modify the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) to
show compliance. What is the operator's most appropriate course of action under TCEQ
regulations?
A. Follow the supervisor's instructions to avoid workplace conflict, as the violation was
not the operator's fault.
B. Refuse to falsify the report, document the actual readings, and report the violation
through proper channels because falsification can result in criminal penalties and
license revocation.
C. Submit the falsified report but anonymously notify TCEQ later to protect employment.
D. Ignore the violation entirely since TCEQ only reviews reports quarterly.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Under TCEQ regulations and Texas Water Code Chapter 26, knowingly
making false statements on reports or falsifying monitoring data constitutes a serious
violation subject to criminal penalties, civil fines, and license revocation. Operators have
a professional and legal duty to report accurate data. The permittee must report effluent
violations exceeding 40% deviation within 5 working days to the TCEQ Enforcement
Division (MC 224).
Question 5
A maintenance crew is preparing to enter a lift station for pump repairs. Which gas
poses the greatest immediate threat to life at concentrations above 100 ppm and is
characterized by a "rotten egg" odor at low concentrations?
