OSSF Installer 2 License
Exam
What is the state agency in Texas responsible for regulating On-Site Sewage Facilities
(OSSF)?
A) EPA
B) TCEQ
C) Local County Health Dept
D) Texas Department of Environmental Health
Answer: B) TCEQ
Which of the following is not part of the criteria used to determine if a subsurface
OSSF system is functioning properly?
A) The plumbing system must drain
B) No water surfacing or pooling above ground
C) There are no odors
D) Homeowner preference of aesthetic landscaping
Answer: D) Homeowner preference of aesthetic landscaping
The primary threat from malfunctioning OSSF systems is:
A) Teeth staining
B) Water-borne disease
C) Energy loss
D) Air pollution
,Answer: B) Water-borne disease
pH measures whether wastewater is …
A) Oxygen-rich or oxygen-poor
B) Alkaline or neutral
C) Acidic or basic
D) Hot or cold
Answer: C) Acidic or basic
Most OSSFs use the soil to ___ and ___ wastewater.
A) filter; remove odors
B) absorb; treat
C) store; flush
D) evaporate; disinfect
Answer: B) absorb; treat
Which soil textural class is most permeable under Texas OSSF rules among the
common classes used for standard absorptive drainfields?
A) Class 1 (Sandy)
B) Class 2 (Coarse loamy)
C) Class 3 (Fine loamy & sandy clay)
D) Class 2b
Answer: D) Class 2b
An individual who visits a site and conducts soil evaluations and a site survey is called
a(n):
A) Installer
B) Apprentice
,C) Site evaluator
D) Designated representative
Answer: C) Site evaluator
True or False: New OSSF licenses are issued for a term of 3 years, and in that period
licensees must complete 24 hours of TCEQ-approved continuing education to renew.
Answer: True
Which of the following are acceptable materials for construction of treatment and
pump tanks under Texas OSSF rules? (Select all that apply.)
A) Reinforced concrete
B) Fiberglass
C) Treated wood
D) Polyethylene
Answer: A) Reinforced concrete; B) Fiberglass; D) Polyethylene
What two factors are most important when sizing a drainfield under standard OSSF
rules?
A) Lot size and homeowner preferences
B) Sewer pipe material and lot size
C) Daily sewage flow (volume) and long-term soil acceptance rate
D) Type of vegetation over the drainfield and land slope
Answer: C) Daily sewage flow (volume) and long-term soil acceptance rate
Short Answer / Fill-in / Listing
List six diseases that could be transmitted by inadequately treated sewage.
Answer: Typhoid; Paratyphoid; Polio; Meningitis; Hepatitis; Cholera
, What should be included in an evaluation of a lot for design and installation of a
septic tank system?
Answer: Lot size; soil type and geologic conditions; setbacks; flood hazards; presence
of groundwater; slope of land; location of existing or planned structures/utilities.
Give a brief description of three soil textural classes suitable for a standard
absorptive drainfield under Texas OSSF rules.
Answer:
Class 1 (Sandy): Coarse sand, high permeability, good infiltration, low fine particles.
Class 2 (Coarse loamy): Significant loam mixed with sand or small amount of silt,
moderate infiltration, balanced qualities.
Class 3 (Fine loamy & sandy clay): More fine particles (silt, clay), less permeability,
slower infiltration, more treatment due to finer texture.
Name four water-saving plumbing devices that can be used in a home to reduce
wastewater load.
Answer: Low-flow showerheads; faucet aerators; pressure reducing valves; low-flush
toilets or dual-flush toilets; efficient washing machines.
What is a “pathogen”?
Answer: A disease-causing microorganism (e.g. bacteria, virus, parasite).What is the
minimum distance a septic tank must be set back from a private water well in Texas?
A) 25 feet
B) 50 feet
C) 75 feet
D) 100 feet
Answer: C) 75 feet
Exam
What is the state agency in Texas responsible for regulating On-Site Sewage Facilities
(OSSF)?
A) EPA
B) TCEQ
C) Local County Health Dept
D) Texas Department of Environmental Health
Answer: B) TCEQ
Which of the following is not part of the criteria used to determine if a subsurface
OSSF system is functioning properly?
A) The plumbing system must drain
B) No water surfacing or pooling above ground
C) There are no odors
D) Homeowner preference of aesthetic landscaping
Answer: D) Homeowner preference of aesthetic landscaping
The primary threat from malfunctioning OSSF systems is:
A) Teeth staining
B) Water-borne disease
C) Energy loss
D) Air pollution
,Answer: B) Water-borne disease
pH measures whether wastewater is …
A) Oxygen-rich or oxygen-poor
B) Alkaline or neutral
C) Acidic or basic
D) Hot or cold
Answer: C) Acidic or basic
Most OSSFs use the soil to ___ and ___ wastewater.
A) filter; remove odors
B) absorb; treat
C) store; flush
D) evaporate; disinfect
Answer: B) absorb; treat
Which soil textural class is most permeable under Texas OSSF rules among the
common classes used for standard absorptive drainfields?
A) Class 1 (Sandy)
B) Class 2 (Coarse loamy)
C) Class 3 (Fine loamy & sandy clay)
D) Class 2b
Answer: D) Class 2b
An individual who visits a site and conducts soil evaluations and a site survey is called
a(n):
A) Installer
B) Apprentice
,C) Site evaluator
D) Designated representative
Answer: C) Site evaluator
True or False: New OSSF licenses are issued for a term of 3 years, and in that period
licensees must complete 24 hours of TCEQ-approved continuing education to renew.
Answer: True
Which of the following are acceptable materials for construction of treatment and
pump tanks under Texas OSSF rules? (Select all that apply.)
A) Reinforced concrete
B) Fiberglass
C) Treated wood
D) Polyethylene
Answer: A) Reinforced concrete; B) Fiberglass; D) Polyethylene
What two factors are most important when sizing a drainfield under standard OSSF
rules?
A) Lot size and homeowner preferences
B) Sewer pipe material and lot size
C) Daily sewage flow (volume) and long-term soil acceptance rate
D) Type of vegetation over the drainfield and land slope
Answer: C) Daily sewage flow (volume) and long-term soil acceptance rate
Short Answer / Fill-in / Listing
List six diseases that could be transmitted by inadequately treated sewage.
Answer: Typhoid; Paratyphoid; Polio; Meningitis; Hepatitis; Cholera
, What should be included in an evaluation of a lot for design and installation of a
septic tank system?
Answer: Lot size; soil type and geologic conditions; setbacks; flood hazards; presence
of groundwater; slope of land; location of existing or planned structures/utilities.
Give a brief description of three soil textural classes suitable for a standard
absorptive drainfield under Texas OSSF rules.
Answer:
Class 1 (Sandy): Coarse sand, high permeability, good infiltration, low fine particles.
Class 2 (Coarse loamy): Significant loam mixed with sand or small amount of silt,
moderate infiltration, balanced qualities.
Class 3 (Fine loamy & sandy clay): More fine particles (silt, clay), less permeability,
slower infiltration, more treatment due to finer texture.
Name four water-saving plumbing devices that can be used in a home to reduce
wastewater load.
Answer: Low-flow showerheads; faucet aerators; pressure reducing valves; low-flush
toilets or dual-flush toilets; efficient washing machines.
What is a “pathogen”?
Answer: A disease-causing microorganism (e.g. bacteria, virus, parasite).What is the
minimum distance a septic tank must be set back from a private water well in Texas?
A) 25 feet
B) 50 feet
C) 75 feet
D) 100 feet
Answer: C) 75 feet
