Questions and Answers
In Texas, about 75% of all water is used for commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes.
True
Water covers approximately ________ of Earth's surface.
71%
Drought is an extended period when a region receives a deficiency in its ________ water supply.
atmospheric, ground, or surface
Only about 1 gallon of tap water per person/day is used for drinking and cooking.
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Excluding outside water use, the average household uses about _______ gallons of water per month for inside use.
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Only 3% of all the fresh water on earth can be easily accessed for use.
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In 1978, the Texas Department of Health (TDH) assumed primacy over the Safe Drinking Water Act from the EPA.
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PWS officials should be proactive in their approach to terrorism.
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_________ permits the owner of a well to pump as much water as desired, even if the water is drained from beneath the land of others.
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In Texas, agricultural water demand accounts for about ___% of the total water used.
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An example of a non-transient non-community PWS is a rural school.
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Monitoring average and maximum daily water ______ enables us to plan ahead for growth.
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The Safe Drinking Water Act sets standards for drinking water including physical, chemical, bacteriological, and radiological characteristics.
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"Potable" means water is safe to drink and has a measurable chlorine ________.
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The plant operator is responsible for a sufficient supply of safe and ________ drinking water.
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The Texas State Board of Fire Insurance requires utilities that provide fire protection to have a minimum amount of water available based on 30 gals per person per day.
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The primary state regulator of water utilities is the TCEQ.
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All community and non-transient non-community PWS, regardless of source of water, must be under the supervision of a licensed water works operator.
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Meter readers bring in operating revenue and profoundly impact _____ relations.
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The federal regulator of drinking water is the _____.
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Duties of distribution operator include repairing leaks, making taps, flushing mains, and taking radiological samples.
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A service area has 1000 service connections. What can we estimate the population of this service area to be?
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The State must be notified after an existing facility is changed or after construction of a new facility.
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A Class 'D' license is valid for 2 years at ground and purchase water systems with 250 connections or less.
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The physical characteristics of water are color, taste, odor, temperature, and turbidity.
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An alkaline or basic solution has a pH greater than ____.
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The terms mg/L and ppm are not interchangeable.
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Suspended solids in water cannot be filtered out.
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Solids, water hardness, pH and gases are ____ characteristics.
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There are 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom in each water molecule.
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The State recommends a water pH of less than 7 to be maintained at all time.
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Taste and odor can come from organisms such as vegetation, bacteria, and algae, and from certain chemicals and metals.
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The deeper the well, the warmer the water.
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The threshold odor number (TON) relates to the number of dilutions needed for the water to be tasteless.
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One part per million or 1 mg/L means that for every ____ pounds of water there is one pound of material in it.
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The State requires filtered water to be equal to or less than ____ turbidity units in at least 95% of the monthly samples.
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The State recommends a TON of ___ or less.
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The State recommends 20 color units or less for quality water.
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Examples of inorganic matter found in water include rock, sand, metals, and minerals.
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The red color caused by iron is an example of suspended or apparent color and it can be removed by filtration.
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Excessive calcium and _____ are the primary cause of hardness in water.
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The State recommends a maximum total dissolved solids content of 500 mg/L.
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There are 3 common gases found in water: methane, carbon dioxide, and __________ ___________.
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Turbidity must be limited because it shelters and nourishes bacteria and interferes with disinfection.
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Bleach or alcohol require less contact time than flaming to disinfect a faucet.
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The 'primary limits' refer to chemicals with maximum contaminant levels that can be exceeded.
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The term 'total coliform' means fecal and non-fecal coliform.
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Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms.
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If a routine sample is positive, flush the positive sample point, check the chlorine residual, then resample within 24 days of notification.
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To prevent the formation of THMs in surface water, chlorine is combined with _____ forming chloramine, combined chlorine residual.
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If there is no chlorine ______ at a faucet, do not sample, flush longer.
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All repeat samples must be collected on successive days.
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In the event of distribution pressure below ___ psi, _______ outages, repeated bad samples or chlorine _____ below minimum, special precautions must be instituted.
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Get the sample to the lab within ___________ or it will be rejected.
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At 0.8 - 1.0 mg/L, fluoride reduces dental cavities, but in higher doses (>2.0 mg/L) can cause _____ of teeth over time.
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One by-product of chlorinated drinking water is trihalomethane, a suspected carcinogen.
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Repeat samples must be taken at (a) the _______ ______ (b) within 5 connections upstream and (c) within 5 connections downstream.
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If you do not fill out the submission form completely, you risk losing credit for the sample.
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The presence of fecal coliform in a water sample indicates fecal contamination from a human or warm-blooded animal.
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The purpose of the sample site plan is to assure bacteriological samples are collected from ______ service connections which are representative of the distribution system.
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Keep the sample in ice or in a cooler prior to and during lab transport because heat stimulates bacterial growth.
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The action level for lead is _______ mg/L and for copper it is _____ mg/L.
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Low doses of heavy metals such as lead and copper can cause damage to the central nervous system over time.
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A certain group of bacteria is used to indicate the possible presence of a pathogen--- the ________ group.
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Disinfection is the destruction of disease-causing microorganisms called ______.
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At room temperature chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas that is ___ times heavier than air.
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The State requires ________ to be kept in stock for disinfecting new water lines.
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Hypochlorinators consist of a mixing tank and chemical solution feed pump.
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A full-face self-contained breathing apparatus or supplied air respirator must be readily accessible outside the fire station when chlorine gas is used.
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All public water systems must have chlorination facilities.
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If chlorine enters the eyes, flush with running cool water for at least ___ minutes and seek medical attention.
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Liquid bleach used in PWS must be ______ approved.
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Primary components of a gas feed chlorinator include an injector, flowrate controller, rotameter, and mixing tank.
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The maximum sustained gas withdrawal rate for pressure transmission 150 lb cylinders is ____ lbs/day.
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Utility operators use chlorine in three commercial forms: 1) pure chlorine in the liquid or gas state 2) bleach solutions 3) granular/tablet compounds.
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If chlorine contacts the skin, flush with an emergency shower or garden hose for at least an hour.
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Hypochlorous acid is the disinfectant and the _____ residual.
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If a major chlorine leak occurs, call the supplier and ______.
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The rotameter indicates the feed rate in _____ per day.
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Chlorine reacts with hydrocarbons producing heat or fire.
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Chlorinator rooms must be provided with facilities for determining the amount of disinfectant used ______.
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Dosage is the amount of chlorine applied in milligrams per liter or parts per billion.
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DPD reacts with chlorine producing a pink to ____ color.
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Residual is the amount of chlorine left after the demand is met.
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TCEQ requires a faucet for raw water sampling on the discharge pipe of each PWS well.
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Permeability is the ability to _____ water through the aquifer.
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The difference between the static level and pumping level is called the drawdown.
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Wells dug into artesian aquifers are considered _____ wells.
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The well screen prevents _____ from entering the well.
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Treatment of corrosive groundwater can be accomplished by adding alkalinity as lime or soda ash to adjust the pH.
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The line shaft turbine is driven by a motor located above the pump at ground level.
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Well casing supports the bore hole and helps protect the aquifer from contamination.
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The State requires a physical and chemical analysis of the water after 24 hours of pumping.
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Some artesian aquifer recharge areas (outcrop) are located many miles away from the well development site.
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A BacT sample, taken from a newly constructed well, on ____ consecutive days, must show negative results.
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Water in an aquifer is called _____ water.
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A sanitary control easement covering land within 1500 feet of a public well must be recorded in county courthouse records.
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The casing must extend at least ____ inches above the floor of the pump room or ground surface.
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Aquifers sandwiched between impermeable layers of rock or clay are called confined aquifers or artesian aquifers.
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Three ways to measure water levels are the wetted tape, electric sounder, and the ______.
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Study Notes
Water Usage and Demand
- Approximately 75% of water in Texas is utilized for commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes.
- Agricultural water demand in Texas comprises about 57% of total water usage.
Water Coverage and Quality
- Water covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface.
- Only about 1% of all the fresh water on Earth is easily accessible for use.
- Potable water means it is safe for drinking and has measurable chlorine residual.
Household Water Usage
- The average household consumes about 2,000 gallons of water per month for indoor use, excluding outdoor water use.
- Only about 1 gallon per person per day is used for drinking and cooking.
Water Regulations and Safety
- The Texas Department of Health took over the Safe Drinking Water Act supervision in 1978 from the EPA.
- The primary regulator of water utilities in Texas is TCEQ.
- All community and non-transient non-community PWS must be overseen by a licensed water works operator.
- The Safe Drinking Water Act establishes standards for drinking water, encompassing various characteristics.
Water Testing and Monitoring
- Chlorine residual should be checked before sampling; if absent, flush longer.
- There needs to be monitoring of average and maximum daily water demand to plan for community growth.
- Bacteriological samples must be collected according to specific guidelines, including for repeat samples taken within the same day.
Water Characteristics
- The physical characteristics of water include color, taste, odor, temperature, and turbidity.
- pH levels are crucial; water with a pH greater than 7 is considered alkaline.
- Excessive hardness in water typically arises due to high levels of calcium and magnesium.
Contaminants and Risks
- Trihalomethanes (THMs) are by-products of chlorinated water treatment, and are suspected carcinogens.
- The presence of fecal coliform indicates potential fecal contamination by warm-blooded animals.
Chlorination and Disinfection
- Disinfection efforts must effectively destroy pathogens, which are disease-causing microorganisms.
- Processes such as creating chloramine involve chlorination and are vital in maintaining water safety.
- Emergency protocols are established for chlorine leaks, including nearing TCEQ.
Water Well Management
- The Rule of Capture allows owners of wells to pump as much water as desired.
- Wells should prevent sand entry via screens and must adhere to specific standards for casing height above the ground surface.
- A well's natural recharge can come from areas distant from its development site, impacting aquifer sustainability.
Regulatory Compliance
- Monitoring for various contaminants such as lead and copper must adhere to state-mandated action levels.
- Maintaining records of water samples and analyses is essential for compliance and public safety.
- Sample site plans assure collection from representative service connections to ensure water quality monitoring.
Operational Standards
- Treatment plants must maintain specific turbidity levels, and residual chlorine is crucial in ensuring effective disinfection.
- Operators need to keep materials like calcium hypochlorite for new water line disinfection readily available.
General Knowledge
- One mole of water comprises two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
- Total dissolved solids (TDS) should not exceed 1000 mg/L for safe drinking water.
These notes encapsulate the fundamental facts and context without repeating details, providing a clear understanding necessary for the Class D Water Operator License Exam preparation.
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Test your knowledge with these flashcards designed for the Class D Water Operator License Exam in Texas. Learn essential facts about water usage, environmental conditions, and management practices critical for the exam. Perfect for both revision and deeper understanding of water operator responsibilities.
