29 Questions
What is the purpose of a septic tank?
To receive and partially treat raw wastewater
What does 'influent' refer to in the context of a septic tank?
The untreated wastewater entering the septic tank
What causes a decrease in treatment efficiency in a sewage collection system?
Groundwater seepage into the system
What is 'scum' in the context of a septic tank?
Accumulated floating material in the tank including grease and oils
What must be done with septage produced in a septic tank?
It needs to be pumped, hauled, treated, and disposed of properly
What is the function of a vent pipe in a plumbing system?
Relieves negative pressure exerted thru the roof
Which part of the drainage system conveys only wastewater or liquid waste free of fecal matter?
Waste pipe
What does a house/building drain do in a plumbing system?
Receives discharge from soil, waste, and other drainage pipes inside a building
What is a branch in a plumbing system?
Any part of piping system other than a main, riser, or stack
Which part of the drainage system extends from the house drain to the street?
House sewer
What is the function of a stack in a plumbing system?
Main vertical piping system
What is a Cone of Depression?
The lowering of water level near a well due to increased flow convergence.
According to Darcy's Law, what does the flow of water through a column of saturated sand depend on?
The difference in hydraulic head at the ends of the column.
How is drawdown defined in relation to a well?
The extent of lowering of the water level when pumping is in progress.
What does head refer to in hydrogeology?
The pressure of water due to the height above sea level.
What defines an artesian aquifer?
An aquifer where water rises above the level at which it is encountered.
What factor does flow velocity depend on in hydrogeology?
The type of soil or rock present.
What is the purpose of a trap seal in a drainage system?
To provide a liquid seal to prevent backflow of foul air or methane gas
What is the function of a septic tank in a drainage system?
To digest organic matter and retain solids
What does a down spout do in a building's drainage system?
Conveys rainwater vertically
How is potable water distinguished from nonpotable water visually?
Green background with white lettering
What is the trap dip in a drainage trap?
The U-bend portion of the trap
In a drainage pipe, how is the slope usually expressed?
In inches per foot length of pipe
What does transmissivity refer to in hydrogeology?
The capacity of an aquifer material to transmit water under pressure gradient
What is the significance of the water table in hydrogeology?
It is the upper surface of a zone of saturation
What is the function of a corporation cock in water infrastructure?
Valve screwed into the street water main
In hydrogeology, what does well interference refer to?
Drawdown in a pumping well due to drawdown from another pumping well
What is measured using units like gallons per minute and cubic feet per second in hydrogeology?
The volume of water discharged from a well per unit of time
What does a curb stop typically serve as in a building's water supply system?
Control valve for building water supply
Study Notes
Sanitary Drainage System
- Freeboard or Airspace: the distance measured from the liquid level line to the inside top of the septic tank
- Influent: untreated wastewater or raw sewage entering into a septic tank or any wastewater treatment facility
- Infiltration: seepage of groundwater into a sewage collection system that causes dilution of sewage resulting in a decrease in treatment efficiency
Septic Tank and its Components
- Scum: accumulated floating material, including grease, oils, and other low-density solid in a septic tank
- Septage: liquid, solid, and semisolid material that results from wastewater pretreatment in a septic tank
- Septic tank: a watertight rectangular receptacle designed and constructed to receive and partially treat raw wastewater
Essential Parts of the Sanitary Drainage System
- Waste Pipe: conveys only wastewater or liquid waste free of fecal matter
- Soil Pipe: any pipe that conveys the discharge of water closet, urinal fixtures, with or without the discharges from other fixtures to the building drain or building sewer
- Vent Pipe: used for ensuring the circulation of air in a plumbing system and for relieving the negative pressure exerted through the roof
- Stack: the vertical main of a system of soil, waste, or vent piping extending through one or more stories and extended through the roof
- Vent Stack: the vertical vent pipe installed primarily for providing circulation of air to and from any part of the soil, waste, or drainage system
- Branch: any part of the piping system other than a main, riser, or stack
- House/Building Drain: part of the lowest horizontal piping of a plumbing system which receives the discharge from the soil, waste, and other drainage pipes inside of a building and conveys it to the house sewer outside of the building
- House/Building Sewer: extends from the house drain at a point 0.60 meters from the outside face of the foundation wall of a building to the junction with the street or to any point of discharge, and conveying the drainage of one building site
- Grade: the fall of a line of pipe in reference to a horizontal plane
Trap and Septic Tank
- Trap: a fitting or device designed and constructed to provide, when properly vented, a liquid seal that prevents the backflow of foul air or methane gas without materially affecting the flow of sewage or wastewater through it
- Trap Arm: the waste are portion of a drainage trap
- Trap Dip: the U-bend portion of a drainage trap
- Trap Seal: the height of water in a toilet bowl “at rest”
- Trap Seal Depth: the vertical distance between the trap dip and the trap weir
- Trap Weir: the point of a trap where water will begin to flow down the trap arm
Water Supply and Distribution
- Potable Water: water that is safe for human consumption
- Nonpotable Water: water that is not safe for human consumption
- Alternate Water Systems: alternative sources of water supply
Well Hydrogeologic Definitions
- Artesian Aquifer: an aquifer where groundwater is under sufficient pressure to rise above the level at which it is encountered
- Cone of Depression: the form of the water surface developed around a well when pumping, resembling a cone-shaped depression
- Darcy's Law: the flow of water through a column of saturated sand is proportional to the difference in hydraulic head at the ends of the column and inversely proportional to the length of the column
- Drawdown: the extent of lowering of the water level when pumping is in progress or when water is discharging from the flowing well
- Flow Velocity: the rate in distance per unit of time that groundwater moves through a soil or rock
- Head: the pressure of water on an area due to the height at which the water stands above the point where the pressure is determined
- Transmissivity: the capacity of an aquifer material to transmit water under the influence of a pressure gradient
- Well Interference: drawdown in a pumping well due to drawdown from another pumping well
- Well Yield: the volume of water per unit of time discharged from a well, either by pumping or by free flow
Test your knowledge of plumbing terminology with this quiz covering terms like fall, trap, trap arm, trap dip, and trap seal. Learn about the different components of a drainage system and their functions.
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