Wastewater Collection Operator Certification Practice Exam

Wastewater Collection Operator Certification Practice Exam

• To prepare for the exam, become familiar with the need-to-know criteria and study for at least two months prior to taking the exam.

Tips for Taking the Exam

• Allow plenty of time to drive to the exam site and don't forget your ID.
• Read every question carefully to determine exactly what is being asked, and eliminate choices that are not possible.
• Pace yourself, and don't spend too much time on one question.
• Remember, you don't need to score 100% on the exam to pass, and you can pass with a score of 70% or higher.

Electrical Concepts

• Electrical current is measured in amps.
• Lockout/tagout procedures are required to avoid the risk of accidental operation of related equipment while working on an electrical system.

Safety and Health

• The minimum permissible oxygen level required for a work space is 19.5%.
• Face shields, gloves, and steel-toed work shoes are known as personal protection equipment.

Pumping and Flow Control

• A variable frequency drive will regulate pump flow by adjusting the pump's speed.
• When monitoring flow in an open channel that experiences surcharge conditions, a Parshall flume and a depth pressure sensor will provide the most accurate measurements.
• Inverted siphons are used to go under obstructions such as rivers, highways, and utilities.

Valve and Pipe Systems

• The type of valve used to prevent water from flowing backwards through a pump is called a check valve.
• The bottom of the inside of a sewer pipe is called the invert.
• Regular cleaning of areas in the sewer system that have frequent blockages is called preventive maintenance.

Wastewater Treatment and Collection

• A large pumping station that has separate chambers for the wastewater and the pumps is called a drywell pumping station.
• One thousand parts per million (ppm) of hydrogen sulfide gas is classified as immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).
• A capacity, management, operations, and maintenance (CMOM) program will improve the performance of the collection system.

Pipe Materials and Construction

• The type of pipe material commercially available for gravity sewer construction includes ductile iron, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride.
• Fiber-reinforced plastic pipe is used for manhole renewal in structures that are unsound.

Pump and Motor Operations

• Pumps are typically categorized as either kinetic energy pumps or positive-displacement pumps.
• Electric motors are designed for either alternating or direct current.
• Pump capacity is typically expressed in gallons per minute (gpm) or million gallons per day (mgd).

SCADA and Control Systems

• SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition.
• Short-lived transient pressure conditions in force mains and pressure pipes are known as water hammer.

Ventilation and Safety Requirements

• The "Ten State Standards" minimum ventilation requirement in a dry well of a sewer lift station is 30 air changes per hour intermittently or six air changes per hour continuously.

Miscellaneous

• A lightning arrester is a protective device for limiting the high surge voltages on equipment by releasing a surge current to the atmosphere.