Water Operator Class D Study Guide

Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of the Water Utility Industry?

The production and delivery of safe drinking water to consumers.

Those who work in the public water industry have a responsibility to meet standards created by which types of government entities?

Federal and State.

What basic standards must water meet according to federal and state regulations?

Disinfected, delivered at adequate pressure, and be ample in quantity.

What should employees guard?

The water supply and facilities. Signup and view all the answers

From which three threats should employees guard the water supply and facilities?

Contamination, vandalism, and terrorism. Signup and view all the answers

For how long are bacteriological analysis records kept?

5 years. Signup and view all the answers

Chemical analysis records are kept for how long?

10 years. Signup and view all the answers

Records about actions taken to correct violations of primary drinking water regulations are kept for how long?

3 years after the last action taken. Signup and view all the answers

Documentation relating to sanitary surveys conducted are kept for how long after completion?

10 years. Signup and view all the answers

How long is documentation of a variance or exemption granted kept?

5 years after its expiration. Signup and view all the answers

Results of required tests, measurements, or analysis must be reported within how many days?

10 days following its completion. Signup and view all the answers

How long must a copy of Consumer Confidence reports be kept?

5 years. Signup and view all the answers

Which entity administers water operator licensing?

TCEQ. Signup and view all the answers

What does TCEQ stand for?

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Signup and view all the answers

What is the description of a public water system?

Regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily for at least 60 days out of the year; services at least 15 service connections. Signup and view all the answers

What do MUDs stand for?

Municipal Utility Districts. Signup and view all the answers

Water is essential to what?

Life and health. Signup and view all the answers

What are customers entitled to?

Courteous treatment and answers to questions about water. Signup and view all the answers

What type of public system is not required to compile monthly reports?

Systems that serve less than 100 connections or purchase treated water. Signup and view all the answers

Job training for water utility operators is available through which organizations?

American Water Works Association, Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas Water Utilities Association. Signup and view all the answers

All public water systems are required to employ certified operators even if the system only does what?

Redistributes treated water bought from another source. Signup and view all the answers

Cities, municipal utility districts, rural water supply corporations, mobile home parks, and campgrounds are examples of what?

Public water systems. Signup and view all the answers

What are examples of community water systems?

Cities, municipal utility districts, rural water supply corporations, mobile home parks, campgrounds. Signup and view all the answers

What is a non-community water system?

Any public water system that is not a community system. Signup and view all the answers

Travel trailer spaces, hotel and motel rooms, and service stations are examples of what type of water systems?

Non-community water systems. Signup and view all the answers

What is the federal agency that impacts the water industry?

EPA. Signup and view all the answers

What does EPA stand for?

Environmental Protection Agency. Signup and view all the answers

What is the most important federal law impacting the water utility industry?

Safe Drinking Water Act. Signup and view all the answers

What types of national safety and quality standards does the Safe Drinking Water Act establish?

Physical, Chemical, Bacteriological, Radiological. Signup and view all the answers

What is the state agency that regulates drinking water in Texas and administers the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act?

TCEQ. Signup and view all the answers

What must the water system notify the TCEQ about?

Change or alteration of the system; new facility to be built; water supply health hazards; change in water quality; change in water source. Signup and view all the answers

MUDs, Rural Water Supply Corporations, Drainage Districts, Ground Water Conservation Districts, Subsidence Districts, and River Authorities are what type of agencies, and what do they impact?

Regional and local agencies that impact the water utility industry. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between you and the customer called?

Public Relations. Signup and view all the answers

What does PR stand for?

Public Relations. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three keys to good customer relations?

Everything the utility does is PR; customers are entitled to courteous treatment; every employee is a PR person. Signup and view all the answers

Customers have the most contact with whom?

Meter Readers. Signup and view all the answers

How can meter readers act as ambassadors of goodwill?

Wearing identifying clothing; being neat and courteous; teaching customers how to read their meter; explaining utility policies such as delinquent notices or disputed readings; taking care of property. Signup and view all the answers

What can maintenance crews warn customers of?

Service interruptions. Signup and view all the answers

What can maintenance crews provide to protect the public?

Signs and barriers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the plant operator responsible for?

Making the water safe to drink and use. Signup and view all the answers

Water bills should be what four things?

Accurate; itemized; neat; legible. Signup and view all the answers

What type of attitude should the utility maintain?

Pride and professionalism. Signup and view all the answers

Employees should be kept informed of utility what?

Plans and policies. Signup and view all the answers

How should customer complaints be treated?

As legitimate and investigated as soon as possible. Signup and view all the answers

In small water systems, the operator is often what?

A meter reader, repair crew, and pump operator; the highest paid employee; a college graduate. Signup and view all the answers

What are stuffers?

Sent to customers in billing statements. Signup and view all the answers

Stuffers can be many things. Name four.

Departments to call for service; explanations of utility policy; a history of the utility; tips on water conservation. Signup and view all the answers

Delinquent payment notices should be what four things?

Tactful and tasteful; mailed in an envelope; businesslike. Signup and view all the answers

How often must community water systems provide customers with a report on the system's water quality?

Yearly. Signup and view all the answers

The annual system water quality report should be what?

Attractive; easy to understand. Signup and view all the answers

The annual system water quality report can build what?

Goodwill and trust with the customer. Signup and view all the answers

Good treatment of employees includes what three primary things?

Fair wages; benefits; safe working conditions. Signup and view all the answers

After action is taken on a complaint, what should the employee do?

Follow up with a phone call, postcard, or e-mail. Signup and view all the answers

Give three reasons why water plant facilities should be kept neat and clean.

To indicate a professional attitude; to keep public support; to keep confidence in the water quality. Signup and view all the answers

The employee should listen to special requests and look for ways to oblige the customer within what?

Utility policy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the chemical symbol for water?

H2O. Signup and view all the answers

Name the three forms of water.

Solid (ice), liquid (water), vapor (gas). Signup and view all the answers

What is the hydrological cycle?

The natural exchange of water between the earth and atmosphere. Signup and view all the answers

Average water use depends on what five things?

Temperature; rainfall; cost; supply; economic level. Signup and view all the answers

Where is Ground Water located?

Below the earth's surface (underground). Signup and view all the answers

Name the three sources of surface water.

Rivers; lakes; reservoirs. Signup and view all the answers

According to the TCEQ, future water supplies will be what?

More scarce. Signup and view all the answers

What is Raw Water?

Surface water or groundwater prior to treatment. Signup and view all the answers

How is groundwater tapped?

Wells. Signup and view all the answers

What is potable water?

Water that is free of disease-causing organisms, has a chlorine residual, and is safe for human consumption. Signup and view all the answers

Before construction, the utility must submit engineering plans to whom?

The AWWA. Signup and view all the answers

Operators should keep records of what five types of things?

Water usage; system pressure; sample results; repairs; amount of chlorine used. Signup and view all the answers

Reports by surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ at which location?

Austin. Signup and view all the answers

By when must reports for surface water systems be received by the TCEQ?

The 15th of the following month. Signup and view all the answers

How often are groundwater systems required to compile reports?

Monthly. Signup and view all the answers

Reports for groundwater systems must be kept for what?

Inspection or review but are not required to mail them in. Signup and view all the answers

What types of systems are not required to compile monthly reports?

Ground water & surface water that serve less than 100 connections. Signup and view all the answers

Water is never found in nature with what characteristic?

Pure. Signup and view all the answers

Name the five physical characteristics of water.

Temperature; turbidity; color; taste; and odor. Signup and view all the answers

What are the chemical characteristics of water?

Hardness; pH; solids; gases. Signup and view all the answers

What is turbidity?

The amount of suspended matter such as clay, silt, organic matter, and microorganisms in water. Signup and view all the answers

Color in water can result from what?

Mineral or organic matter. Signup and view all the answers

What is true color?

Dissolved in water; cannot be removed by filtering. Signup and view all the answers

What is apparent color?

Suspended in water; can be filtered out. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of true color.

Tea. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of apparent color.

Red water caused by oxidized iron. Signup and view all the answers

What do algae, bacteria, organic matter, gases, and chemicals give to water?

Taste and color. Signup and view all the answers

Chemicals in water are measured in what?

mg/L. Signup and view all the answers

What does mg/L stand for?

Milligrams per liter. Signup and view all the answers

How often should surface water be sampled for chemical analysis?

Once a year. Signup and view all the answers

How often should groundwater be sampled for chemical analysis?

Every 3 years. Signup and view all the answers

What causes hardness in water?

Calcium and magnesium and other minerals. Signup and view all the answers

What is the range of the pH scale?

0 to 14. Signup and view all the answers

What is acidic on the pH scale? (number range)

From 0 to 7. Signup and view all the answers

What is basic on the pH scale?

From 7 to 14. Signup and view all the answers

What is neutral on the pH scale?

<ol start="7"> <li></li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What are suspended solids?

Solids that can be removed by filtering. Signup and view all the answers

What are dissolved solids?

Solids that cannot be removed by filtering. Signup and view all the answers

Name three common gases found in water.

Hydrogen sulfide; carbon dioxide; methane. Signup and view all the answers

Chemically, water is made up of what?

Two atoms of hydrogen; one atom of oxygen. Signup and view all the answers

What is nature's way of recycling water?

The hydrological cycle. Signup and view all the answers

What is the quality water standard of public water supplies?

Drinking. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the most important purposes of a public water supply?

Fire fighting. Signup and view all the answers

What does organic matter include?

Matter that is alive or once was alive. Signup and view all the answers

What is the most important treatment process for water?

Disinfection. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Water Utility Industry Overview

The primary purpose involves the production and delivery of safe drinking water to consumers.
Workers in the public water industry are accountable to federal and state standards.

Water Quality Standards

Water must be disinfected, delivered at adequate pressure, and available in sufficient quantity.
Bacteriological analysis records must be maintained for 5 years; chemical analysis records for 10 years.
Records of actions taken to correct primary drinking water regulation violations are kept for 3 years post-action.

Documentation and Reporting

Sanitary survey documentation is retained for 10 years after completion.
Variance or exemption records are held for 5 years after expiration.
Test results must be reported within 10 days of completion.
Consumer Confidence Reports (required by the EPA) must be retained for 5 years.

Regulatory Bodies

TCEQ administers water operator licensing and regulates drinking water in Texas.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) plays a significant role in water industry regulations.

Public Water Systems

Defined as systems serving at least 25 individuals daily for 60 days per year; must have at least 15 service connections.
Examples include cities, municipal utility districts, rural water supply corporations, mobile home parks, and campgrounds.
Non-community water systems serve smaller populations or transient users.

Consumer Relations and Responsibilities

Building customer relations hinges on courteous treatment and providing clear information.
Meter readers are crucial for interaction with customers and can enhance public relations.

Water Treatment and Safety

Facilities must be maintained clean and organized to reflect professionalism and public confidence.
The chemical symbol for water is H2O, and it exists in solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (vapor) forms.
Safety standards include defining potable water as free from disease and having a chlorine residual.

Water Sources and Quality Assessment

Surface water collects from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs; groundwater is accessed via wells.
Raw water refers to untreated surface or groundwater.
The hydrological cycle describes the natural exchange of water between Earth and the atmosphere.

Water Properties and Testing

Water characteristics include physical attributes (temperature, turbidity, color, taste, odor) and chemical traits (hardness, pH, solids).
The pH scale ranges from 0 (acidic) to 14 (basic), with neutral being 7.
Hardness results from calcium and magnesium concentrations.

Treatment Processes

Disinfection remains the most critical treatment process to ensure water safety.
Regular sampling for chemical analysis is mandated; surface water must be sampled yearly, while groundwater is sampled every three years.

Miscellaneous Facts

Employees must engage with customers and address complaints promptly.
Bill statements should be clear, itemized, and professional.
Awareness of future water supply challenges highlighted by TCEQ indicates a need for sustainable practices.

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Description

This quiz covers essential concepts and responsibilities in the Water Utility Industry. It addresses the production and delivery of safe drinking water, as well as the standards set by federal and state government entities. Perfect for those preparing for a Water Operator license.