Water Utility Operations: A Comprehensive Guide to Texas Regulations and Best Practices, Exams of Social Sciences

Download Water Utility Operations: A Comprehensive Guide to Texas Regulations and Best Practices and more Exams Social Sciences in PDF only on Docsity! Operators have a responsibility to provide drinking water that meets federal and state standards. (true/false) - Answers-true Water must be disinfected, delivered at inadequate pressure, and be ample in quantity. (true/false) - Answers-false (adequate pressure) Utility employees should guard the water supply and facilities from contamination, public tours, and even terrorism. (true/false) - Answers-false (public tours) The state requires bacteriological sample results be kept _____ years. - Answers-5 years Examples of community water systems include ________. a. municipalities b. municipal utility districts c. rural water supply corporations d. mobile home parks e. all the above - Answers-e. all of the above A federal agency impacting the water utility industry is the _____. - Answers-EPA The most important federal law impacting the water utility industry is the _____. - Answers-Safe Drinking Water Act (PL93-523) The four national safety and quality standards for drinking water covered in the Safe Drinking Water Act are physical, chemical, ________ and radiological. - Answers- bacteriological TEXAS CLASS D WATER LICENSE The state agency that regulates drinking water in Texas and administers the federal Safe Drinking Water Act is the ________. - Answers-TCEQ Water utility system personnel are required to notify the TCEQ of changes or alterations of the system, a new facility to be built, and water supply ________. - Answers-health hazards Some regional and local agencies impacting the water utility industry are municipal utility districts, rural water supply corporations, drainage districts, ________, groundwater conservation districts, and subsidence districts. - Answers-river authorities Public relations (PR) is the relationship between YOU, the water utility employee, and the _____. - Answers-customer The keys to good customer relations are (1) everything the utility does is PR, (2) customers are entitled to courteous treatment, (3) every employee is a PR person. (true/false) - Answers-true Meter readers are the persons with whom customers have the least contact. (true/false) - Answers-false (meter readers often have the most contact) Meter readers can be ambassadors of goodwill. (true/false) - Answers-true Maintenance crews can warn customers of service interruptions and provide signs and barriers to protect the public. (true/false) - Answers-true The plant operator is responsible for treating the water to assure it is safe to drink and use. (true/false) - Answers-true The state requires chemical analysis be kept at least _____ years. - Answers-10 years EPA requires a water system to keep a copy of each consumer confidence report at least _____ years. - Answers-5 years A public water system provides the public with piped water for human consumption, serves at least _____ service connections, and regularly serves at least _____ individuals daily at least _____ days out of the year. - Answers-15 service connections 25 individuals 60 days out of the year Before starting construction, the utility must submit engineering plans to the AWWA. (true/false) - Answers-false (plans must be submitted to TCEQ) Operators must keep records of water usage, system pressure, sample results, chlorine use, repairs, and maintenance. (true/false) - Answers-true Surface water systems must mail reports to the TCEQ in Austin by the 5th of the following month. (true/false) - Answers-by the 10th Water is always found pure in nature. (true/false) - Answers-false Physical characteristics of water are temperature, turbidity, color, taste, odor, and pH. (true/false) - Answers-false (pH is a chemical characteristic) _____ is the amount of suspended matter such as clay, silt, organic matter, and microorganisms in the water. - Answers-Turbidity Color in water can result from _____ or _____. - Answers-mineral or organic matter True color is dissolved in water (in solution) and can be removed by filtration. (true/false) - Answers-false Red water caused by oxidized iron is in suspension (apparent color) and cannot be removed by filtering. (true/false) - Answers-false Taste and odor comes from algae, bacteria, organic matter, gases, and chemicals. (true/false) - Answers-true Surface water supplies should be sampled for chemical analysis every year and groundwater supplies should be sampled _____. - Answers-every 3 years _____ and _____ and other minerals cause hardness in water. - Answers-Calcium and magnesium The pH scale ranges from _____ to _____. - Answers-0 to 14 A pH of _____ is neutral. - Answers-7 is neutral Common gases found in water include hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane, and sodium chloride. (true/false) - Answers-false (sodium chloride is table salt) Chemically, water is made of ________. - Answers-2 atoms of hydrogen and 1 atom of oxygen The hydrologic cycle is ________. a. nature's way of recycling water b. equipment used to measure distances c. the way water filters through the earth d. the process by which water runs into rivers and lakes - Answers-a. nature's way of recycling water The quality standard for public water supplies is based on the use of water for ________. - Answers-drinking One of the most important purposes of a public water supply is _______. a. swimming b. landscape watering c. car washing d. firefighting - Answers-d. firefighting Organic matter includes ________. a. sand b. plants, animals and humans c. minerals d. all listed - Answers-b. plants, animals and humans The most important treatment process is ________, which destroys disease-causing organisms. a. filtration b. disinfection c. softening d. fluoridation - Answers-b. disinfection Public water systems are required to compile a monthly report showing ________. a. rate increases b. accidents c. dates of dead-end flushing d. disciplinary action - Answers-c. dates of dead-end flushing Most groundwater is relatively free of suspended matter, but ________ can be a major problem in surface water. - Answers-turbidity Color in a public water supply should be less than _____ units. - Answers-less than 15 units Chemical characteristics of water include hardness, pH, solids, and ________. - Answers-gases Water is considered hard when it exceeds ________ mg/L of calcium carbonate. - Answers-100 (may vary depending on who you talk to) A gallon of water weighs _____ pounds and 1 mg/L equals one ________. - Answers- water weights 8.34 pounds 1 mg/L equals one part per million Hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air, colorless, flammable, toxic, and has a ________ odor. - Answers-rotten egg (unless you get a dose that's so heavy it numbs your sense of smell) Excessive nitrates in drinking water can cause ________ syndrome in infants. - Answers-blue baby syndrome Excessive amounts of fluoride may cause ________ or staining of teeth. - Answers- mottling Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids are byproducts of chlorination and may increase ________ risk. - Answers-cancer The action level for copper is _____ mg/L and for lead it is _____ mg/L. - Answers- copper is 1.3 mg/L lead is 0.015 mg/L _____ are underground, water-bearing formations yielding useful quantities of water. - Answers-Aquifers The quantity of water a formation yields depends on the thickness and _____ of the formation. - Answers-permeability Problems caused by _____ are declining water levels and subsidence. - Answers- overpumping Well _____ and cementing protect the well from collapse and surface contamination. - Answers-Well casing The purpose of the well screen is to keep out birds and insects. (true/false) - Answers- false (the well screen keeps out sand; the well vent screen keeps out birds and insects) The most important feature of the well screen is the length. (true/false) - Answers-false (the mesh size is the most important feature) The _____ of the screen is determined by the size of the aquifer material, the size of the gravel in the gravel pack, and the type of well development. - Answers-mesh size The gravel pack is fine gravel placed around the screen to reduce pumping _____. - Answers-sand _____ is the final step in removing suspended matter and chlorine-resistant microorganisms. - Answers-Filtering A common filter is the slow sand filter, having several layers of differently sized media. (true/false) - Answers-false (the rapid sand filter) A filter must be _____ when a head loss of 6 to 10 feet occurs. - Answers-backwashed Most surface water is low in minerals, gases, and ________. a. algae b. turbidity c. dissolved solids d. bacteria - Answers-c. dissolved solids Quality water has low amounts of color, turbidity, solids, and ________. a. oxygen b. taste and odor c. hydrogen d. all listed - Answers-b. taste and odor Pretreatment includes lake destratification, control of algae, debris removal, presedimentation, aeration, ________, and activated carbon adsorption. - Answers- chemical oxidation Copper sulfate in dosages of ________ and approved algaecides control algae blooms. a. 10 to 50 mg/L b. 1 to 5 mg/L c. 0.1 to 0.5 mg/L d. 0.01 to 0.05 mg/L - Answers-c. 0.1 to 0.5 mg/L The most effective treatment for taste and odor is adsorption with ________. - Answers- activated carbon Lime is applied to water to adjust ________. - Answers-adjust pH or alkalinity The process of using chemicals to clot particles together is called _____ and _____. - Answers-coagulation and flocculation Detention time in sedimentation basins must be at least ________ hours to allow floc to settle. - Answers-6 Factors affecting sedimentation are weight of the floc, ________, detention time, and short-circuiting. a. water temperature b. water velocity c. taste and odor d. a and b - Answers-d. water temperature and water velocity Backwashing should expand the filter bed by ________%. - Answers-30 to 50 A common filter problem is ________, prevented by proper backwashing. - Answers- mud balls Chemicals used in disinfection are chloramine, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and ________. - Answers-ozone Disinfection destroys disease-causing microorganisms called _____. - Answers- pathogens Disinfection destroys pathogens without sterilizing the water. (true/false) - Answers-true Waterborne pathogens live and grow in the intestines of infected people. (true/false) - Answers-true _____ fecal matter entering a water supply transmits pathogens to healthy people. - Answers-Infected Some diseases transmitted by unsafe water include typhoid, dysentery, cholera, measles, polio, and cryptosporidiosis. (true/false) - Answers-false (measles is not transmitted this way) Each water sample is tested for all waterborne diseases. (true/false) - Answers-false (not all) Water samples are tested for microorganisms that indicate _____ contamination. - Answers-fecal contamination The total coliform group of viruses are the indicators of fecal contamination. (true/false) - Answers-false (bacteria, not viruses) Fecal coliform live in the _____ of humans and warm-blooded animals. - Answers- intestines The presence of fecal coliform in a water sample indicates intestinal waste is in the sample, but there is no risk of disease. (true/false) - Answers-false The number of water taps served by the system determines the minimum number of bacteriological samples. (true/false) - Answers-false (the population determines the number) The purpose of the sample siting plan is to assure bacteriological samples are taken from vacant houses. (true/false) - Answers-false (vacant houses are not ideal sampling sites as they may sit empty for long amounts of time) _____ is put into bacteriological sample bottles to dechlorinate the water. - Answers- Sodium thiosulfate Before taking a bacteriological sample, you should _____. - Answers-flush the service line The bacteriological sample bottle should be completely filled with sample water. (true/false) - Answers-false (only fill 100 ml unless the lab tells you otherwise) The monthly bacteriological sample should be marked "construction." (true/false) - Answers-false (it should be marked routine) Get bacteriological samples to the lab within _____ hours or they are rejected. - Answers-30 It is possible to have positive bacteriological samples removed from your record. (true/false) - Answers-true It is _____ public health risk if a positive fecal coliform repeat sample or a positive total coliform repeat sample follows a positive fecal coliform routine sample. - Answers-an acute Acute violations require public notification within 72 hours by radio and television using the words "Minor Health Concern." (true/false) - Answers-false (it's a major health concern) In the event of low distribution pressure (below _____ psi), water outages, repeated unacceptable microbiological samples, or failure to maintain adequate chlorine residuals, special precautions must be instituted by the water system. - Answers-20 psi In Texas, all public water systems are required to have ________ facilities. a. ozonation b. chlorination c. softening d. trihalomethane - Answers-b. chlorination Chlorination is the most important process in the production of ________ water. - Answers-potable Besides disinfection, chlorine is used for taste and odor control and ________. a. oxidation of iron and manganese b. oxidation of hydrogen sulfide If a 30-inch diameter access opening is not provided in a storage tank, the primary roof access must not be less than _____ inches. - Answers-30 inches Storage must be painted, disinfected, and maintained according to OSHA standards. (true/false) - Answers-false (AWWA standards) No paint, coating, or wax containing _____ is allowed in storage tanks. - Answers-lead Storage tank coatings for contact with potable water must be approved by EPA, the National Sanitation Foundation, or the Food and Drug Administration. (true/false) - Answers-true _____ is a tank, usually steel, supported aboveground on a tower. - Answers-Elevated storage Pressure from an elevated tank is maintained by the _____. - Answers-height of the water column In storage tanks, each foot of water column produces _____ psi. - Answers-0.433 psi Water stored at least _____ feet above the highest service connection provides the state's minimum normal operating pressure of _____ psi. - Answers-80.85 feet above the highest connection 35 psi A _____ is a tank resting on the ground that is greater in height than diameter. - Answers-standpipe Pressure inside a _____ tank is provided by air mechanically compressed against the water surface. - Answers-hydropneumatic tank The exterior and interior of ground, elevated, standpipe, and pressure tanks must be inspected _____. - Answers-yearly Storage tank inspection results must be kept at least _____ years. - Answers-5 years _____ is an electrochemical method of preventing corrosion of the interior of metal tanks. - Answers-Cathodic protection Ownership signs must include the utility name and emergency phone number at each production, treatment, or storage site. (true/false) - Answers-true Chain link fence material must leave a gap at the ground to trim grass. (true/false) - Answers-false The state requires stored water to have a disinfectant demand. (true/false) - Answers- false (it requires a disinfectant residual) After construction or maintenance of a storage tank, a _____ sample must be taken after filling the tank. - Answers-bacteriological sample If the bacteriological sample from a storage tank is negative, more samples must be taken until two consecutive samples are positive. (true/false) - Answers-false (if negative you're good to go) Critical safeguards of a distribution system include a chlorine residual, adequate pressure, bacteriological sampling, and _____ control. - Answers-cross-connection control The TCEQ requires that distribution pressure never fall below _____ psi, even during emergencies, and normal distribution pressure must be at least _____ psi. - Answers- never fall below 20 psi 35 psi (normal distribution) Material used in water line construction must meet OSHA specifications and should not affect the taste, odor, or quality of the water. (true/false) - Answers-false (AWWA specifications) Plastic pipe must be NSF approved and have an ASTM pressure rating of at least _____ psi or a standard dimension ratio of _____. - Answers-150 psi dimension ratio of 26 Select pipe on the basis of strength, length carrying capacity, durability, ease of installation, availability, soil conditions, and cost. (true/false) - Answers-false (length shouldn't be a consideration) Prior to January 1, 2014, pipe and fittings containing more than 8.0% lead, or solders and flux containing more than 0.2% lead, are prohibited in a public water supply. (true/false) - Answers-true _____ valves cut off sections of a system. - Answers-Isolating valves _____ solves problems of taste, odor, red water, or bad samples. - Answers-Flushing The _____ meter is the most common design for residential use. - Answers-positive displacement meter Mains must be no closer than _____ feet, in all directions, from sewers or manholes. - Answers-9 feet Trenches for laying six-inch and larger pipe must be at least _____ inches wide and ________ inches wider than the pipe diameter. - Answers-18 inches wide 12 inches wider The top of a pipe in a trench must have at least ________ inches of cover. - Answers-24 inches Do not work in a trench ________ feet or deeper unless it is protected from cave-in. - Answers-5 feet Using timber, plywood, or commercial devices to support an excavation is known as ________. - Answers-shoring Shoring is not necessary if the trench walls are sloped to the maximum allowable ________. - Answers-slope Place spoil banks at least ________ feet from the trench excavation. - Answers-2 feet Dose new mains with ________ mg/L or more of chlorine at least ________ hours. - Answers-25 mg/L 24 hours Do not place a main into service until a bacteriological sample is tested with ________ results. - Answers-negative One bacteriological sample is required for each ________ feet of completed main. - Answers-1,000 feet Flushing reduces slime and scale buildup, reduces red water complaints, brings chlorinated water to contaminated areas, and removes ________ materials from the system. - Answers-chlorine-reducing Closing a hydrant valve too fast can cause water ________. - Answers-hammer ________ is a buildup of oxidized iron, calcium carbonate, or other chemicals in mains. - Answers-Tuberculation Factors that make water more corrosive are low pH, dissolved oxygen, and ________. - Answers-free chlorine Repairing a leak under some pressure has an advantage of ________. - Answers- reducing contamination risk A _____ is a physical connection between a public water supply, and 1) another supply of unknown or questionable quality, 2) any source that may contain contamination, 3) any water treated to a lesser degree. - Answers-cross connection If a ladder is used, it must extend at least ________ feet above the edge of the excavation and be within ________ feet laterally of anyone in the excavation. - Answers-3 feet above 25 feet laterally Excavation spoil must be kept at least ________ feet from the excavation. - Answers-2 feet Water utility employees have a right to product information under the ________. - Answers-Texas Hazard Communication Act One of the components of the Texas Hazard Communication Act is employee access to ________. - Answers-SDS (formerly MSDS) To prevent work area accidents, workers should be trained from the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, ________, Austin. - Answers-Texas Department of Transportation A system's filtered water must be ____ Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) or less in at least _____% of the measurements taken each month, and no sample can exceed _____ NTU. - Answers-0.3 NTUs 95% 1 NTU For chemical analysis, surface supplies are sampled ______ a year and groundwater is normally sampled every ______ years. - Answers-1 time 3 years Water weighs ______ lbs/gal. - Answers-8.34 lbs/gal Texas standard for fluoride in the water is _____ mg/L. The federal limit is _____. - Answers-2.0 mg/L 4.0 mg/L Byproducts of chlorine reacting with dissolved natural organic matter (mostly plant life) are _____ and _____. - Answers-Trihalomethanes (THM) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA). In water systems using surface water (or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water) the MCL for total trihalomethanes is _____ mg/L and the MCL for HAA5 (haloacetic acids) is _____ mg/L. - Answers-0.08 mg/L (THMs) 0.06 mg/L (HAAs) Low _____ can cause water to be corrosive. - Answers-pH Within 24 hours of learning of a total coliform positive during a routine sample test, at least _____ repeat samples must be collected and analyzed. - Answers-3 repeat samples Deep wells are usually _____ wells. - Answers-artesian wells Overpumping of groundwater is called _____. - Answers-mining Overpumping of groundwater can result in _____. - Answers-subsidence The water level in a well when the pump is not running is called the _____ level. - Answers-static level The difference between the pumping level and the static level is called the _____. - Answers-drawdown _____ is a process that forces water through a membrane. - Answers-Reverse osmosis Removing _____ from water also helps reduce pathogens that may cling to the particles. - Answers-turbidity The TCEQ considers a maximum turbidity of _____ NTUs as acceptable going into the filter. - Answers-10 NTUs The state requires pressure filters to operate at _____ gpm per square foot. - Answers-2 gpm per square foot Chemicals used to disinfect include chloramine, chlorine, chlorine dioxide and _____. - Answers-ozone A gallon of bleach containing 5.25% sodium hypochlorite contains about _____ lbs of chlorine. - Answers-0.44 lbs A 100-lb container of calcium hypochlorite (65%) contains 65 lbs of chlorine and _____ lbs of lime. - Answers-25 lbs of lime Calcium hypochlorite is not dry chlorine. Dry chlorine is pure chlorine, liquid or gas, containing less than _____ ppm water. - Answers-150 ppm The most commonly-used valve is the _____ valve. - Answers-gate valve The typical household faucet is a _____ valve. - Answers-globe valve An isolation valve is generally not used to _____. - Answers-throttle water flow _____ is the force the pump works against. - Answers-Head When there is no flow or pumping, the head is _____. When there is flow or pumping, the head is _____. - Answers-static dynamic _____ occurs inside the pump volute or casing and is caused by insufficient pressure on the suction side of the pump, which creates a vacuum and causes water vapor bubbles to form. - Answers-Cavitation Area = ____ x ____ - Answers-length x width Area of a circle = _____ x _____ x _____ - Answers-3.14 x radius x radius Volume = _____ x _____ x _____ - Answers-length x width x depth To find the volume of a vertical cylinder, first get the _____, then multiply by the _____. - Answers-area depth To calculate volume in gallons, multiply cubic feet by _____ gal/cu ft. - Answers-7.48 gal/cu ft To calculate volume in cubic yards, divide cubic feet by ____ cu ft/cu yd. - Answers-27 cu ft/cu yd There are _____ minutes per day. - Answers-1,440 minutes If you know the pumping level and the drawdown, how do you find the static level? - Answers-Subtract the drawdown from the pumping level If you know the pumping level and the static level, how do you find the drawdown? - Answers-Subtract the static level from the pumping level Detention time is calculated by dividing _____ by _____. - Answers-Tank capacity in gallons by flow rate