1. Q: What does GPM stand for? ANSWER Gallons Per Minute - a measure
of water flow rate.
2. Q: What is the maximum system capacity for NGWA (K) certification?
ANSWER Less than 100 GPM (gallons per minute).
3. Q: What is a water well? ANSWER An excavation or structure created in
the ground to access groundwater in underground aquifers.
4. Q: What is an aquifer? ANSWER An underground layer of water-bearing
permeable rock, sand, or gravel from which groundwater can be extracted.
5. Q: What are the two main types of aquifers? ANSWER Confined
(artesian) aquifers and unconfined (water table) aquifers.
6. Q: What is the water table? ANSWER The upper surface of the zone of
saturation where the soil or rock is permanently saturated with water.
7. Q: What is static water level? ANSWER The level of water in a well when
no water is being withdrawn.
8. Q: What is pumping water level? ANSWER The level of water in a well
while the pump is operating.
9. Q: What is drawdown? ANSWER The difference between static water
level and pumping water level.
10. Q: What is specific capacity? ANSWER The yield of a well per unit of
drawdown, expressed as GPM per foot of drawdown.
11. Q: What is yield? ANSWER The volume of water that a well can produce
per unit of time.
12. Q: What is a confined aquifer? ANSWER An aquifer bounded above and
below by impermeable layers (aquitards or aquicludes).
13. Q: What is an unconfined aquifer? ANSWER An aquifer with the water
table as its upper boundary.
14. Q: What is artesian pressure? ANSWER The pressure that causes water
to rise above the top of a confined aquifer.
,15. Q: What is a flowing artesian well? ANSWER A well where artesian
pressure is sufficient to bring water to the surface without pumping.
16. Q: What is permeability? ANSWER The ability of a material to transmit
water through its pores and fractures.
17. Q: What is porosity? ANSWER The percentage of void space in a rock or
sediment that can contain water.
18. Q: What is recharge? ANSWER The process by which water is added to
an aquifer from precipitation or surface water.
19. Q: What is the zone of saturation? ANSWER The area below the water
table where all pore spaces are filled with water.
20. Q: What is a borehole? ANSWER The hole drilled into the ground to
construct a well.
21. Q: What is well casing? ANSWER Pipe installed in a well to prevent
collapse and seal out surface contamination.
22. Q: What is well screen? ANSWER A filtering device that allows water to
enter the well while keeping sediment out.
23. Q: What is a gravel pack? ANSWER Graded gravel or sand placed
around a well screen to increase efficiency and prevent sand pumping.
24. Q: What is the annular space? ANSWER The space between the well
casing and the borehole wall.
25. Q: What is a sanitary seal? ANSWER A watertight seal at the top of a
well casing to prevent contamination.
26. Q: What is the minimum recommended distance between a well and
septic system? ANSWER Typically 50-100 feet, depending on local codes
(often 50 feet minimum).
27. Q: What is well development? ANSWER The process of removing fine
materials from around the well screen to improve water flow.
28. Q: What is surging? ANSWER A well development technique involving
rapid raising and lowering of water levels.
29. Q: What is airlift pumping? ANSWER A development method using
compressed air to lift water and sediment from the well.
30. Q: What is hydrofracturing? ANSWER A technique to increase well
yield by creating or expanding fractures in bedrock.
, 31. Q: What is the purpose of well disinfection? ANSWER To eliminate
bacteria and other microorganisms introduced during well construction or
maintenance.
32. Q: What chemical is commonly used for well disinfection? ANSWER
Chlorine, typically as sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) or calcium
hypochlorite.
33. Q: What is the typical contact time for well disinfection? ANSWER 12-
24 hours minimum.
34. Q: What is a pitless adapter? ANSWER A device that provides a
sanitary, frost-proof connection through the well casing below ground.
35. Q: What is the purpose of a well cap? ANSWER To seal the top of the
well casing and prevent contamination while allowing access.
36. Q: What is total well depth? ANSWER The distance from ground surface
to the bottom of the well.
37. Q: What is casing depth? ANSWER The distance from ground surface to
the bottom of the well casing.
38. Q: What is a packer? ANSWER A device used to seal off sections of a
well or create watertight seals.
39. Q: What is grout? ANSWER A sealing material (usually cement-based)
used to fill the annular space and prevent contamination.
40. Q: What is the purpose of a weep hole? ANSWER A small hole that
allows drainage and prevents pressure buildup in certain installations.
SECTION 2: PUMPS AND PUMPING SYSTEMS (Questions 41-90)
41. Q: What are the two main types of pumps used in small water systems?
ANSWER Submersible pumps and jet pumps.
42. Q: Where is a submersible pump located? ANSWER Submerged in the
water inside the well casing.
43. Q: What are the main components of a submersible pump? ANSWER
Motor, pump end (impellers and diffusers), and pump housing.
44. Q: What is the advantage of a submersible pump? ANSWER Efficient
operation, no priming needed, quiet operation, and protected from freezing.
of water flow rate.
2. Q: What is the maximum system capacity for NGWA (K) certification?
ANSWER Less than 100 GPM (gallons per minute).
3. Q: What is a water well? ANSWER An excavation or structure created in
the ground to access groundwater in underground aquifers.
4. Q: What is an aquifer? ANSWER An underground layer of water-bearing
permeable rock, sand, or gravel from which groundwater can be extracted.
5. Q: What are the two main types of aquifers? ANSWER Confined
(artesian) aquifers and unconfined (water table) aquifers.
6. Q: What is the water table? ANSWER The upper surface of the zone of
saturation where the soil or rock is permanently saturated with water.
7. Q: What is static water level? ANSWER The level of water in a well when
no water is being withdrawn.
8. Q: What is pumping water level? ANSWER The level of water in a well
while the pump is operating.
9. Q: What is drawdown? ANSWER The difference between static water
level and pumping water level.
10. Q: What is specific capacity? ANSWER The yield of a well per unit of
drawdown, expressed as GPM per foot of drawdown.
11. Q: What is yield? ANSWER The volume of water that a well can produce
per unit of time.
12. Q: What is a confined aquifer? ANSWER An aquifer bounded above and
below by impermeable layers (aquitards or aquicludes).
13. Q: What is an unconfined aquifer? ANSWER An aquifer with the water
table as its upper boundary.
14. Q: What is artesian pressure? ANSWER The pressure that causes water
to rise above the top of a confined aquifer.
,15. Q: What is a flowing artesian well? ANSWER A well where artesian
pressure is sufficient to bring water to the surface without pumping.
16. Q: What is permeability? ANSWER The ability of a material to transmit
water through its pores and fractures.
17. Q: What is porosity? ANSWER The percentage of void space in a rock or
sediment that can contain water.
18. Q: What is recharge? ANSWER The process by which water is added to
an aquifer from precipitation or surface water.
19. Q: What is the zone of saturation? ANSWER The area below the water
table where all pore spaces are filled with water.
20. Q: What is a borehole? ANSWER The hole drilled into the ground to
construct a well.
21. Q: What is well casing? ANSWER Pipe installed in a well to prevent
collapse and seal out surface contamination.
22. Q: What is well screen? ANSWER A filtering device that allows water to
enter the well while keeping sediment out.
23. Q: What is a gravel pack? ANSWER Graded gravel or sand placed
around a well screen to increase efficiency and prevent sand pumping.
24. Q: What is the annular space? ANSWER The space between the well
casing and the borehole wall.
25. Q: What is a sanitary seal? ANSWER A watertight seal at the top of a
well casing to prevent contamination.
26. Q: What is the minimum recommended distance between a well and
septic system? ANSWER Typically 50-100 feet, depending on local codes
(often 50 feet minimum).
27. Q: What is well development? ANSWER The process of removing fine
materials from around the well screen to improve water flow.
28. Q: What is surging? ANSWER A well development technique involving
rapid raising and lowering of water levels.
29. Q: What is airlift pumping? ANSWER A development method using
compressed air to lift water and sediment from the well.
30. Q: What is hydrofracturing? ANSWER A technique to increase well
yield by creating or expanding fractures in bedrock.
, 31. Q: What is the purpose of well disinfection? ANSWER To eliminate
bacteria and other microorganisms introduced during well construction or
maintenance.
32. Q: What chemical is commonly used for well disinfection? ANSWER
Chlorine, typically as sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) or calcium
hypochlorite.
33. Q: What is the typical contact time for well disinfection? ANSWER 12-
24 hours minimum.
34. Q: What is a pitless adapter? ANSWER A device that provides a
sanitary, frost-proof connection through the well casing below ground.
35. Q: What is the purpose of a well cap? ANSWER To seal the top of the
well casing and prevent contamination while allowing access.
36. Q: What is total well depth? ANSWER The distance from ground surface
to the bottom of the well.
37. Q: What is casing depth? ANSWER The distance from ground surface to
the bottom of the well casing.
38. Q: What is a packer? ANSWER A device used to seal off sections of a
well or create watertight seals.
39. Q: What is grout? ANSWER A sealing material (usually cement-based)
used to fill the annular space and prevent contamination.
40. Q: What is the purpose of a weep hole? ANSWER A small hole that
allows drainage and prevents pressure buildup in certain installations.
SECTION 2: PUMPS AND PUMPING SYSTEMS (Questions 41-90)
41. Q: What are the two main types of pumps used in small water systems?
ANSWER Submersible pumps and jet pumps.
42. Q: Where is a submersible pump located? ANSWER Submerged in the
water inside the well casing.
43. Q: What are the main components of a submersible pump? ANSWER
Motor, pump end (impellers and diffusers), and pump housing.
44. Q: What is the advantage of a submersible pump? ANSWER Efficient
operation, no priming needed, quiet operation, and protected from freezing.
