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Georgia Industrial Wastewater Exam Actual Test
Questions and Correct Answers With Rationales
LATEST THIS YEAR
Summarized Exam Coverage – GA Industrial Wastewater
Georgia Water Quality Control Act (O.C.G.A. 12-5-20), Rules for Industrial Wastewater (Chapter
391-3-7), National Pretreatment Program (40 CFR 403), local limits, industrial discharge permits (NPDES,
IWW permits), sampling and monitoring (grab vs composite, chain of custody), treatment technologies
(equalization, neutralization, coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation, DAF, biological treatment –
activated sludge, anaerobic, lagoons), metals removal, oil/water separation, cyanide treatment, hex
chrome reduction, pH control, toxic organic control, slug discharge prevention, spill control plans, safety
(confined space, H2S, chemical handling), laboratory analysis (BOD, COD, TSS, metals, pH), flow
measurement, recordkeeping, and troubleshooting.
1. A Georgia industrial facility discharges to a municipal POTW. The facility must comply with:
A) NPDES permit directly
B) Local limits and national pretreatment standards
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C) Only local sewer use ordinance
D) No permit required
Answer: B – Industrial users must meet national categorical standards (if applicable) and local limits set
by the POTW.
2. An operator measures the pH of an industrial wastewater discharge at 3.5. Before discharging to a
municipal sewer, the minimum pH required is:
A) 5.0
B) 6.0
C) 6.5
D) 7.0
Answer: A – Georgia rules and most local limits require pH between 5.0 and 12.0 (or narrower).
Minimum 5.0 is common.
3. A plating facility uses hexavalent chromium. The pretreatment system reduces Cr(VI) to Cr(III) using
which chemical?
A) Sodium hydroxide
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B) Sulfur dioxide or sodium bisulfite
C) Ferric chloride
D) Polymer
Answer: B – Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III) using a reducing agent (sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, ferrous
sulfate) at low pH.
4. An industrial wastewater operator must take a sample for total metals. The sample should be
collected as:
A) Grab sample
B) Composite sample over 24 hours
C) Flow-weighted composite
D) Either grab or composite depending on permit
Answer: D – Metals often require grab sample unless permit specifies composite; must follow permit.
5. A facility uses a dissolved air flotation (DAF) system to remove oil and grease. The whitewater
(air-water mixture) is typically introduced at:
A) The bottom of the DAF tank
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B) The inlet of the flocculation tank
C) The recycle line mixed with influent
D) The sludge hopper
Answer: C – Whitewater is mixed with influent or introduced at the DAF inlet to form microbubbles.
6. A chemical plant’s equalization basin has a detention time of 8 hours. The influent pH varies from 4 to
11. The effluent pH is stable at 7.5. This indicates:
A) The equalization basin is not working
B) Proper mixing and neutralization are occurring
C) The basin is too small
D) The pH probe is faulty
Answer: B – Equalization with adequate mixing smooths pH and flow variations.
7. A Georgia industrial user is subject to categorical pretreatment standards. These standards are based
on:
A) Best Available Technology (BAT)
B) Best Practicable Control Technology (BPT)
Georgia Industrial Wastewater Exam Actual Test
Questions and Correct Answers With Rationales
LATEST THIS YEAR
Summarized Exam Coverage – GA Industrial Wastewater
Georgia Water Quality Control Act (O.C.G.A. 12-5-20), Rules for Industrial Wastewater (Chapter
391-3-7), National Pretreatment Program (40 CFR 403), local limits, industrial discharge permits (NPDES,
IWW permits), sampling and monitoring (grab vs composite, chain of custody), treatment technologies
(equalization, neutralization, coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation, DAF, biological treatment –
activated sludge, anaerobic, lagoons), metals removal, oil/water separation, cyanide treatment, hex
chrome reduction, pH control, toxic organic control, slug discharge prevention, spill control plans, safety
(confined space, H2S, chemical handling), laboratory analysis (BOD, COD, TSS, metals, pH), flow
measurement, recordkeeping, and troubleshooting.
1. A Georgia industrial facility discharges to a municipal POTW. The facility must comply with:
A) NPDES permit directly
B) Local limits and national pretreatment standards
, Page 2 of 94
C) Only local sewer use ordinance
D) No permit required
Answer: B – Industrial users must meet national categorical standards (if applicable) and local limits set
by the POTW.
2. An operator measures the pH of an industrial wastewater discharge at 3.5. Before discharging to a
municipal sewer, the minimum pH required is:
A) 5.0
B) 6.0
C) 6.5
D) 7.0
Answer: A – Georgia rules and most local limits require pH between 5.0 and 12.0 (or narrower).
Minimum 5.0 is common.
3. A plating facility uses hexavalent chromium. The pretreatment system reduces Cr(VI) to Cr(III) using
which chemical?
A) Sodium hydroxide
, Page 3 of 94
B) Sulfur dioxide or sodium bisulfite
C) Ferric chloride
D) Polymer
Answer: B – Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III) using a reducing agent (sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, ferrous
sulfate) at low pH.
4. An industrial wastewater operator must take a sample for total metals. The sample should be
collected as:
A) Grab sample
B) Composite sample over 24 hours
C) Flow-weighted composite
D) Either grab or composite depending on permit
Answer: D – Metals often require grab sample unless permit specifies composite; must follow permit.
5. A facility uses a dissolved air flotation (DAF) system to remove oil and grease. The whitewater
(air-water mixture) is typically introduced at:
A) The bottom of the DAF tank
, Page 4 of 94
B) The inlet of the flocculation tank
C) The recycle line mixed with influent
D) The sludge hopper
Answer: C – Whitewater is mixed with influent or introduced at the DAF inlet to form microbubbles.
6. A chemical plant’s equalization basin has a detention time of 8 hours. The influent pH varies from 4 to
11. The effluent pH is stable at 7.5. This indicates:
A) The equalization basin is not working
B) Proper mixing and neutralization are occurring
C) The basin is too small
D) The pH probe is faulty
Answer: B – Equalization with adequate mixing smooths pH and flow variations.
7. A Georgia industrial user is subject to categorical pretreatment standards. These standards are based
on:
A) Best Available Technology (BAT)
B) Best Practicable Control Technology (BPT)
