Water Operator Class D Study Guide 2023 with complete
solution
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 these types of government entities.
Federal and State
basic federal and state standards state that Water must be:
disinfected, delivered at adequate pressure, and be ample in quantity.
Employees should guard what
the water supply and facilities
Employees should guard the water supply and facilities from these three things.
contamination, vandalism and terrorism
Bacteriological analysis records are kept for
5 years
Chemical analysis records are kept for
10 years
Records about action taken to correct violations of primary drinking water
regulations are kept for
3 years after last action taken
Written documentation relating to sanitary surveys conducted are kept for
10 years after the survey is completed
Documentation of a variance or exemption granted is kept for
5 years after its expiration
Results of required tests, measurements or analysis must be reported
within 10 days following its completion
A copy of Consumer Confidence reports (EPA Required)must be kept for
5 years
Administers water operator licensing
TCEQ
TCEQ
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Description of a public water system
Regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year.Services at
least 15 service connections.
MUDs
Municipal Utility Districts
Water is essential to
Life and health
Customers are entitled to
courteous treatment & answers to questions about water
This type of public system is not required to compile monthly reports
systems that serve less than 100 connections OR purchase treated water
Job training for water utility operators is available through these 3 organizations
,American Water Works Association, Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas
Water Utilities Association
All public water systems are required to employ certified operators even if the
system only
redistributes treated water bought from another source
cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations mobile home
parks, campgrounds are examples of:
Public Water Systems
Examples of community water systems
cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations, mobile home parks,
campgrounds
Non-community water system
Any public water system that is not a community system
travel trailer spaces, Hotel and motel rooms, service stations are examples of this
type of water systems
non-community water systems
The federal agency that impacts the water industry
EPA
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
The most important federal law impacting the water utility industry is the
Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act establishes these 4 national safety and quality
standards
Physical, Chemical, Bacteriological, Radiological
The state agency that regulated drinking water in Texas and administers the
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
TCEQ
The water system must notify the TCEQ when (5 items)
there is a change or alteration of the system; a new facility to be build; water supply
health hazards; change in water quality; change in water source
MUDs; Rural Water Supply Corporations; Drainage Districts; Ground Water
Conservation Districts; Subsidence Districts and River Authorities -- These are
what type of agencies and what do they impact?
Regional and local agencies that impact the water utility industry
The relationship between you and the customer
Public Relations
PR
Public Relations
Wat are the three keys to good customer relations
Everything the utility does is PR; Customers are entitles to courteous treatment; Every
employee is a PR person
Customers have the most contact with
Meter Readers
Meter readers can be ambassadors of goodwill by doing these 5 things
,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 or property
Maintenance crews can warn customers of
service interruptions
Maintenance crews can provide this to protect the public
signs and barriers
The plant operator is responsible for making the water
safe to drink and use
Water bills should be 4 things
accurate; itemized; neat; legible
It is important that the utility have a sense of this (attitude)
pride and professionalism
Employees should be kept informed of utility...
plans and policies
How should customer complaints be treated?
as legitimate and investigated as soon as possible
In small water systems the operator is often
a meter reader, repair crew and pump operator; the highest paid employee; a college
graduate
Stuffers are
sent to customers in billing statements
Suffers can be many things. Name 4.
departments to call for service; explanations of utility policy; a history of the utility; tips
on water conservation
Delinquent payment notices should be (4 things)
tactful and tasteful; mailed in an envelope; businesslike
The EPA requires community water systems to The water system must provide
customers with a report on the system's water quality how often?
yearly
The annual system water quality report should be
attractive; easy to understand
The annual system water quality report can build what
goodwill and trust with the customer
Good treatment of employees includes 3 primary things
fair wages; benefits; safe working conditions
After action is taken on a complaint the employee should do this to to make sure
everything is satisfactory(OK).
follow up with a phone call, post card or e-mail
Give 3 reasons that 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
The employee should listen to special requests and look for ways to oblige the
customer within
utility policy
The chemical symbol for water
, H2O
Three forms of water
solid(ice); liquid(water); water(vapor/gas)
Hydrological cycle
the natural exchange of water between the earth and atmosphere
Average water use depends on these 5 things
temperature; rainfall; cost; supply; economic level
Ground Water is located
located below the earth's surface (underground)
Name the three places that surface water comes from.
rivers; lakes; reservoirs
According to the TCEQ, future water supplies will be
more scarce
Raw Water
Surface water or ground water prior to treatment
Ground water is tapped by
wells
Potable water
water that is free of disease-causing organisms, has a chlorine residual and is safe for
human consumption
Before construction, the utility must submit engineering plans to
the AWWA
Operators should keep records of 5 types of things
water usage; system pressure; sample results; repairs; amount of chlorine used
Reports by Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ at this location
Austin
Reports for Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ by
the 15th of the following month
How often are ground water systems are required to compile reports?
monthly
Reports for Ground Water Systems must be kept for...
inspection or review but are not required to mail them in
Types of systems that are not required to compile monthly reports
Ground Water & Surface Water that serve less than 100 connections
Water is never found in nature with this characteristic
pure
Name the 5 physical characteristics of water
Temperature; Turbidity; Color; Taste and Odor
Chemical Characteristics of water
Hardness; pH; Solids; Gases
Turbidity
the amount of suspended matter such as clay, silt, organic matter and microorganisms
in water
Color in water can result from
mineral or organic matter
True color
solution
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 these types of government entities.
Federal and State
basic federal and state standards state that Water must be:
disinfected, delivered at adequate pressure, and be ample in quantity.
Employees should guard what
the water supply and facilities
Employees should guard the water supply and facilities from these three things.
contamination, vandalism and terrorism
Bacteriological analysis records are kept for
5 years
Chemical analysis records are kept for
10 years
Records about action taken to correct violations of primary drinking water
regulations are kept for
3 years after last action taken
Written documentation relating to sanitary surveys conducted are kept for
10 years after the survey is completed
Documentation of a variance or exemption granted is kept for
5 years after its expiration
Results of required tests, measurements or analysis must be reported
within 10 days following its completion
A copy of Consumer Confidence reports (EPA Required)must be kept for
5 years
Administers water operator licensing
TCEQ
TCEQ
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Description of a public water system
Regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year.Services at
least 15 service connections.
MUDs
Municipal Utility Districts
Water is essential to
Life and health
Customers are entitled to
courteous treatment & answers to questions about water
This type of public system is not required to compile monthly reports
systems that serve less than 100 connections OR purchase treated water
Job training for water utility operators is available through these 3 organizations
,American Water Works Association, Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas
Water Utilities Association
All public water systems are required to employ certified operators even if the
system only
redistributes treated water bought from another source
cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations mobile home
parks, campgrounds are examples of:
Public Water Systems
Examples of community water systems
cities, municipal utility districts,rural water supply corporations, mobile home parks,
campgrounds
Non-community water system
Any public water system that is not a community system
travel trailer spaces, Hotel and motel rooms, service stations are examples of this
type of water systems
non-community water systems
The federal agency that impacts the water industry
EPA
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
The most important federal law impacting the water utility industry is the
Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act establishes these 4 national safety and quality
standards
Physical, Chemical, Bacteriological, Radiological
The state agency that regulated drinking water in Texas and administers the
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
TCEQ
The water system must notify the TCEQ when (5 items)
there is a change or alteration of the system; a new facility to be build; water supply
health hazards; change in water quality; change in water source
MUDs; Rural Water Supply Corporations; Drainage Districts; Ground Water
Conservation Districts; Subsidence Districts and River Authorities -- These are
what type of agencies and what do they impact?
Regional and local agencies that impact the water utility industry
The relationship between you and the customer
Public Relations
PR
Public Relations
Wat are the three keys to good customer relations
Everything the utility does is PR; Customers are entitles to courteous treatment; Every
employee is a PR person
Customers have the most contact with
Meter Readers
Meter readers can be ambassadors of goodwill by doing these 5 things
,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 or property
Maintenance crews can warn customers of
service interruptions
Maintenance crews can provide this to protect the public
signs and barriers
The plant operator is responsible for making the water
safe to drink and use
Water bills should be 4 things
accurate; itemized; neat; legible
It is important that the utility have a sense of this (attitude)
pride and professionalism
Employees should be kept informed of utility...
plans and policies
How should customer complaints be treated?
as legitimate and investigated as soon as possible
In small water systems the operator is often
a meter reader, repair crew and pump operator; the highest paid employee; a college
graduate
Stuffers are
sent to customers in billing statements
Suffers can be many things. Name 4.
departments to call for service; explanations of utility policy; a history of the utility; tips
on water conservation
Delinquent payment notices should be (4 things)
tactful and tasteful; mailed in an envelope; businesslike
The EPA requires community water systems to The water system must provide
customers with a report on the system's water quality how often?
yearly
The annual system water quality report should be
attractive; easy to understand
The annual system water quality report can build what
goodwill and trust with the customer
Good treatment of employees includes 3 primary things
fair wages; benefits; safe working conditions
After action is taken on a complaint the employee should do this to to make sure
everything is satisfactory(OK).
follow up with a phone call, post card or e-mail
Give 3 reasons that 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
The employee should listen to special requests and look for ways to oblige the
customer within
utility policy
The chemical symbol for water
, H2O
Three forms of water
solid(ice); liquid(water); water(vapor/gas)
Hydrological cycle
the natural exchange of water between the earth and atmosphere
Average water use depends on these 5 things
temperature; rainfall; cost; supply; economic level
Ground Water is located
located below the earth's surface (underground)
Name the three places that surface water comes from.
rivers; lakes; reservoirs
According to the TCEQ, future water supplies will be
more scarce
Raw Water
Surface water or ground water prior to treatment
Ground water is tapped by
wells
Potable water
water that is free of disease-causing organisms, has a chlorine residual and is safe for
human consumption
Before construction, the utility must submit engineering plans to
the AWWA
Operators should keep records of 5 types of things
water usage; system pressure; sample results; repairs; amount of chlorine used
Reports by Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ at this location
Austin
Reports for Surface water systems must be received by the TCEQ by
the 15th of the following month
How often are ground water systems are required to compile reports?
monthly
Reports for Ground Water Systems must be kept for...
inspection or review but are not required to mail them in
Types of systems that are not required to compile monthly reports
Ground Water & Surface Water that serve less than 100 connections
Water is never found in nature with this characteristic
pure
Name the 5 physical characteristics of water
Temperature; Turbidity; Color; Taste and Odor
Chemical Characteristics of water
Hardness; pH; Solids; Gases
Turbidity
the amount of suspended matter such as clay, silt, organic matter and microorganisms
in water
Color in water can result from
mineral or organic matter
True color
