Wastewater Operator Class 3 Definitions
(2022/2023) 100% Pass
Clean Water Act ✔✔1977 primary legislation concerning water pollution and its regulation. It
establishes the NPDES permit system that prohibits point sources from discharging pollutants
into waters of the United States.
EPA ✔✔Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United
States charged with protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing
regulations based on laws passed by Congress
NPDES ✔✔National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System is a permit issued by state or
federal government regulating amount of pollutants wastewater treatment plants can discharge
CFR ✔✔Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and
regulations published in the 'Federal Register' by the executive departments and agencies (like
EPA) of the Federal Government of the United States
Wastewater ✔✔The spent water of a community from homes, businesses, and industries
,Domestic Wastewater ✔✔Wastewater from homes and businesses with little to no industrial
components
Wastewater Physical Characteristics ✔✔temperature, color (gray), odor (musty), turbidity
Sewer Use Ordinance ✔✔Local ordinance that addresses what is prohibited from being
discharged and sets limits for particular pollutants
POTW ✔✔Publicly Owned Treatment Works. A treatment works, as defined by Section 212 of
the CWA, that is owned by the state or municipality. Includes the treatment plant and the
collection system.
Industrial Pretreatment Program ✔✔A program run by a permitting authority requiring industries
to pretreat wastes and establishing discharge limits for the water sent to the POTW
Sanitary Sewer ✔✔Sewer system that transports spent water from homes, business, and
industries to the wastewater treatment plant
,SSO ✔✔Sanitary Sewer Overflow. Untreated of partiality treated sewage overflows from a
sanitary sewer collection system
Storm Sewer ✔✔Sewer system that transports stormwater runoff to a water body
Combined Sewer System ✔✔A sewer system that transports both sanitary sewage and
stormwater typically found in older municipalities
CSO ✔✔Combined Sewer Overflow. A discharge of untreated wastewater from a combined
sewer system at a point prior to the headworks of a POTW. CSOs generally occur during wet
weather (rainfall or snowmelt)
Sewer Main ✔✔Pipe that collects the wastewater from the system laterals and branch sewers and
conveys it to larger trunk sewers
Trunk Sewers ✔✔The main arteries of a collections system that convey water to treatment plants
or interceptors
, Manhole ✔✔Opening to a sewer line for the purpose of permitting operators or equipment to
enter or leave a sewer
Lift Station ✔✔A wastewater pumping station that lifts the wastewater to a higher elevation;
usually the next gravity sewer or the treatment plant
The Collection System ✔✔A network of pipes equipment, and appurtenances that collect, pump,
and transport wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant
Slope ✔✔The ratio of the vertical distance over the horizontal distance. Rise over run
Velocity ✔✔Ratio of distance over time (miles per hour) Minimum 2 ft/sec prevents solids from
dropping out. Maximum 10 ft/sec because more than that causes scouring
Roughness Coefficient ✔✔Related to the roughness of the interior of a pipe. Manning's formula.
Roughness coefficient "n" The higher the value, the rougher the pipe
Valves ✔✔Devices used to stop or modify the flow of water in a pipe
(2022/2023) 100% Pass
Clean Water Act ✔✔1977 primary legislation concerning water pollution and its regulation. It
establishes the NPDES permit system that prohibits point sources from discharging pollutants
into waters of the United States.
EPA ✔✔Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United
States charged with protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing
regulations based on laws passed by Congress
NPDES ✔✔National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System is a permit issued by state or
federal government regulating amount of pollutants wastewater treatment plants can discharge
CFR ✔✔Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and
regulations published in the 'Federal Register' by the executive departments and agencies (like
EPA) of the Federal Government of the United States
Wastewater ✔✔The spent water of a community from homes, businesses, and industries
,Domestic Wastewater ✔✔Wastewater from homes and businesses with little to no industrial
components
Wastewater Physical Characteristics ✔✔temperature, color (gray), odor (musty), turbidity
Sewer Use Ordinance ✔✔Local ordinance that addresses what is prohibited from being
discharged and sets limits for particular pollutants
POTW ✔✔Publicly Owned Treatment Works. A treatment works, as defined by Section 212 of
the CWA, that is owned by the state or municipality. Includes the treatment plant and the
collection system.
Industrial Pretreatment Program ✔✔A program run by a permitting authority requiring industries
to pretreat wastes and establishing discharge limits for the water sent to the POTW
Sanitary Sewer ✔✔Sewer system that transports spent water from homes, business, and
industries to the wastewater treatment plant
,SSO ✔✔Sanitary Sewer Overflow. Untreated of partiality treated sewage overflows from a
sanitary sewer collection system
Storm Sewer ✔✔Sewer system that transports stormwater runoff to a water body
Combined Sewer System ✔✔A sewer system that transports both sanitary sewage and
stormwater typically found in older municipalities
CSO ✔✔Combined Sewer Overflow. A discharge of untreated wastewater from a combined
sewer system at a point prior to the headworks of a POTW. CSOs generally occur during wet
weather (rainfall or snowmelt)
Sewer Main ✔✔Pipe that collects the wastewater from the system laterals and branch sewers and
conveys it to larger trunk sewers
Trunk Sewers ✔✔The main arteries of a collections system that convey water to treatment plants
or interceptors
, Manhole ✔✔Opening to a sewer line for the purpose of permitting operators or equipment to
enter or leave a sewer
Lift Station ✔✔A wastewater pumping station that lifts the wastewater to a higher elevation;
usually the next gravity sewer or the treatment plant
The Collection System ✔✔A network of pipes equipment, and appurtenances that collect, pump,
and transport wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant
Slope ✔✔The ratio of the vertical distance over the horizontal distance. Rise over run
Velocity ✔✔Ratio of distance over time (miles per hour) Minimum 2 ft/sec prevents solids from
dropping out. Maximum 10 ft/sec because more than that causes scouring
Roughness Coefficient ✔✔Related to the roughness of the interior of a pipe. Manning's formula.
Roughness coefficient "n" The higher the value, the rougher the pipe
Valves ✔✔Devices used to stop or modify the flow of water in a pipe
