Water Operator Class D Study Guide With Correct Solutions.

Water Operator Class D Study Guide With Correct Solutions. 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 dissolved in water; cannot be removed by filtering Apparent Color suspended in water; can be filtered out an example of true color tea an example of apparent color red water caused by oxidized iron algae; bacteria; organic matter; gases; and chemicals give what to water taste and color chemicals in water are measured in mg/L mg/L milligrams per liter How often should surface water be sampled for chemical analysis? once a year How often should ground water be sampled for chemical analysis? every 3 years Hardness is caused by calcium and magnesium and other minerals The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 acidic on the pH scale is (number range) from 0 to 7 basic on the pH scale is from 7 to 14 neutral on the pH scales is 7 Solids that can be removed by filtering suspended Solids that cannot be removed by filtering dissolved Name 3 Common gases found in water hydrogen sulfide; carbon dioxide; methane chemically water is made up of two atoms hydrogen; one atom oxygen Nature's way of recycling water the hydrological cycle the quality water standard of public water supplies is drinking one of the most important purposes of a public water supply fire fighting Organic matter includes matter that is alive or once was alive The most important treatment process is disinfection the treatment process which destroys disease-causing organisms disinfection Public water systems are required to compile a monthly report showing disinfection Most ground water is relatively free of turbidity Turbidity can be a major problem in surface water Color level should be less than or equal to 15 units Turbidity is measured in this unit NTUs Taste and Odor Units TONs Water is considered hard when it exceeds 100 mg/L of calcium carbonate A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds 1 mg/L of water equals 1 ppm by weight ppm part per million List 5 characteristics of Hydrogen Sulfide heavier than air; colorless; flammable; toxic; has a rotten egg odor Excessive nitrates in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome in infants Excessive amounts of fluoride may cause mottling/staining of teeth byproducts of chlorination Trihalomethanes THMs; Haloacetic Acids HAAs Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids may cause problems with (4 health related items) the liver; kidneys; central nervous systems; increase cancer risks What is the Action level for Copper? (by the Lead and Copper rule) 1.3 mg/L What is the Action level for Lead? (by the Lead and Copper rule) .015 Turbidity limits less than or equal to .3 NTU What is the acceptable Fluoride range in water? .7 to 1.0 mg/L Nitrates Limits less than or equal to 20mg/L as nitrogen Dissolved solids limits less than or equal to 1000 mg/L Taste and Color Limits less than or equal to 15 units