CESSWI EXAMINATION QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
A+ ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE//2025-2026 ED
Terms in this set (84)
CESSWI is qualified to preform Construction, post construction, industrial, MS4
what inspections?
Clean Water Act year of creation 1972, enacted to restore and maintain the physical, bio, chem
and intent of law integrity of the waters of the US
CWA Section 402 Est. NPDES System, originally focused on industrial process waste
water and POTW
CWA Section 404 regulated impacts to waters of the US, typically associated with a 401
certification
Regulates water quality impacts and state cert systems,
CWA Section 401 required permit issued by a federal agency for any activity
that may discharge a pollutant, Applies heavily in industrial
sites
CWA Section 303 Establishes Water quality standards
Stormwater discharge definition stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface runoff/drainage
To be subject to NPDES rules, be in a discernible conveyance
stormwater must:
, All waters used in interstate or foreign commerce, including those subject to
tidal flows
o All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands
o All INTRAstate lakes, rivers, streams (intermittent also), mudflats, sand
flats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lake, or natural
ponds that the destruction of which would affect interstate/foreign commerce
including those which:
Definitions of waters of the US
Could be used for recreational or other purposes
From which shellfish or fish could be retrieved and
sold Could be used for industrial purposes
o All impoundments of water defined by waters of the US by the above
o Tributaries of the waters defined above
o The territorial sea
o Wetlands adjacent to any of the waters defined above
Beneficial Uses definition Uses necessary for the survival of and well-being of people, plants, and wildlife
state or tribal requirements that define the water quality goals of a lake
Water quality standards definition stream or other wateerbody by designation the benefical uses and setting
criteria to protect those uses
est a process for states, territories, and tribes to i.d. impaired waters, also
Section 303d
referred to as water quality limited
id's the amount of a specific pollutnant that may be dicharged to a water body,
TMDL
states are responsible for implementing
Waste load allocations allocations of pollutant loadings to point sources
Define waste load allocation, develop implementation plan to connect allocations
TMDL Implementation
and permits, translate allocations to permit conditions.
NURP studies showed stormwater had many of the same qualities of
Origin of NPDES stormwater regs
commercial, industrial areas
General permits for a group of similar dischagers such as consutruction
NPDES Phase I and II regs implemented industry, industrial, utilities
via Individual permits for a single entity, facility or project
Industrial activity
Phase I NPDES Permits ID'd as: Construction activity <5
acres Cities over 100k
population
Construction activity 1 - 5 acres
Cities 10k - 100k population
Phase II NPDES Permits ID'd as:
commercial, retail, light industrial,
institutional updated industrial and const.
general permits
SWMP with 6 MCMs
Phase II impletmented MS4 requirements Develop measurable program
goals Evaluate effectivness
Public education/outreach
Public participation and involvement
IDDE
6MCMs
Const. site runoff control
post-construction runoff control
pollution prevention/good
housekeeping