Water and Wastewater Treatment and Operations Practice Test
Build your confidence for Water and Wastewater Treatment and Operations. Practice the concepts, understand the answers, and strengthen your knowledge one question at a time.
Try a sample questionExam overview and details
Questions cover drinking-water treatment, distribution, wastewater treatment, plant maintenance, and process-control calculations. This practice is for people building or checking their understanding of treatment operations, chemical dosing, hydraulics, and operational safety. Administered by AWWA/State. Key domains include Distribution System Operations, Filtration and Disinfection, Laboratory Testing and Pumps and Hydraulics.
Sample Questions
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A plant reports a sudden drop in CBOD5 while total BOD5 remains stable. The nitrification inhibitor bottle was replaced last week, seed correction is normal, and effluent ammonia is elevated. Which interpretation best fits the data?
A phosphorus chemical feed system adds ferric chloride before secondary clarification. Effluent phosphorus improves, but alkalinity drops and effluent pH nears the permit lower limit. What is the best adjustment?
A utility updates its emergency response plan after adding a bulk chemical supplier and a new intertie. Which item is most important for the operator to verify before the next tabletop exercise?
A sodium bisulfite dechlorination pump loses calibration after tubing replacement. Final effluent chlorine is nondetect, but receiving stream DO sags below normal near the outfall. What should be checked?
A conventional plant changes from alum to ferric chloride after a supply shortage. The same coagulant pump setting is used, but finished water color increases and sludge production changes. Raw pH is 7.2 and alkalinity is 48 mg/L as CaCO3. What is the best first process-control action?
Exam insights and study advice
Treatment and maintenance decisions affect water quality, process stability, and environmental protection. Reviewing the relationships between measurements, equipment, and process adjustments helps organize operational knowledge.