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CGvL Project TeamRichard W. von Langen ........... CGvL Project ManagerPaul Rydzynski ........................... AuthorDr. Kenneth D. Kerri .................. Technical EditorCarol Anderson-Serry ............... Technical EditorRhonda Barkey ......................... Word Processing GroupJessie Lee .................................. Word Processing GroupJoy Gautier ............................... Word Processing GroupLisa House .................................. Word Processing Group

Appendix A: You and Wastewater MathCheryl Ooten ............................ Author

CWEA Project TeamChris Lundeen ........................... CWEA Project Manager/Editor/Graphics and DesignNicole Schlosser ........................ Editing AssistanceLindsay Roberts ......................... Project Support

CWEA Technical Content ReviewJeff Carter ................................. Eastern Municipal Water DistrictRebecca Bjork .......................... City of Santa BarbaraLarry Whitney ............................ City of Simi ValleyAnne Schubert .......................... City of Simi ValleyVictoria Shidell .......................... City of BeniciaTom Gaworski ........................... Orange County Sanitation DistrictKelly Christensen....................... Orange County Sanitation District

Cover photo courstesy of Orange County Sanitation District

Environmental Compliance Inspector Grade IStudy Guide

Technical Content by CGvL Engineers6 Hughes, Suite 100Irvine, CA 92618www.cgvl.com

Important Notice: CWEA is pleased that you have purchased this book. We want to remind you that this bookis one of many resources available to assist you and encourage you to identify and utilize the other resourcesin preparing for your next test.

Please send comments, questions, and suggestions to:California Water Environment Association7677 Oakport Street, Suite 600Oakland,CA 94621 USA

Phone: 510/382-7800Fax: 510/382-7810Web: http://www.cwea.orgEmail: [email protected]

Copyright 2001 California Water Environment Association, IncorporatedAll Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission fromCalifornia Water Environment Association

Table of ContentsGrade I Environmental Compliance Inspector

Grade I Environmental Compliance Inspector Study Guide

Table of Contents

Section 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1

Section 2: Certification Program and Policies .......................................................................................... 3Technical Certification

Program History .................................................................................................................................... 3Certification Process .................................................................................................................................. 3Test Administration ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Test Dates and Sites ............................................................................................................................ 3Test Site Admission .............................................................................................................................. 4Test Security ......................................................................................................................................... 4Test Postponement and Cancellation .................................................................................................. 4Test Result Notification ......................................................................................................................... 4Issue Certificate .................................................................................................................................... 4Certificate Renewal .............................................................................................................................. 4Accommodations for Physical or Learning Disabilities ........................................................................ 4

Test Design and Format ............................................................................................................................. 4Test Design ........................................................................................................................................... 4Test Delivery Mechanism ..................................................................................................................... 5Test Format .......................................................................................................................................... 5

Test Pass Point ........................................................................................................................................... 5How Pass Points are Set ...................................................................................................................... 5Why Use Modified Angoff? ................................................................................................................... 5Test Scoring .......................................................................................................................................... 6

Item Appeals ............................................................................................................................................... 6Item Appeals ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Section 3: Skill Sets ....................................................................................................................................... 7Skill Set 1: Basic Scientific Principles ......................................................................................................................... 71.1 Chemistry ....................................................................................................................................... 71.2 Mathematics and Physics .............................................................................................................. 71.3 Biological Treatment Principles ...................................................................................................... 8Skill Set 2: Wastewater Sampling and Analysis ......................................................................................................... 8Skill Set 3: Wastewater and Industrial Processes and Equipment .......................................................................... 83.1 Regulations .................................................................................................................................... 83.2 Flow Monitoring Equipment ............................................................................................................ 93.3 Mechanical Equipment ................................................................................................................... 93.4 Industrial Processes ....................................................................................................................... 93.5 Industrial Wastewater Treatment Processes ............................................................................... 103.6 Mathematics in Wastewater Collection .......................................................................................... 9Skill Set 4: Safety and Traffic Control ........................................................................................................................104.1 General ........................................................................................................................................ 104.2 Traffic ........................................................................................................................................... 104.3 Vehicles and Equipment .............................................................................................................. 104.4 Confined Space ............................................................................................................................ 104.5 Chemical and Biological Hazards................................................................................................. 11

Grade I Environmental Compliance InspectorTable of Contents

4.6 Hazardous Atmosphere ................................................................................................................ 114.7 Maerial Safety Data Sheets ......................................................................................................... 11

Table 3-1 References ............................................................................................................................... 12

Section 4: Test Preparation........................................................................................................................ 15Basic Study Strategy................................................................................................................................. 15Multiple Choice Questions........................................................................................................................ 15Table 4-1 Standard Measurements .......................................................................................................... 16Table 4-2 Formulas .................................................................................................................................. 16Math Problems .......................................................................................................................................... 17

Calculators ......................................................................................................................................... 17Approach ............................................................................................................................................ 18Solutions ............................................................................................................................................. 18Equivalents/Formulas ......................................................................................................................... 18Dimensional Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 18Example .............................................................................................................................................. 19Sample Questions .............................................................................................................................. 19

Math Skills ................................................................................................................................................. 20Arithmetic ............................................................................................................................................ 20Algebra ............................................................................................................................................... 20Geometry ............................................................................................................................................ 21

Section 5: Diagnostic Test .......................................................................................................................... 23Test Answer Key ....................................................................................................................................... 28Math Solutions .......................................................................................................................................... 29

Section 6: References ................................................................................................................................ 33Primary References .................................................................................................................................. 33Secondary References ............................................................................................................................ 33

Appendix A: You and Wastewater Math ................................................................................................... 35Section 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 35

Two Facts to Consider ....................................................................................................................... 35Move Beyond the Math You Know ..................................................................................................... 35

Section 2: Practice ProblemSolving Strategies............................................................................................................................... 38Units and Arithmetic ............................................................................................................................ 38Example Problems .............................................................................................................................. 38

Section 3: Take Charge of Your Success ................................................................................................ 41Recommendations ............................................................................................................................. 41

Section 4: Test-Taking Strategies ............................................................................................................. 42Before the Exam ................................................................................................................................. 42At the Exam ........................................................................................................................................ 43Negative Thinking About Exams......................................................................................................... 43

Appendix B: Glossary .................................................................................................................................. 45Appendix C: Common Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................. 49

Page 1Page 1Page 1Page 1

S e c t i o n 1

Introduction

Grade I Environmental Compliance Inspector

The California Water Environment Association(CWEA) Technical Certification Program (TCP)is voluntary; its purpose is to educate, prepare,and test an individuals knowledge within sixvocations.q Plant Maintenance (with two parallel spe-

cialties of Electrical/ Instrumentation, andMechanical Technologist)

q Laboratory Analyst

q Collection System Maintenance

q Environmental Compliance Inspector

q Industrial Waste Treatment Plant Operator

q Biosolids Land Application Management

CWEA also assists in educating and trainingwastewater treatment plant operators for theState of California Operator Certification Tests.Upon qualifying and successfully completing atest, an individual is certified in that specialtyat one of the grade levels. Levels within a spe-cialty designate technical knowledge for the ap-prentice, journey, and management levels.Tests are designed to demonstrate minimumcompetence for a particular grade.

The purpose of this study guide is to provide adescription of the knowledge, skills, and abili-ties (KSA) needed to pass the test. Also in-cluded are questions designed to assess acandidates strengths and weaknesses relativeto their present KSA. Finally, the study guideprovides references used to refresh subjectknowledge, or to learn more about particularsubject areas not completely understood.

Typically there are two to five primary refer-ences for each specialty area which need tobe read and understood. Test questions are

generally based on information contained inthese references. Secondary references givemore information and often provide a differentapproach to a subject making it easier to un-derstand.

This study guide is not a compendium of allthat may be on the test, so successfully an-swering questions contained in this guide doesnot guarantee passing. To successfully passthe Grade I Collection System Maintenancetest, the reference materials presented in thisstudy guide should be thoroughly understood.

This study guide can best be used to help iden-tify strengths and weaknesses and to identifymaterial that may need further study. Com-ments and suggestions to improve the studyguide are always welcome and appreciated.Good luck on the test!


CWEAs mission is to enhance the educationand effectiveness of California wastewater pro-fessionals through training, certification, dis-semination of technical information, and pro-motion of sound policies to benefit societythrough protection and enhancement of thewater environment.

CWEA is a California Nonprofit Corporation, aMember Association of the Water EnvironmentFederation (WEF), and a member of the Na-tional Organization for Competency Assurance(NOCA).

Technical CertificationProgram History

TCP was created to offer multilevel technicalcertification for individuals employed in the wa-ter quality field. Tests are written by vocationalspecialists and administered twice yearly in sixdifferent disciplines: Collection System Main-tenance, Environmental Compliance Inspection,Laboratory Analysis, Plant Maintenance (Elec-trical/Instrumentation and Mechanical Tech-nologist), Industrial Waste Treatment Plant Op-eration, and Biosolids Land Application Man-agement.

CWEA first offered a certification program forwastewater treatment plant operators in 1937.The program was administered by CWEA until1973 when the State of California assumed re-sponsibility. During those 36 years, CWEAawarded 3,915 operator certificates.

The first committees were formed in 1975 toestablish a voluntary certification program forwater quality professionals specializing in dis-ciplines other than plant operation. The Vol-untary Certification Program (VCP) emergedwith specialized certificate programs for Collec-tion System Maintenance, Plant Maintenance,Environmental Compliance Inspection, andLaboratory Analysis with certifications first is-

sued in April 1976. In the 1980s, two more dis-ciplines were added: Electrical/Instrumentationand Industrial Waste Treatment Plant Opera-tor.

Today, CWEA offers certification in six voca-tional programs with a total of 22 individual cer-tifications. About 2,000 applications are pro-cessed annually and currently over 5,500 cer-tificates are held by individuals in California andneighboring states.

Certification Process

To become certified, all applicants must com-plete the Application for Technical Certification,pay the application fee, have suitable experi-ence and education, and pass the computer-based test. Application instructions and feeschedules are listed on the application. Afterapplications are received at the CWEA office,applicant information is compiled in a database,and reviewed by CWEA staff and subject mat-ter experts for the respective vocation appliedfor. If approved, the applicant will receive aneligibility letter. If the application is rejected, theapplicant will be notified and asked if warrantedto supply more information.

After completion of the computer-based test andgrading, applicants are mailed official test re-sults. Those who pass the exam, are mailedcertificates and wallet cards.

Test Administration

Test Dates and Sites

Tests are given throughout the year in Califor-nia, Michigan, and Alaska (see Application forTechnical Certification for test schedule. Ap-plicants who are eligible to take the test will bemailed an acceptance letter with instructionson how to schedule their exam.

S e c t i o n 2

Certification Program and Policies

Grade I Environmental Compliance InspectorPage 4

Section 2: Certification Program and Policies

Test Site Admission

Certificate candidates are required to show atleast one valid government issued photo iden-tification (State drivers license or identification,or passport). Only after positive identificationhas been made by the testing proctor may acandidate begin the exam. Candidates do notrequire to show their eligibility letters to enterthe test site.

Test Security

All tests are computer-based. No referencematerial, laptop computers, or cameras are al-lowed in the test site. Candidates will haveaccess to an on-screen calculator, however,you are welcome to bring your own pre-ap-proved calculator (visit www.cwea.org/cert).Candidates are not allowed to take any notesfrom the test site. Candidates who violate testsite rules may be asked to leave the site andmay be disqualified from that test. All viola-tions of test security will be investigated byCWEA and appropriate action will be taken.

Test Rescheduling and Cancellation

To postpone your application you mustsubmit a written request (a letter stating thatyou wish to postpone), to postpone to theadjacent testing window. You may onlyreschedule your application once without afee. Additional postponent will require a $40reschedule fee. There are no exceptions tothis policy.

To cancel your application you must submit awritten request (a letter stating you wish tocancel your application) to CWEA. Thewritten request must be received at theCWEA office no later than two (2) weeks afterthe approved testing window. Full refunds,less the administrative fee*, will be madewithin 4 weeks after the scheduled test date.There are no exceptions to this policy.

If you have a scheduled exam with our testingadministrator, Pearson Vue, you must contactthem 24 hours in advance to avoid losingyour exam fee.

Test Result Notification

Test results are routinely mailed to certificatecandidates approximately two weeks after thetest date. Results are never given over thephone. All results are confidential and are onlyreleased to the certificate candidate.

Issue of Certificate/ Wallet Card

Certificates and wallet cards are issued to allcandidates who pass the test. Certificates aremailed about two to three weeks after resultnotifications are mailed.

Certificate Renewal

All certificates are renewed annually. The firstrenewal is due one year from the last day ofthe month in which the certification test washeld. Certificate renewals less than one yearpast due are subject to the renewal fee plus apenalty fee of 100 percent of the renewal fee.Certificate holders more than one year past duewill need to retest to regain certification. Re-newal notices are mailed to certificate holderstwo months before the due date. It is the re-sponsibility of certificate holders to ensure thecertificate(s) remains valid. Continuing educa-tion will be required for renewal after 2001.

Accommodations for Physical or Learning Dis-abilities

In compliance with the Americans with Disabili-ties Act, special accommodations will be pro-vided for those individuals who provide CWEAwith a physicians certificate, or its equivalent,documenting a physical or psychological dis-ability that may affect an individuals ability tosuccessfully complete the certification test.Written requests for special accommodationsmust be made with the test application alongwith all supporting documents of disability.

Test Design and Format

Test Design

All certification tests are designed to test knowl-edge and abilities required to perform the Es-



sential Duties listed at the end of the sectionwith minimal acceptable competence.

The Essential Duties and Test Content Areasfor each certification were determined by a jobanalysis and meta-analysis of job specificationsby two independent psychometric consultingfirms. The studies gathered data from on-sitevisits of over 31 water and wastewater agen-cies, interviews with 110 water and wastewaterprofessionals, and analysis of more than 300job specifications. All research was conductedunder the guidance of the TCP Committee, vo-cational sub-committees, and CWEA staff. Alltest questions are designed to measure at leastone area of knowledge or ability that is requiredto perform an essential duty.

Test Delivery Mechanism

All tests are computer based format and arewritten in the English language only.

Test Format

All TCP tests are in multiple choice format (seethe sample test questions in this booklet for anexample). The multiple choice format is con-sidered the most effective for use in standard-ized tests. This objective format allows agreater content coverage for a given amountof testing time and improves competency mea-surement reliability. Multiple choice questionsrange in complexity from simple recall of knowl-edge to the synthesis and evaluation of thesubject matter.

Test Pass Point

The basic minimum score required to pass alltests is 75 percent of possible total points.However, the score may be adjusted downwarddepending on test complexity. It should be as-sumed that the passing score is 75 percent andcandidates should try to score as high as pos-sible on their test (in other words, always tryfor 100 percent). The pass point for each vo-cation and grade level is set independently.Also, each version, or form of a test will haveits own pass point. Different versions are giveneach time the certification test is administered.

How Pass Points are Set

A modified Angoff Method is used to determinethe pass point for each version of each test.The modified Angoff Method uses expert judge-ments to determine the test difficulty. Theeasier the test, the higher the pass point; simi-larly the more difficult the test, the lower thepass point.

The following is an outline of the modified AngoffMethod (some details have been omitted):1. A group of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

independently rate each test questionwithin a given test. The ratings are definedas the probability that an acceptably (mini-mally) competent person with the requisiteeducation and experience will answer thequestion correctly. An acceptably (mini-mally) competent person is defined assomeone who safely and adequately per-forms all job functions and requires no fur-ther training to do so.

2. The SMEs review each test question as agroup. A consensus is reached for the rat-ing of each test question. The SMEs alsoreview comments submitted in writing bytest-takers. Any test question that is judgedto be ambiguous, has more than one cor-rect answer, or has no correct answers iseliminated from the scoring process for thattest. These test questions are then revisedfor future use, re-classified, or deleted fromthe test item bank.

3. After the data are refined, the final step isto calculate the mean, or average, of allthe test question ratings. This becomesthe overall pass point estimation.

Why Use Modified Angoff?

Each version of a given certification test usesquestions from a test item bank. Each of thesequestions vary in difficulty. Because a differ-ent mix of questions is used in each test, theoverall difficulty level is not fixed. Thus, it isimportant to make sure that the varying diffi-culty level is reflected in the pass point of eachtest to ensure that test results are reliable. Testreliability is concerned with the reproducibility



sults for each version of a given test. In otherwords, for a test to be reliable it must yield thesame result (pass or fail) for the same individualunder very similar circumstances. For example,imagine taking a certain grade level test andpassing it. Immediately after completing thistest, a different version of the same grade leveltest is taken. If the test is reliable, the sameresult will be achieved: pass. If a passing gradeis not achieved, it is likely that the test is not areliable measure of acceptable (minimal) com-petency.

By taking into consideration the difficulty of thetest, the modified Angoff Method significantlyincreases the reliability of the test. Also, sinceeach test is adjusted for difficulty level, eachtest version has the same standard for pass-ing. Thus, test-takers are treated equitably andfairly, even if a different version of the test istaken.

There are other methods for setting passpoints. However, for the type of tests adminis-tered by CWEA, the modified Angoff Method isthe best and most widely used.

Test Scoring

All tests are electronically scored by CWEA.Most test items are valued at one point. Sometest items requiring calculations are worth mul-tiple points varying from two to five (possiblymore). After tests are scored, total points arecompiled and an overall score is calculated asthe sum of all points earned on the test. If theoverall score is equal to, or greater than theestablished pass point, the candidate haspassed the test. Total points possible for eachtest varies, but the average is 100 points plusor minus 25.

Item Appeals

Item Appeals

Candidates who wish to appeal a specific testitem must do so during the test by completingthe Candidate Feedback Review Screen dur-ing the exam. Candidate feedbacks will beevaluated and appropriate adjustments made

to the test content. Candidates submitting feed-back will not be contacted in regards to the ap-peal.

Qualifying for the Test

Specific experience and educationalbackground for Grade I Environmental Com-pliance Inspector certification is unnecessary.Completing the Application for Technicalertification, paying the appropriate applicationfee, and passing the written test are the onlyrequirements. However, it is recommendedthat Grade I candidates have at least one yearof wastewater system maintenance experi-ence. Many candidates without such experi-ence have difficulty successfully completingthe written test.

Essential Duties of Inspectors include:

Uses appropriate sampling locations andprocedures; collects representativesamples in accordance with the Districtsquality assurance program of wastewaterand water from industrial, commercial,residential, and institutional sources, vari-ous clarifiers or sumps, and storm sew-ers; completes appropriate documenta-tion, including chain-of-custody documen-tation; and performs field tests or labora-tory tests on samples collected.

Observes and records field conditions, flowmeter readings, pH, ORP, selective ion,explosivity, and other field test results.

Uses, cleans, inspects, maintains, and re-pairs sampling equipment, meters, andtest equipment.

Inspects pretreatment facilities and pro-cesses of industrial and commercial es-tablishments for compliance with waste-water discharge ordinance and permit con-ditions.

Inspects industrial and commercial busi-nesses for compliance with storm runoffand pollution prevention requirements.



Assists in call-outs and the investiga-tion and tracing of the sources of ille-gal or nuisance waste dischargesentering the storm water or wastewatercollection system.

Collects information for assessing feesfrom industrial and commercial estab-lishments.

Check grease traps, interceptors, andclarifiers.

Records data and observations. Provides input and assistance in the

preparation of a variety of manual andcomputerized written, oral, tabular, andgraphic reports; updates filed inspec-tion records; and tabulates, calculatesand prepares data for sewer servicecharges.

Supports customer service activities;responds to questions of a limited vari-ety and scope after receiving specificinstruction; refers inquiries to appropri-ate personnel; interacts cooperativelywith internal and external customers andprovides feedback to appropriate staff.

Learns and keeps current on pertinentinformation and developments in envi-ronmental compliance functional areas;assists in the implementation of state,federal, or local requirements to supportappropriate programs.

Learns and observes proper safety precautions, rules, regulations, and prac-tices; maintains equipment, materials,and work site in proper and safe condi-tion in accordance with policies and pro-cedures

Learns how wastewater is treated andhow it can be impacted by industrialwaste.


S e c t i o n 3

Skill Sets

The Grade I Environmental Compliance Inspec-tor (Inspector) has many responsibilities. Pri-mary responsibilities include assisting the lo-cal authorities in protecting their wastewatercollection and treatment systems, and thehealth and safety of their workers. Addition-ally, Inspectors responsibilities frequently in-clude monitoring and enforcement of localstorm water, pollution prevention, and hazard-ous waste programs. The following sectionsgive a concise description of the practical skillsInspectors must possess to pass the certifica-tion test. These sections expand on the KSAcontained in the candidate handbook forGrade I.

References for further study of the Grade I skillsets are included in Section 6. Table 3-1, pre-sented at the end of this section, cross-refer-ences each skill set with a specific chapter,section, or page of applicable references toassist the candidate to better understand thesubject matter.

Inspectors must have a working knowledge ofbasic chemistry, biology, and physics, especiallyas related to water and wastewater chemistry,and chemistry encountered in industrial pro-cesses. They are also familiar with the funda-mentals and terms of the biological treatmentprocesses used at most publicly owned treat-ment works (POTW), and the various com-pounds that can inhibit or hinder biological treat-ment processes. A further discussion of eachtopic area is included below.

1.1 Chemistry

Inspectors should have a good familiarity with

chemical principles equivalent to a high schoolgraduate or college freshman grade level, es-pecially as it pertains to water and wastewaterchemistry. This includes atomic weight of ele-ments, and gram-molecular weight or moles ofsubstances. Familiarity with the fundamentalsof pH, acidity, alkalinity, oxidation-reduction, andother applications commonly found in waterchemistry is important. Inspectors should beable to balance common chemical equationsused in water chemistry and use them to solveproblems encountered in pretreatment inspec-tion work. Problems may include basic pretreat-ment operations, including pH neutralization,determining chemical feed rates, and chemicalstorage requirements. Solving these problemsrequires knowledge regarding molarity andnormality, and other basic chemistry concepts.Familiarity with the common names of gener-ally used treatment chemicals such as sodaash, caustic soda, and quicklime is also rec-ommended.

1.2 Mathematics and Physics

Inspectors should be well versed in the basicarithmetic discussed in Section 4, includingdecimals, proportions, and metric measure.They should be able to perform unit conver-sions to solve various mathematical problems.These include conversion of volume to weightor mass. Solution results must be expressedin proper units such as milligrams per liter, gal-lons per day, cubic feet, etc. Inspectors shouldbe familiar with basic wastewater collection andphysical treatment processes and be able tosolve common math problems applied to theseareas. Math problems may include flow equal-ization, metals precipitation, settling, detentiontimes, pollutant concentrations and mass. Forexample, Inspectors should be able to calcu-late volumes of tanks and containers, convertunits as required, and determine required spill-


Section 3: Skill Sets

containment volumes for chemical storage ar-eas.

1.3 Biological Treatment Principles

Inspectors should be familiar with the typicalcharacteristics of domestic wastewater treatedin POTWs. They should have a basic under-standing of the principles, terms and analyticalmethods associated with biological treatmentof wastewater at the POTW. This includesmeasurement of organic content of wastewa-ter, such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)and chemical oxygen demand (COD), and thevarious constituents controlled in biologicaltreatment systems such as dissolved oxygenand nitrogen. They should also have a basicknowledge of the various types of industrialchemicals that can cause upsets to biologicaltreatment systems. Inspectors should be fa-miliar with the fundamentals of hydrogen sul-fide generation in sewage collection systems,including the potential health and safety, andmaintenance concerns.

Inspectors must understand the basic principlesof sample collection, including grab sampling,time composite, and flow composite sampling,and the types of equipment associated witheach sampling technique. They should be fa-miliar with methods and techniques of samplingin wastewater collection systems as well as dis-charges from industrial users. Mathematicsinvolved can include proportioning samplesfrom several different discharges to create aflow-proportioned composite sample. Inspec-tors should also be familiar with the proper useof sample containers, preservatives and pres-ervation methods, and maximum sample hold-ing times for analysis of common wastewaterconstituents. Inspectors must be knowledge-able of the procedures required for legally en-forceable sampling and analytical results.These include the use of chain-of-custodydocuments and other procedures to ensure thatresults are valid.

Inspectors must be familiar with the principlesand operation of POTWs and wastewater col-lection systems, including sanitary and com-bined sewers, and the potential impacts of in-dustrial discharges on these systems. Theyshould also be familiar with basic industrial pro-cesses and wastewater pretreatment systems.Successful Inspectors have a good grasp ofthe various types of industrial and commercialfacilities that discharge into municipal waste-water collection systems and the industrial orcommercial processes that generate this waste.The types of industries that will be inspectedare those regulated under the sewer ordinanceadministered by the local authority.

3.1 Regulations

Inspectors should be familiar with the federalClean Water Act, which creates the frameworkfor industrial wastewater control programs. Theheart of the national pretreatment program is aset of rules and regulations known as the Gen-eral Pretreatment Regulations. These regula-tions are codified in Title 40 of the Code of Fed-eral Regulations, Section 403 (40 CFR 403).These regulations establish the responsibilitiesof the federal, state and local governments,industry, and the public to implement the na-tional pretreatment program. They also regu-late the type and quantity of pollutants whichmay be discharged to a POTW. The GeneralPretreatment Regulations regulate pollutantswhich may: 1) pass through the POTW treat-ment system untreated or partially treated, 2)interfere with the POTW treatment works, and/or 3) contaminate the POTW sludge with re-spect to the sludge disposal method employedby the POTW.

Inspectors should also know the eight gener-ally prohibited discharges and the legal author-ity POTWs have to regulate industrial usersas established in 40 CFR 403.8 (f)(1). Theseinclude: local discharge limits



issuing discharge permits requiring industrial users to install neces-

sary technology to meet pretreatment stan-dards

carrying out all necessary inspection, sur-veillance, and monitoring proceduresneeded to determine compliance with pre-treatment requirements

authority to obtain remedies for non-com-pliance including administrative orders,civil penalties, and criminal penalties

A Grade I Inspectors essential duties may in-clude inspecting industrial and commercial fa-cilities for compliance with storm water runoffand pollution prevention requirements. There-fore, basic knowledge of federal storm waterdischarge regulations is needed. These arecodified in 40 CFR 122.26 as part of the Na-tional Pollutant Discharge Elimination System(NPDES). Candidates should know the defini-tion of storm water, illicit discharge, significantmaterials, and storm water discharge associ-ated with industrial activity. They should knowthe general categories regulated under 40 CFR122.26, including municipal separate stormsewer systems, industries, and constructionsites. They should also know the differencebetween individual and general NPDES stormwater discharge permits.

3.2 Flow Monitoring Equipment

Inspectors should be familiar with the varioustypes of flow measuring devices used for in-dustrial wastewater monitoring and the flowmeasuring principles associated with each de-vice. These include: Closed full pipe flow meters such as mag-

netic, turbine, doppler, and Venturi Open channel flow measuring devices,

such as: Rectangular, Cipolletti, and V-notch

weirs Flumes, such as Parshall, and Palmer-

Bowlus flumes

Inspectors should be able to recognize theseflow measuring devices in the field and be ableto take instantaneous and totalized flow read-

ings from them. They should also be familiarwith temporary methods of flow measurement.These may include using the Manning equa-tion for calculating flow in open channels, orvolumetric methods such as use of tanks, con-tainers, or stopwatch and bucket.

3.3 Mechanical Equipment

Grade I Inspectors have basic knowledge of themechanical equipment used in wastewater andindustrial waste treatment, including: pumps,mixers, flocculators, chemical feed systems,settling tanks and clarifiers, oil/water separa-tors, filtration and membrane systems, sludgetreatment and dewatering systems, and emer-gency alarm and back-up systems.

Inspectors should know the operating theorybehind the various types of pumps used inwastewater treatment, including centrifugal andpositive-displacement, and pump control sys-tems such as level controls. Centrifugal pumpsare normally used to convey wastewater andmay be either submersible or non-submersible.Inspectors should know the various types ofpositive-displacement pumps, such as dia-phragm pumps, and their common uses inwastewater treatment such as conveying slud-ges, and chemical feed systems.

3.4 Industrial Processes

Inspectors should become familiar with the in-dustrial processes that generate industrialwastewater of concern to the POTW. Manytimes this will include those industrial discharg-ers classified as categorical users regulatedunder the Federal pretreatment regulations.These include electroplating and metal finish-ing processes, printed circuit board and semi-conductor manufacturing, inorganic and or-ganic chemical manufacturing, petroleum andpetro-chemical industries to name a few. Highstrength wastewater with high total suspendedsolids (TSS) and organic content is often dis-charged from various food processing facilitiessuch as dairies, bakeries, and meat packingplants. Inspectors should become familiar withthe common pollutants of concern (POC) dis-



charged from the various categories of indus-tries and industrial processes. The negativeaffects of such pollutants on the POTW shouldalso be understood including POTW processinhibition, pass through, sludge quality, andsafety concerns.

3.5 Industrial Wastewater Treatment Pro-cesses

Basic industrial wastewater pretreatment in-cludes the physical-chemical processes suchas flow equalization, settling, oil/water separa-tion, precipitation, coagulation, flocculation, pHneutralization, oxidation, reduction, and filtra-tion. Biological processes are also used forwastewater from the food processing, petro-chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. In-spectors should become familiar with the con-ventional pretreatment processes used in thedevelopment of the federal categorical pretreat-ment standards.

4.1 General

To successfully achieve a Grade I certification,Inspectors should have the ability to recognizeand identify hazards and hazardous situationsencountered above and below ground in col-lection systems and industrial operations. A fullknowledge of safety procedures and preven-tion techniques is also needed.

Additionally, it is necessary to be familiar withand understand safety laws, rules, and regula-tions as they apply to Inspectors, their co-work-ers, and the public. The ability to interpret andunderstand the worker right-to-know law is alsonecessary. Common confined space work byInspectors includes maintenance or manholeentry for wastewater collection system sampling.

4.2 Traffic

Grade I candidates should be familiar with andunderstand the elements of traffic control.Awareness and comprehension of the hazardsof working in roadways as they pertain to In-spectors, co-workers, drivers, and pedestriansis imperative. They should have a general un-derstanding of traffic safety equipment and itsproper use. The ability to identify basic flag-ging equipment, and understand proper pro-cedures for its use is also necessary.

4.3 Vehicles and Equipment

Inspectors are expected to understand how toperform appropriate safety checks on vehicles,and possess a thorough knowledge and un-derstanding of traffic laws and defensive driv-ing techniques. For safety purposes, the properapplication and operation of the various ve-hicles, tools and equipment used in collectingsamples in the street or at an industrial facilitymust be understood.

4.4 Confined-Space

It is important to know what confined spacesare and understand the definitions. There aredifferent classifications of confined spaces andit is important to know what the differences arebetween classes. A working knowledge of theconfined space permit process, entry proce-dures and rescue operations, as well as termi-nology, is necessary. Common confined spacework by Inspectors includes maintenance holeor manhole entry for wastewater collection sys-tem sampling.

Knowledge and understanding of confinedspace safety rules, requirements, and regula-tions, as well as accident/injury prevention tech-niques, is important. It is necessary to be awareof and understand the hazards and effects ofconfined-space work, and the responsibilitiesof those working and supervising work in con-fined spaces. Inspectors need to be able torecognize confined space safety equipment andunderstand its proper function and operation.



4.5 Chemical and Biological Hazards

There are numerous chemical and biologicalhazards that may be encountered during envi-ronmental compliance inspection work. A ba-sic knowledge of these substances, and theirhazardous potential should be learned. Inspec-tors should be knowledgeable of the policiesand procedures for prevention of, and protec-tion from, these hazards. Inspectors should beable to identify the types of personal protec-tion equipment commonly used in inspectionwork, and understand their proper use.

4.6 Hazardous Atmosphere

It is important to understand what hydrogensulfide is and its impact in wastewater collec-tion systems. Its causes, as well as its hazardsand effects to both personnel and the collec-tion system should be fully understood. It willalso be necessary to identify the causes ofhydrogen sulfide generation and the methodsused to control this substance.

Inspectors should also know the purposes ofair or atmosphere safety monitoring, includ-ing monitoring for specific gases or indicatorssuch as carbon dioxide (CO), oxygen (O2),hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and the Lower Explo-sive Limit (LEL).

4.7 Material Safety Data Sheets

Any hazardous chemical product used withinthe wastewater field has Material Safety DataSheets (MSDS). These documents providevaluable information about potentially hazard-ous chemicals used on the job. Inspectorsshould know what MSDS are, the informationthey contain, and understand their use.



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S e c t i o n 4

Test Preparation

This section provides tips on how candidatesshould prepare, information provided with thetest, the types of questions likely to be on thetest, and solutions to typical math problems.

Basic Study Strategy

To prepare adequately, candidates need toemploy discipline and develop good study hab-its. Ample time to prepare for the test shouldbe allowed. Candidates should establish andmaintain a study schedule. One or two nightsa week for one or two months should be suffi-cient in most cases. Spend one or more hoursstudying in quiet surroundings or in small groupsof two or three serious candidates. Effortsshould be directed to the test subject areas thatare not being performed on a day-to-day basis.

While using this study guide, be sure to under-stand the answers to all questions. Discuss testquestions with others. Not only is this a goodstudy technique, it is also an excellent way tolearn.

Candidates should study at the certification levelbeing sought after. There is no advantage tospending time studying material that will not beon the test. Refer to the previous section fortopics that will be covered.

It is not necessary, but certainly helpful, tomemorize all formulas and conversion factors.A sheet is provided with the test to assist in thisarea. Tables 4-1 and 4-2 give many of theseformulas and conversion factors.

Candidates should obtain the primary referenceand training material listed in Section 6. Anymaterial not available at their workplace can beobtained from the sources listed in Section 6.

Multiple Choice Questions

All test questions are written in multiple-choiceformat. At first glance, the multiple-choice prob-lem may seem easy to solve because so muchinformation is given, but that is where the prob-lem lies. The best answer must be chosen fromthe information provided. Here are some tipsthat may help solve multiple-choice questions.

1. Read the question completely and closelyto determine what is being asked.

2. Read all the choices before selecting ananswer.

3. Look for key words or phrases that often,but not always, tip off correct or incorrectanswers:

Absolute Words(Suspect as a wrong choice)

All NeverAlways NoneTotally Completely

Limiting Words(Often a correct choice)

Few OccasionallySome GenerallyOften UsuallyMany Possible

4. Never make a choice based on the fre-quency of previous answers. If the last tenquestions have not had a b answer, dontarbitrarily select b. Instead use logic andreasoning to increase the chances ofchoosing the best answer.


5. Reject answers that are obviously incorrectand choose from the remaining answers.For example, in the multiple choice ques-tion, Why are gasoline and volatile solventsobjectionable when present in a sewer?

a. They produce an explosion hazard.b. They tend to cause solids to vaporize.c. They will coagulate floatables and

cause stoppages.d. Because they float, the substances flow to

plant headworks quicker.

In reviewing physical and chemical charac-teristics of gasoline and volatile solvents,the specific gravities of these substancesare generally less than water and float tothe surface. They are solvents for othersimilar industrial organic chemicals. There-fore, answer b, that proposes gasolineand volatile solvents cause solids such assand, and grit to vaporize, is obviously anincorrect answer.

6. Make an educated guess. Never recon-sider a choice that has already been elimi-nated. That means in the example above,answer b is out.

Look for key phrases or words that give aclue to the right answer. For the exampleabove, choices c and d discussfloatables and are potentially good answers.For answer c, chemical interaction ofgasoline with floatables is not likely unlessthey are oil and grease. In such case, thesolvent may disperse the oil and grease andreduce stoppages.

Answer a and d remain and are bothreasonable choices. However, the best an-swer must be selected. Answer d is true,but without knowing the explosive nature ofgasoline and volatile solvents, the answeris only a fact. An explosive material inwastewater creates a condition that endan-gers the public, a potential loss of expen-sive facilities, and a hazard to operationsand maintenance personnel. The best an-swer is a, they produce an explosion haz-ard.

7. Skip over questions that are troublesome.Mark these questions for later review.

8. When finished with the test, return to thequestions skipped. Now think! Make infer-ences. With a little thought and the infor-mation given, the correct answer can bereasoned out.

9. Under no circumstances leave any ques-tion unanswered. There is no penalty foran incorrect answer. However, credit isgiven only for correct answers.

NO ANSWER=WRONG ANSWER

10. Keep a steady pace. Check the time peri-odically.

11. Remember to read all questions carefully.They are not intended to be trick ques-tions; however, the intent is to test a can-didates knowledge of and ability to under-stand the written languages of this profes-sion.

Math Problems

Math problems on the certification tests aremeant to reflect the type of work encounteredin Collection System Maintenance. Althoughthere is no specific math section on the test,many questions will require some calculationssuch as area, volume, ratios, and conversionof units. By far, the greatest number of appli-cants that fail the certification examinations doso by failing to complete the math problems.Completing the math problems will be greatlysimplified by using a calculator and the ap-proach suggested in the following paragraphs.

Calculators

A scientific calculator may be used during thetest; however, a four-function (add, subtract,multiply and divide) calculator is adequate forcompleting any of the certification tests. Addi-tional functions (i.e. square root) are not nec-essary, but may be helpful in some situations.The most important factor in effectively using acalculator is the candidates familiarity with itsuse prior to the time of the examination.


Section 4: Test Preparation

Table 4-1 Environmental Compliance Inspector

Equivalents and Formulas

Equivalents Formulas

3.785 liters/gallon Volume of Rectangular Solid: V = LWH

8.34 lbs/gallon Volume of Cylinder: V = p R2 H

7.48 gallons/ft3 Area of Circle: A = p R2

A = (B + b) H 43,560 ft2/acre Area of Trapezoid:

2

A = bh 453.6 gm/lb Area of Triangle:

2

Q = 1.49 x A x R2/3

x S1/2

28.35 gm/oz Manning Formula: N

12 inches/ft R = Hydraulic Radius N = Friction Factor

p = 3.14 S = Slope A = Area of Flow

Table 4-2 Periodic Properties of Elements

Element Symbol Atomic Weight(grams/mole)

Aluminum Al 27.0Arsenic As 74.9Cadmium Cd 112.4Calcium Ca 40.1Carbon C 12.0Chlorine Cl 35.5Chromium Cr 52.0Copper Cu 63.5Fluorine F 19.0Hydrogen H 1.0Iron Fe 55.8Magnesium Mg 24.3Nickel Ni 58.7Nitrogen N 14.0Oxygen O 16.0Phosphorus P 31.0Potassium K 39.1Silver Ag 107.9Sodium Na 23.0Sulfur S 32.1Zinc Zn 65.4



tunneeded units are cancelled out:

Sample Questions

The following sample math problems are intendedto demonstrate unit conversion techniques. Al-though they are general wastewater problems, thequestions may not be specific to any vocation.

1. How many gallons of water will it take tofill a 3 cubic foot container?

2. A 240-volt circuit has a resistance of 20ohms. What is the amperage, in amps, andhow much power, in kilowatts, is consumed?

First, calculate the current in the circuit bythe formula E = I x R. Solving for the un-known (current):

Then calculate power consumption byformula:

P (power in watts) = E (voltage) x I (cur-rent in amps)

3. The rated capacity of a pump is 500 gal

lons per minute (GPM). Convert thiscapacity to million gallons per day (MGD).

4. An analyst filters 100 mL of primary efflu-ent through a tared filter, dries the filter at104C, and weighs the filter again. Giventhe following information, what is the totalsuspended solids of the sample in mg/L.

Tare weight 0.4150 gDry weight 0.4275 g

First calculate the weight of suspended sol-ids:

0.4275 g - 0.4150 g = 0.0125 g in 100 mL

Then convert the desired units:

5. A chemical feed pump delivers 50 mL perminute (mL/min). Determine the chemicalfeed in gallons per day (gpd).

6. A cyanide destruction process is designedto treat 30 pounds of cyanide per 24-houroperational day. How many pounds of cya-nide can be treated during an 8- hour shift?

Math Skills

Successful candidates must be skilled in arith-metic and geometry. Candidates must be ableto apply these skills to make calculations for



work-related tasks such as excavation, station-ing, pumping, determining flow rate, cost esti-mation, and any other job related math skill thatmay fall within the Skill Sets listed in Section 3.A thorough review of the types of mathematicsrequired for the test is beyond the scope of thisstudy guide. Consult an appropriate math text(see Section 6, References) if there is unfamil-iarity with any of these specific math skills.Appendix A provides general strategies for ap-proaching math problems, math anxiety, and re-sources for remedial study.

Arithmetic

Candidates should be able to perform and un-derstand the following calculations either manu-ally or with a calculator:

1. Addition and subtraction of whole num-bers and fractions.

2. Multiplication and division of wholenumbers and fractions.

Algebra

Candidates should be able to perform basicapplied algebra calculations such as solving forone unknown in one equation.

Example 1. A company is required to take adaily time-composite sample of its industrialwastewater discharge for analysis. The auto-matic sampler must take a discrete fixed-vol-ume sample every 20 minutes for 24 hours.What is the minimum volume, in millimeters,that must be taken every 20 minutes to providea 3 liter composite sample in 24 hours?

This is a ratio problem. The total volume ofwastewater sample divided by the volume ofeach discrete sample is proportional to the to-tal time of sampling divided by the time betweendiscrete samples. The ratio is expressed asfollows:

The unknown is the discrete sample volumewhich must be expressed in millimeters. Con-struct the equation with the proper units so thatall but the answer units cancel out. This willrequire converting all volume to millimeters andall time to minutes.

Solve the right side of the equation and multi-ply both sides by the unknown.

Then divide both sides by the number ofsamples to get the answer.

Although this problem requires basic arithmeticskills, it also requires knowledge and familiaritywith sampling techniques to synthesize thegiven information and translate it into a math-ematical equation to solve the problem.

Geometry

Candidates should be able to calculate circum-ference, find the area of a rectangle, circle, andthe volumes of rectangular and cylindrical sol-ids. Be prepared to apply these basic skills towork-related problems.

Example 2. A chemical storage tank 20 feet indiameter and 12 feet, 6 inches tall sits on arectangular spill-containment pad with concretewalls. The containment pad is 35 feet long by25 feet wide. How high must the containmentwalls be, in feet, to provide 100 percent con-tainment of the tanks contents?

This problem requires the ability to calculatethe volume of one solid body, the tank, and cal-culate one dimension of another solid body, thespill-containment pad, to provide the same vol-ume as the tank.



The tank is a cylinder and its volume can becalculated using the volume formula from Table4-1.

To provide the answer in feet, volume shouldbe calculated in cubic feet or ft3.

Vol. = 0.785 (20 ft.)2 x 12.5 ft = 3,925 ft3

The volume of a rectangular solid body is givenas:

Vol. = LWH, where L = 35 ftW = 25 ft

Dimension H, the wall height, is the unknown.Add the known values to the equation and solvefor H.

This problem requires application of knowledgeof basic geometry, arithmetic, and the ability toconvert dimensions and units. In this case,three-dimensional (volume, ft3) converted toone-dimensional (height, ft). It also requiresbasic knowledge of spill containment require-ments. For example, if the tank leaks, the tankvolume below the top of the spill-containmentwall can be included in the total spill-contain-ment volume.


S e c t i o n 5

Diagnostic Test

Introduction

This section provides a diagnostic test for thosestudying for their Grade I Environmental Com-pliance Inspector certification to help determinetheir current knowledge level of wastewaterchemistry, sampling, industrial and wastewatertreatment processes, and safety. These ques-tions represent the type of knowledge that maybe required to successfully pass the CWEAcertification test. Test questions are generallybased on the information contained in the ref-erences (See Section 6 for a list of references).However, passing the example questions is nota guarantee of passing the test, as the test writ-ers do not prepare the questions. Answers forthis practice test and tips of where to find refer-ences for further study are located at the end ofthe test.

1. An industry operating an 8-hour shift, 5 daysper week, generates 100,000 gallons ofwastewater per shift. Their pretreatmentsystem has a capacity of 150 gallons perminute. How long must the pretreatmentfacility operate to process the wastewatergenerated each day?

a. 15 hoursb. 10.5 hoursc. 11.1 hoursd. 6.6 hours

2. What is the average detention time, in min-utes, for a 40,000 gpd flow going through a1,500-gallon interceptor?

a. 54 minutesb. 27 minutesc. 15 minutesd. 40 minutes

3. What total volume of spill containment ca-pacity in gallons is needed for the followingtanks if a 12-inch rainfall occurs during a24-hour period on a common 200-foot by200-foot spill-containment pad? Assume100 percent containment of all tank capac-ity is needed.

Tank I: Cube, 6 ft wide, 6 ft long, and 6 fthigh

Tank II: Rectangular, 4 ft wide, 20 ft long,and 3 ft high

Tank III: Cylindrical, 8 ft in diameter and9 ft high

a. 3,016,138 gallonsb. 3,597,192 gallonsc. 305,992 gallonsd. 30,592 gallons

4. Alkalinity is reported as:

a. alkalinity, mg/L phenolphthaleinb. alkalinity, mg/L CaCO3c. mg/L alkalinityd. alkalinity, mg/L acetic acid

5. A solution with a pH of 5 has a concentra-tion of hydrogen ions that is how many timeshigher than a solution with a pH of 7?

a. 2 times higherb. 10-5 times higherc. 10-2 times higherd. 100 times higher


Section 5: Diagnostic Test

6. The hardness determination measures:

a. calcium and magnesium.b. calcium carbonate.c. alkalinity, corrosivity, and carbonates.d. calmagite.

7. An industry has a wastewater discharge of10,000 gallons per day containing 5 mg/Lof copper. What is the industrys massemission rate of copper in pounds per day?

a. 0.11 lb/dayb. 0.05 lb/dayc. 0.42 lb/dayd. 0.50 lb/day

8. The BOD determination is an empirical testin which standardized laboratory proce-dures are used to:

a. determine the relative dissolved oxygenin wastewaters, effluents, and pollutedwaters.

b. determine the relative oxygen require-ments of wastewaters, effluents, andpolluted waters.

c. determine the relative chemical oxidiz-ers in wastewaters, effluents, and pol-luted waters.

d. determine the relative organic com-pounds of wastewaters, effluents, andpolluted waters.

9. A solution of ferrous chloride used at a pre-treatment facility contains 30 percent fer-rous chloride and has a density of 1.33 g/mL. How many grams of ferrous chlorideare in one liter of the solution?

a. 39.9 grams per literb. 226 grams per literc. 399 grams per literd. 4,430 grams per liter

10. What is the normality of a sodium hydrox-ide solution of 25 ml if a 0.01 N sulfuric acidsolution neutralizes 100 ml of the NaOHsolution?

a. 0.0025 Nb. 0.064 Nc. 0.25 Nd. 6.4 N

11. An industry discharges 50,000 gallons perday of wastewater at a pH of 2.0. How manygallons per day of a 25 percent NaOH solu-tion would be needed to maintain a dis-charge pH of 8.5?

Molecular weight (M.W.) NaOH= 40.0

a. 56 gallonsb. 80 gallonsc. 21 gallonsd. 40 gallons

12. Sodium hydroxide is commonly referred toas:

a. quicklime.b. soda ash.c. caustic soda.d. hydrated lime.

1. An industry has five sewer connections withthe following discharge rates:

1) 300 gpd, 2) 75 gpd, 3) 725 gpd, 4)1,200 gpd, 5) 200 gpd

A flow-weighted composite sample of 5 li-ters is desired. How many milliliters ofsample from each connection should becomposited?

a. 1000, 1000, 1000, 1000b. 0.60, 0.15, 1.45, 2.40, 0.40c. 600, 150, 1450, 2400, 400



d. 120, 30, 290, 480, 802. You have been directed to collect a 12-hour

flow proportional sample. Using the follow-ing data, select the volume of sample to becollected at 12:00 p.m. if a total sample vol-ume of one liter is required.

Time Flow, MG Time Flow, MG6:00 a.m. 5.8 12:00 p.m. 9.07:00 a.m. 6.4 1:00 p.m. 9.68:00 a.m. 6.8 2:00 p.m. 8.89:00 a.m. 7.2 3:00 p.m. 8.2

10:00 a.m. 6.8 4:00 p.m. 7.611:00 a.m. 7.2 5:00 p.m. 6.8

a. 90 mLb. 90.2 mLc. 100 mLd. 180 mL

3. An industry has a 36,000-gpd discharge ina sixteen-hour day. A composite sample of2 liters is needed. The sampler is set totake 125 ml. Each time the pump is acti-vated. For a flow proportional sample, atwhat gallon interval should the sampler ac-tivate to take a sample?

a. 2,200 gallonsb. 2,880 gallonsc. 2,150 gallonsd. 2,250 gallons

4. Lead acetate paper is used to determinethe presence of:

a. chlorine.b. hydrogen sulfide.c. methane.d. carbon monoxide.

5. A chain-of-custody form:

a. replaces the need for sample containerlabels.

b. must include field notes regarding sam-pling conditions.

c. is the ability to trace sample possessionand handling from collection throughanalysis.

d. is the ability to trace sample handlingtechniques from preservation throughextraction or digestion to analysis.

6. The following results for nickel, in mg/L,were obtained from daily compositesamples. Select the correct mean, median,and range of values from the list.

6.7, 8.6, 9.0, 8.9, 8.9, 9.0, 8.5, 8.4, 8.7,6.6, 8.8, 7.2, 8.5, 9.3, 8.9

a. Mean=8.4, median=8.7, range=2.6b. Mean=8.4, median=8.7, range=2.7c. Mean=8.4, median=8.8, range=2.7d. Mean=8.5, median=8.6, range=2.4

7. In a normally distributed population of sam-pling data, what percent of the data pointswill fall within one standard deviation.

a. 99.7b. 68.3c. 50.0d. 95.5

8. What kind of container and preservative isrequired for samples to be analyzed for oiland grease?

a. Plastic, Cool 4C, H2SO4 to pH12c. Glass, Cool 4C, H2SO4 to pH12

1. Prohibited discharges from industrial usersto POTWs, as stipulated in the Clean Wa-ter Act, are pollutants that:

a. create a fire or explosion hazard in thesewer or POTW.

b. have a pH lower than 6.0.c. are released in such volume or strength

as to inhibit chemical treatment at thePOTW.

d. have a temperature that exceeds 100F.



2. A significant industrial user can be definedas:

a. discharging 20,000 gpd or more of pro-cess wastewater.

b. contributes 2.0 percent or more of thePOTWs hydraulic or organic (BOD, TSS)capacity.

c. a federal categorical industrial user.d. a user that generates hazardous waste.

3. The following type of flow measuring de-vice can be installed in a pipe flowing full:

a. Cipolletti weir.b. Palmer-Bowlus flume.c. Venturi.d. Parshall.

4. Head measurements on weirs should betaken at a distance upstream of the weirof ____________ times the maximumexpected head to be measured.

a. 2b. 6c. 1.5d. 4

5. An example of a positive displacementpump is:

a. diaphragm pump.b. progressing cavitation pump.c. turbine pump.d. submersible pump.

6. An ultrafiltration system removes _______from wastewater.

a. dissolved solidsb. heavy metalsc. saltsd. suspended solids

7. Industrial plants producing wastes with ahigh suspended solids content include:

a. breweries.b. textile dyehouses.c. oil fields.d. laundries.

8. High strength (high BOD) waste is a con-cern to a POTW because of the:

a. toxic effects on treatment processes.b. effect on sludge quality.c. cost of treatment.d. safety of plant workers.

9. A major pollutant of concern (POC) from aprinted circuit board shop is:

a. mercury.b. cadmium.c. chromium.d. copper.

10. High pH wastewater is neutralized by add-ing:

a. anhydrous ammonia.b. H2SO4.c. NaOH.d. CaCO3.

11. Emulsified oil is commonly removed fromwastewater by:

a. gravity oil/water separator.b. aeration.c. settling tank.d. dissolved air flotation.

12. Heavy metals are commonly removed frommetal finishing wastewater by:

a. air stripping.b. chemical precipitation.c. activated carbon.d. oxidation.



13. Chemical feed pumps for pH control areautomatically operated by:

a. flow meter.b. pH meter.c. pH probe and controller.d. conductivity meter.

1. MSDS is an acronym for what?

a. Men Safely Delivering Sulfur Dioxideb. Material Safety Data Sheetc. Maintaining Safe Departmental Stan-

dardsd. Mechanical Safety Device Standards

2. Safety hazards associated with hydrogensulfide in sewer systems include:

a. bad odors.b. corrosion of pipelines.c. toxic gasses.d. growth of pathogens.

3. A confined space is one that:

a. has or may contain atmospheric, engulf-ment, design, or other serious health/safety hazard.

b. is large enough to enter and work in, hasa restricted entry/exit, and is not meantfor continuous occupancy.

c. is large enough to enter and work in andhas a restricted entry/exit.

d. has or may contain an atmospheric orengulfment hazard.

4. What is the danger of asphyxiation set pointfor oxygen on an atmospheric monitor?

a. 20.9 percentb. 17.5 percentc. 19.5 percentd. 22.0 percent

5. To find the proper protective gear to usewhile inspecting an area where a hazard-ous chemical is used, you would:

a. ask an employee that works there.b. ask a supervisor.c. check the safety equipment guide for the

chemicals used.d. check the MSDS for chemicals used.

6. Whenever an inspector or sampling tech-nician is in a manhole, how many peopleshould there be above to respond in theevent of an emergency?

a. Oneb. Twoc. Threed. Four

7. Hydrogen sulfide gas smells like:

a. dead fish.b. fuel gas.c. rotten cabbage.d. rotten eggs.

8. Why are gasoline and volatile solvents ob-jectionable when present in a sewer?

a. They can produce an explosion hazard.b. They tend to cause the solids to vapor-

ize.c. They will coagulate floatables and cause

stoppages.d. They produce noxious odors.

9. When working in the street, signs and conesare needed when:

a. working in bright sunlight.b. over half of the street is blocked.c. the speed limit is over 25 MPH.d. the street is a state or county highway.



10. How many different areas of traffic controlare there?

a. sevenb. twoc. fourd. five

11. The different areas of traffic control include:

a. buffer.b. bumper.c. rest.d. lane.

12. When inspecting a plating shop, personalprotective equipment would include:

a. hard hat, steel-toed boots, and splashapron.

b. splash apron, chemical resistant gloves,and hard hat.

c. eye goggles or face shield, chemical re-sistant gloves, and overalls.

d. chemical resistant gloves, overalls, andhard hat.

Test Answer Key

The following tables show the correct answersfor the test questions included in this studyguide. The tables below show what section theanswers are for, the correct answer, and thesubsection the question refers to. If a wronganswer to any of the diagnostic test questionswas chosen, refer to the subsection listed andfind the correct reference material to help findthe correct answer to the question.

Skill No. Answer Set

1 c 1.22 a 1.23 c 1.24 b 1.15 d 1.1

6 a 1.1

7 c 1.28 b 1.39 c 1.110 a 1.111 b 1.112 c 1.1


1 c 2.02 c 2.03 d 2.04 b 2.05 c 2.06 b 2.07 b 2.08 c 2.0


1 a 3.12 c 3.13 c 3.24 d 3.25 a 3.36 d 3.37 a 3.48 c 3.49 d 3.410 b 3.511 d 3.512 b 3.513 c 3.5




1 b 4.72 c 4.63 b 4.44 c 4.15 d 4.56 b 4.47 d 4.68 a 4.1, 4.59 b 4.210 d 4.211 d 4.212 c 4.5

Math Solutions

1. An industry operating an 8-hour shift, 5 daysper week, generates 100,000 gallons ofwastewater per shift. Their pretreatmentsystem has a capacity of 150 gallons perminute. How long must the pretreatmentfacility operate to process the wastewatergenerated each day?

Solution. Known: Wastewater flow in gpd, andtreatment capacity in gpm

Unknown: Treatment time/day

The information on operating hours and daysis not relevant to the problem. Calculate thetime required to treat 100,000 gallons. Themultiple-choice answers are in hours. There-fore, convert the time to hours.

2. What is the average detention time, in min-utes, for a 40,000 gpd flow going through a1,500-gallon interceptor?

Solution. Known: Average 24-hour flow, andliquid capacity (volume) of clarifier

Unknown: Average detention or holding timeof wastewater in the clarifier

Since hours of discharge are not specified, flowand detention time is averaged over 24 hours.The multiple choice answers are given in min-utes. Therefore, convert the average detentiontime to minutes.

Calculate the average detention time.

3. What total volume of spill containment ca-pacity in gallons is needed for the followingtanks if a 12-inch rainfall occurs during a24-hour period on a common 200-foot by200-foot spill containment pad? Assume100 percent containment of all tank capac-ity is needed

Solution. Known: Dimension of all tanks, di-mension of spill pad floor, and depth of rainfall

Unknown: Volume (capacity) of tanks, and vol-ume of rainfall on pad

Use volume formulas from Table 4-1 to calcu-late volume of each tank.

Tank 1: Vol. = LWHL, W, and H = 6 ft

Vol. = 6 ft x 6 ft x 6 ft = 216 ft3

Tank 2: Vol. = LWH



L = 20 ft, W = 4 ft, H = 3 ft

Vol. = 20 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft = 240 ft3

Tank 3: Vol. = 0.785 D2H D = 8 ft, H = 9 ft

Vol. = 0.785 (8 ft)2 x 9 ft = 452 ft3

Total Tank Vol. = 216 ft3 + 240 ft3 + 452 ft3 = 908 ft3

Calculate the rainfall volume. Treat the spill-containment pad like a rectangular tank. Depthof rainfall is the height of the tank.

Convert inches to feet:

Vol. = LWHL = W = 200 ft, H = 1 ft

Vol = 200 ft x 200 ft x 1 ft = 40,000 ft3

Sum the tank and rainfall volumes and convertunits to gallons.

Total spill-containment capacity =

7. An industry has a wastewater discharge of10,000 gallons per day containing 5 mg/Lof copper. What is the industrys massemission rate of copper in pounds per day?

Solution. Known: Daily discharge in gpd, con-centration of copper in discharge, mg/L

Unknown: Mass discharge (emission) of cop-per in lb/day

A simple solution for mass emission rate prob-lems is to understand that concentration in mg/

L is equivalent to parts per million (ppm) or parts/million parts in dilute solutions. Therefore, 5mg/L is the same as 5 pounds of copper permillion pounds of solution.

Solve the problem converting gallons per dayto pounds per day and then multiplying by theconcentration.

Mass Emission Rate =

1. An industry has five sewer connections withthe following discharge rates:

(1) 300 gpd, (2) 75 gpd, (3) 725 gpd,(4) 1,200 gpd, (5) 200 gpd

A flow-weighted composite sample of 5 li-ters is desired. How many milliliters ofsample from each connection should becomposited?

Solution. Known: Flow rate from each con-nection, and total composite volume

Unknown: Volume of sample from each con-nection

A flow weighted sample means that the ratio ofdiscrete sample volume to total composite vol-ume is the same as the ratio of each connec-tion discharge rate to the total discharge rate.

Calculate the total discharge rate.

Total Rate = Sum of Individual Rates= 300 + 75 + 725 + 1,200 + 200 = 2,500 gpd

Total composite sample volume is 5 liters or5,000 mL. Set up a ratio equation for each con-nection and solve for the unknown by multiply-



ing both sides by the total sample volume.

2. The following results for nickel, in mg/L,were obtained from daily compositesamples. Select the correct mean, median,and range of value from the list.

6.7, 8.6, 9.0, 8.9, 9.0, 8.5, 8.4, 8.7, 6.6, 7.2,8.5, 9.3, 8.9

Solution. Mean is the average, or the sum ofall the values divided by the number of values,in this case, 15 values.

= 6.7 + 8.6 + 9.0 + 8.9 + 8.9 + 9.0 + 8.5 +8.4 + 8.7 + 6.6 + 8.8 + 7.2 + 8.5 + 9.3 +8.9

The range is simply the difference betweenthe highest value and the lowest value.

Range = VH -VL = 9.3 - 6.6 = 2.7

The median is the midpoint of the range of

values, where on-half of the values arehigher and on-half of the values are lower.Arrange the values from highest to lowest.

9.3, 9.0, 9.0, 8.9, 8.9, 8.9, 8.8, 8.7, 8.6, 8.5,8.5, 8.4, 7.2, 6.7, 6.6

The midpoint, median value = 8.7.

There are seven values higher than thisnumber and seven values lower. If the totalnumber of values is an even number, thetwo values closest to the midpoint are av-eraged to obtain the midpoint, or medianvalue.


S e c t i o n 6

References

This section includes the titles and informationof primary and secondary references for the En-vironmental Compliance Inspector. Becausethese references contain the majority of the in-formation needed for the CWEA certificationtest, it is recommended that these referencesbe obtained for personal use. They may alsobe obtained at a university library or possiblyan employers library.

Primary References

Developing Source Control Programs for Com-mercial and Industrial Wastewater, WEF Manualof Practice (MOP)No. OM-4, 1996ISBN: 1-57278-032-0Water Environment Federation601 Wythe StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-1994800/666-0206www.wef.org

Industrial User Inspection and Sampling Manualfor POTWs, EPA 831-B-94-001, April 1994Office of Water (4202)U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wash-ington, DC 20460National Technical Information Service (NTIS)5285 Port Royal RoadSpringfield, VA 22161703/605-6000www.ntis.gov

The following books can be obtained from:

Office of Water ProgramsCalifornia State University Sacramento6000 J StreetSacramento, CA 95819-6025916/278-6142www.owp.csus.edu

Pretreatment Facility Inspection: A Field StudyTraining Program, 3rd Edition, 1996.

Industrial Waste Treatment: A Field Study Train-ing Program, Volume I and II,2nd Edition, 1995

Treatment of Metal Wastestreams: A Field

study Training Program, 2nd Edition, 1995

Secondary References

The information contained in the Primary Ref-erence section above provides a solid base ofknowledge for the Inspector. Additional refer-ences, such as those below, that enhance thematerial provided in these references may befound at a university library or as indicated foreach reference.

Industrial User Permitting Guidance Manual,1989Washington, DC: U.S. EPA Office of Wastewa-ter Enforcement and PermitsEPA Water Library202/267-7786


McGraw Hill Book Company860 Taylor Station RoadBlacklick, OH 43004-0545800/722-4726

The Nalco Water HandbookISBN: 0-07-045872-3

Other basic chemistry textbooks.

Industrial Wastewater Source Control, 1992ISBN: 0877628556Technomic Publishing Company, Inc.851 New Holland Avenue, Box 3535Lancaster, PA 17604800/233-9936 or 717/291-5609www.technomic.com


Section 6: References

A Guide to Methods and Standards for the Mea-surement of Water Flow, by G. Kulin and P.ComptonPublished by U.S. Department of Commerce,National Technical Information Service (NTIS)5285 Port Royal RoadSpringfield, VA 22161

Open Channel Flow Measurement Handbook,5th Edition, 1997 by D. GrantISBN: 0-9622757-2-7Published by ISCO, Inc.P. O. Box 82531Lincoln, NE 68501Available through Amazon.com

Stevens Water Resources Data Book Publishedby Leopold & Stevens, IncP. O. Box 688Beaverton, OR 97075

Basic Math Concepts for Water and Wastewa-ter Plant OperatorsISBN: 0-87762-808-4Joanne Kirkpatrick-PriceTechnomic Publishing Company, Inc.851 New Holland AvenueP. O. Box 3535Lancaster, PA 17604800/233-9936 or 717/291-5609www.technomic.comAvailable through Amazon.com

Caltrans Traffic Manual, Chapter 5 Traffic Con-trolsCalifornia Department of Transportation1900 Royal Oaks DriveSacramento, CA 95815916/445-3520Available through www.cwea.org/tcp/resourcelinks.htm

The following references can be obtainedfrom:

http://www.cwea.org/tcp/resourcelinks.htm

General Pretreatment RegulationsTitle 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Sec-tion 403 (40 CFR 403)

Storm Water Discharges, 40 CFR 122.26


Water Environment Federation601 Wythe StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-1994800/666-0206www.wef.org

Confined Space Entry, WEF, 1998

Safety and Health in Wastewater Systems,WEF MOP SM-1, 1994ISBN: 1-881369-87-0

Wastewater Sampling for Process and QualityControlWEF MOP OM-1, 1996ISBN: 1-57278-037-1


Example math problems found in Appendix A are representative of general wastewater math and aredesigned to illustrate a math problem solving strategy, not specific math skills. Examples given in thisappendix may not be like the problems given on the test for your discipline. However, the problems aretypical of types of problems you may encounter, including, but not limited to, basic algebra (solving oneequation for one unknown), story problems, and geometry, (area and volume problems). For specifickinds of math skills and problems you may encounter on the Grade IV Collection System Maintenancecertification test, please review Sections 3, 4, and 5 of this study guide.

Section 1: Introduction

Now is

cwea enviro inspector i

Documents