AWWA Environmental Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Water Act Section 404, which agency issues permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States?
- EPA
- Army Corps of Engineers (Correct answer)
- AWWA
- State health department
Correct answer: Army Corps of Engineers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues Section 404 permits for dredged or fill material discharges into waters of the U.S.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan at a water utility?
- To document water quality violations
- To prevent oil discharges that could reach navigable waters (Correct answer)
- To outline emergency chlorination procedures
- To manage stormwater runoff from parking lots
Correct answer: To prevent oil discharges that could reach navigable waters
An SPCC plan is required under 40 CFR Part 112 to prevent oil spills from reaching navigable waters of the United States.
Question 3: Which document must a public water system provide to customers annually under the Safe Drinking Water Act?
- Backflow prevention report
- Consumer Confidence Report (Correct answer)
- Source water assessment
- Wellhead protection plan
Correct answer: Consumer Confidence Report
The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) must be distributed annually to customers, summarizing water quality data and source information.
Question 4: What is the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in drinking water?
- 0 µg/L (Correct answer)
- 80 µg/L
- 40 µg/L
- 10 µg/L
Correct answer: 0 µg/L
The MCLG for TTHMs is zero because they are potential carcinogens, though the enforceable MCL is set at 80 µg/L.
Question 5: A utility discovers that a backflow preventer on a chemical feed line has failed. What is the immediate environmental compliance concern?
- Excess chlorine residual in the distribution system
- Cross-connection contamination of the potable water supply (Correct answer)
- Violation of the Lead and Copper Rule
- Failure to meet turbidity limits
Correct answer: Cross-connection contamination of the potable water supply
A failed backflow preventer on a chemical feed line creates a cross-connection that can allow contaminants to enter the potable water supply.
Question 6: Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), what must a facility report if it uses extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities?
- Monthly usage reports to AWWA
- Notification to State Emergency Response Commission and Local Emergency Planning Committee (Correct answer)
- Annual discharge monitoring reports to EPA
- Quarterly spill reports to Army Corps of Engineers
Correct answer: Notification to State Emergency Response Commission and Local Emergency Planning Committee
Facilities with extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities must notify the SERC and LEPC under EPCRA Section 302.
Question 7: What is the regulatory threshold for lead in drinking water at which a utility must take action under the Lead and Copper Rule?
- 5 ppb
- 10 ppb
- 15 ppb (Correct answer)
- 50 ppb
Correct answer: 15 ppb
The Lead and Copper Rule action level for lead is 15 ppb; if exceeded at more than 10% of sampled taps, the utility must take corrective action.
AWWA Environmental Compliance 2
Under the Clean Water Act Section 404, which agency issues permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States?