CESCO - Certified Environmental, Safety and Compliance Officer Water Pollution Control (CWA) Questions and Answers

Question 1

A manufacturing facility has a pipe that discharges treated wastewater directly into a river.
Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), what is this type of discharge conveyance called and what is required before this discharge is legally permissible?

Accepted Answer

Point source; a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit

Answer

Nonpoint source; a Best Management Practice (BMP) plan

Answer

Indirect discharge; approval from the local Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW)

Answer

Sheet flow; a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocation

Question 2

A state environmental agency has determined that a specific lake is not meeting water quality standards for phosphorus, even with existing pollution controls. According to the CWA, what must the state develop for this impaired water body?

Accepted Answer

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

Answer

A Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan

Answer

A Section 404 Dredge and Fill Permit

Answer

An Effluent Limitation Guideline (ELG)

Question 3

A road construction project will require placing rock and soil (fill material) into a federally protected wetland to create a roadbed. Which section of the Clean Water Act primarily governs this activity and requires a permit?

Accepted Answer

Section 404 - Permits for Dredged or Fill Material

Answer

Section 311 - Oil and Hazardous Substance Liability

Answer

Section 402 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

Answer

Section 303(d) - Water Quality Standards and Implementation Plans

Question 4

As an Environmental Compliance Officer at a large construction site disturbing more than one acre, you are responsible for developing a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Which of the following is NOT a required core element of a SWPPP?

Accepted Answer

A detailed inventory of all hazardous chemicals stored on site

Answer

A description of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to be used

Answer

A site map showing drainage patterns and locations of controls

Answer

Procedures for inspections and maintenance of stormwater controls

Question 5

Which of the following pollutant sources is explicitly excluded from the CWA's definition of a 'point source' and is therefore NOT regulated through the NPDES permit program?

Accepted Answer

Agricultural stormwater discharges

Answer

A pipe discharging from an industrial facility

Answer

A concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

Answer

Runoff from a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4)

Question 6

A facility's NPDES permit is set to expire in 8 months. To ensure the facility can continue its discharge operations without interruption, the CWA requires the permittee to submit a complete application for permit renewal at least how many days prior to the expiration date?

Accepted Answer

180 days

Answer

90 days

Answer

120 days

Answer

365 days

A manufacturing facility has a pipe that discharges treated wastewater directly into a river.Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), what is this type of discharge conveyance called and what is required before this discharge is legally permissible?

A manufacturing facility has a pipe that discharges treated wastewater directly into a river.
Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), what is this type of discharge conveyance called and what is required before this discharge is legally permissible?