Water and Wastewater Utilities Flashcards
6 cards from real Energy and Utilities practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Water and Wastewater Utilities flashcards as text
What does 'BOD' stand for in wastewater treatment?
Answer: Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) measures the amount of dissolved oxygen microbes consume when decomposing organic matter in water.
What is 'primary treatment' in a conventional wastewater treatment plant?
Answer: Physical removal of settleable solids and floating material by screening and sedimentation
Primary treatment uses physical processes — bar screens, grit chambers, and primary clarifiers — to remove large solids and floatable material from wastewater.
What does NPDES stand for in the context of US water regulation?
Answer: National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is the EPA permit program under the Clean Water Act that controls water pollution by regulating point source discharges.
What is 'water loss' or 'non-revenue water' in distribution system management?
Answer: Water that enters the distribution system but is not billed to customers due to leaks, theft, or metering errors
Non-revenue water is the difference between water input to the distribution system and water billed to customers, including physical losses from leaks and apparent losses from theft.
What is the purpose of a 'water hammer' arrestor in plumbing systems?
Answer: Absorbing pressure surges from rapid valve closure to protect pipes
Water hammer arrestors use a sealed air chamber or spring piston to absorb the hydraulic shock wave created when flowing water is suddenly stopped.
What is 'digestion' in the biosolids treatment process at a wastewater plant?
Answer: Biological decomposition of organic matter in sludge to reduce volume and pathogens
Anaerobic or aerobic digestion uses microorganisms to break down organic material in sludge, reducing volume, stabilizing solids, and producing biogas.