SFP Water Management & Conservation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An SFP professional is evaluating a rainwater harvesting system. Which factor most directly determines the system's yield potential?
- Local annual rainfall and catchment area size (Correct answer)
- Distance from the collection tank to point of use
- Potable water cost per gallon in the region
- The age of the existing municipal water infrastructure
Correct answer: Local annual rainfall and catchment area size
Yield is fundamentally a product of how much rain falls and how large the collection surface is — greater precipitation and catchment area produce more harvestable water.
Question 2: Under EPA's WaterSense program, a certified fixture must use at least how much less water than the federal standard?
- 20% less (Correct answer)
- 10% less
- 30% less
- 50% less
Correct answer: 20% less
WaterSense-labeled products must be at least 20% more water-efficient than the federal minimum requirement while meeting strict performance criteria.
Question 3: Which irrigation strategy reduces evaporation losses and delivers water directly to plant root zones?
- Drip or micro-irrigation systems (Correct answer)
- Overhead rotary sprinkler systems
- Flood irrigation from trenches
- High-pressure spray heads with wide coverage
Correct answer: Drip or micro-irrigation systems
Drip irrigation delivers water at low pressure directly to the root zone, minimizing evaporation, wind drift, and surface runoff compared to overhead methods.
Question 4: A facility manager notices a 15% spike in water consumption with no change in occupancy. What is the most likely cause?
- An undetected leak in the distribution system (Correct answer)
- Seasonal increase in cooling tower makeup water
- New water-efficient fixtures reducing baseline readings
- Higher outdoor humidity reducing landscape irrigation
Correct answer: An undetected leak in the distribution system
Unexplained consumption spikes with stable occupancy most commonly indicate a leak — even small leaks in distribution lines can waste significant volumes over time.
Question 5: What is 'make-up water' in the context of HVAC cooling systems?
- Potable water added to replace evaporation and blowdown losses in a cooling tower (Correct answer)
- Condensate water recovered from air handling units
- Treated wastewater recirculated through chiller loops
- Emergency water supply for fire suppression in mechanical rooms
Correct answer: Potable water added to replace evaporation and blowdown losses in a cooling tower
Cooling towers lose water through evaporation and intentional blowdown; make-up water is the fresh supply needed to maintain proper water levels and concentration balance.
Question 6: Which EPA program provides a framework for benchmarking a building's water performance against similar buildings nationwide?
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (Correct answer)
- WaterSense New Homes Program
- EPA Stormwater Phase II Rule
- Clean Water Act Section 402 NPDES
Correct answer: ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tracks both energy and water use, allowing facility managers to benchmark water consumption against a national database of similar buildings.
Question 7: What term describes water that has been used once and then treated to a level suitable for a second use such as toilet flushing?
- Reclaimed or recycled water (Correct answer)
- Potable water
- Blackwater
- Stormwater runoff
Correct answer: Reclaimed or recycled water
Reclaimed water (also called recycled water) is treated wastewater that meets quality standards for non-potable applications like toilet flushing, irrigation, and cooling tower make-up.
SFP Water Management & Conservation 2
An SFP professional is evaluating a rainwater harvesting system.
Which factor most directly determines the system's yield potential?