Operations and Maintenance Flashcards
7 cards from real UMC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Operations and Maintenance flashcards as text
What is 'non-revenue water' (NRW) in a water utility context?
Answer: Water that is produced but not billed, including leaks, theft, and metering errors
Non-revenue water represents the gap between water entering the distribution system and water billed to customers, encompassing real losses (leaks) and apparent losses (theft, meter error).
Which regulatory program requires utilities to notify customers of detected contaminant violations?
Answer: Public Notification Rule under the Safe Drinking Water Act
The Public Notification Rule requires water systems to promptly notify customers when water quality violations occur, including MCL exceedances and monitoring failures.
A utility manager wants to extend asset life while minimizing costs. Which approach BEST achieves this goal?
Answer: Implement a risk-based asset management program prioritizing rehabilitation by condition and criticality
Risk-based asset management evaluates both the likelihood and consequence of failure, directing limited resources to the highest-risk, highest-impact assets first.
What is the function of a metering vault air-vacuum valve in a water main?
Answer: Release trapped air and prevent vacuum formation that could damage pipes or cause contamination
Air-vacuum valves (also called air release/vacuum breaker valves) expel air during filling and admit air during draining to protect pipes from vacuum collapse and air locking.
Which test is used to verify the integrity of a sewer pipe after rehabilitation?
Answer: Low-pressure air test
Low-pressure air testing pressurizes a pipe section and monitors pressure drop to detect leaks and confirm the pipe is properly sealed after rehabilitation.
What is the main risk of over-chlorinating a drinking water system?
Answer: Formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes that pose health risks
Excess chlorine reacting with natural organic matter forms disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), which are regulated due to cancer risk.
In utility operations, what does a 'Criticality Assessment' evaluate?
Answer: The potential impact of an asset's failure on public health, safety, and system operations
A criticality assessment ranks assets by the severity of consequences if they fail, considering public health, regulatory compliance, and operational impacts to prioritize maintenance and investment.