System Components
30%of exam
Maintenance + Rehab
25%of exam
Pump Stations
20%of exam
Safety + Compliance
15%of exam
Confined SpaceLOTOSSOCMOMEmergency Sequence
Math + Hydraulics
10%of exam
Flow UnitsVelocityVolumeHeadMath Picker
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Collection Operator
- Body
- WPI/state authority
- Questions
- 100 scored
- Pretest
- Up to 10
- Time
- 3 hours
- Pass
- 70%
- Math
- About 10%
- Credential
- Jurisdiction issued
Gravity vs Force Main
Gravity
- Slope driven
- Partly full
- Manhole access
Force main
- Pump driven
- Pressurized pipe
- Valve access
Slope or pump decides
Gravity Sewers
- Gravity main
- Downhill conveyance
- Lateral
- Building connection
- Interceptor
- Large collector
- Invert
- Pipe flowline
- Slope
- Drives velocity
- Sag
- Unwanted low spot
- Surcharge
- Pipe under pressure
Manhole vs Cleanout
Manhole
- Main access
- Worker entry
- Junction structure
Cleanout
- Small access
- Tool entry
- Usually lateral
Access size matters
Structures + Access
- Manhole
- Main access
- Cleanout
- Lateral access
- Drop manhole
- Controls elevation
- Channel
- Directs flow
- Bench
- Side platform
- Frame
- Supports cover
- Cover seal
- Blocks inflow
Pipe Defects
- Offset joint
- Misaligned pipe
- Crack
- Structural opening
- Fracture
- Broken wall
- Roots
- Joint intrusion
- Grease
- FOG deposit
- Debris
- Blockage material
- Crown corrosion
- H2S damage
I/I Clues
Fast peaks inflow; slow peaks infiltration.
FastInflowSlowInfiltration
Infiltration vs Inflow
Infiltration
- Groundwater entry
- Defects/joints
- Delayed wet response
Inflow
- Surface water entry
- Direct connections
- Fast rain response
Groundwater seeps; stormwater connects
Field Problem Picker
- Standing CCTV water→Grade repair(Sag)
- Roots at joints→Cut and repair(Defect)
- Restaurant stoppages→FOG control(Grease)
- Rainfall peak flow→I/I study(Wet weather)
- Smoke exits roof→Illegal inflow(Direct)
- Joint seepage→Grouting(Infiltration)
- Long cracked reach→CIPP(Lining)
- Collapsed segment→Excavate repair(Structural)
Cleaning Tools
- Jetting
- High-pressure water
- Rodding
- Mechanical cutting
- Bucket machine
- Heavy debris
- Pigging
- Force-main cleaning
- Vac truck
- Remove solids
- Root saw
- Cut roots
- Flushing
- Move deposits
CCTV vs Smoke Test
CCTV
- Inside view
- Pipe defects
- Condition coding
Smoke test
- Surface clues
- Inflow sources
- Illegal openings
Camera sees; smoke reveals
Inspection Tests
- CCTV
- Visual defects
- Smoke test
- Find inflow
- Dye test
- Trace connection
- Flow monitor
- Track peaks
- Lamp test
- Alignment check
- Manhole survey
- Surface defects
- Acoustic scan
- Screen blockages
Rehab Methods
- Point repair
- Fix short defect
- CIPP
- Lined pipe
- Sliplining
- Smaller inserted pipe
- Pipe bursting
- Replace in place
- Grouting
- Seal joints
- Manhole lining
- Protect structure
- Root control
- Slow regrowth
Pump Troubleshooting
Power, controls, pump, valves, force main.
PowerControlsPumpValvesMain
Lead vs Lag Pump
Lead
- Starts first
- Normal flow
- Alternates duty
Lag
- Starts second
- Peak flow
- Backup capacity
Level demand adds pumps
Station Alarm Picker
- High wet well→Restore pumping(Prevent SSO)
- Power failure→Generator(Backup)
- Pump short cycles→Check controls(Levels)
- Pump hums only→Check impeller(Clog)
- Reverse flow→Check valve(Backflow)
- No SCADA signal→Local inspection(Verify)
- Airlocked pump→Vent/prime(Air)
- Force-main break→Bypass/isolate(Contain)
Lift Station
- Wet well
- Stores influent
- Submersible pump
- Common wastewater pump
- Dry well
- Equipment room
- Lead pump
- Starts first
- Lag pump
- Adds capacity
- Float switch
- Level control
- Transducer
- Continuous level
Force Main
- Force main
- Pressurized discharge
- Check valve
- Stops backflow
- Plug valve
- Isolates flow
- Air release
- Vents gas
- Surge
- Pressure transient
- Bypass pump
- Temporary pumping
- Valve vault
- Access valves
SSO Sequence
Safe, stop, contain, recover, report.
SafeStopContainRecoverReport
SSO vs Backup
SSO
- System release
- Public/environment risk
- Reportable event
Backup
- Building impact
- Private property
- Cause investigation
Location changes response
Safety Response Picker
- Manhole entry→Test atmosphere(Before entry)
- Bad atmosphere→Ventilate(No entry)
- Servicing pump→LOTO(Zero energy)
- Open roadway→Traffic control(MUTCD)
- Overflow starts→Protect public(First)
- Flow nears drain→Contain flow(Block path)
- Chemical spill→Isolate area(Escalate)
- Entrant collapses→Non-entry rescue(Do not enter)
Safety Thresholds
- O2 low
- Below 19.5%
- O2 high
- Above 23.5%
- LEL hazard
- Above 10%
- H2S
- Toxic sewer gas
- Methane
- Flammable gas
- CO
- Toxic combustion gas
- Ventilation
- Fresh-air control
Confined Space Order
Test, ventilate, enter only when authorized.
TestVentilatePermitMonitor
Compliance Response
- SSO
- Untreated release
- NPDES
- Discharge permit
- CMOM
- Capacity management
- FOG
- Grease program
- Work order
- Maintenance record
- Chain-of-command
- Notification path
- Public notice
- Required warning
Math Formulas
- Area
- 0.785 x D2
- Flow
- Area x velocity
- Velocity
- Flow / area
- Volume
- Area x depth
- Detention
- Volume / flow
- Head
- Pressure x 2.31
- MGD
- Million gal/day
Common Traps
Treatment vs Collection
Convey wastewater ≠ Treat wastewater
Smell vs Meter
Meter proves safety ≠ Odor proves safety
Report vs Respond
Control source first ≠ Paperwork first
Switch vs LOTO
Verify zero energy ≠ Turn switch off
Sag vs Siphon
Unwanted belly ≠ Designed crossing
Pass vs Certification
Authority certifies ≠ Exam pass certifies
Last Minute
- 1.Gravity needs slope
- 2.Force mains need pumps
- 3.Manholes are access points
- 4.Infiltration = groundwater entry
- 5.Inflow = direct stormwater
- 6.Test atmosphere before entry
- 7.LOTO before pump service
- 8.High wet well prevents SSO
- 9.CCTV finds pipe defects
- 10.Q = area x velocity
Buy on Amazon
Take courses on UdemySame family resources
Explore More Water / Wastewater Operator
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
VideoWastewater Collection System Operator Exam Guide 2026: FREE Study PlanThis examVideoFREE ABC Water Distribution Operator Exam Guide 2026: Class 1-4, 110 Qs (100 Scored), 70% Pass (Practice Questions)VideoFREE Wastewater Treatment Operator Exam Guide 2026: ABC Class I-IVVideoFree Water/Wastewater Operator Practice Test by State 2026: 5,100+ QuestionsArticleWastewater Collection System Operator Exam Guide 2026: FREE Study Plan32 min readArticleFREE Wastewater Treatment Operator Exam Guide 2026: ABC Class I-IV15 min readArticleFREE ABC Water Distribution Operator Exam Guide 2026: Class 1-4, 110 Qs (100 Scored), 70% Pass (Practice Questions)28 min readArticleFree Water/Wastewater Operator Practice Test by State 2026: 5,100+ Questions23 min read