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Which term best describes any actual or potential connection between a potable water supply and a non-potable source?

Air gap

Cross-connection

Backflow preventer

Barometric loop

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ASSE 5120 Exam

Written Exam Questions

ASSE Series 5000

70%

Passing Score

ASSE Series 5000

20/40 hrs

Course Length

ASSE-approved schools

5110 Tester

Common Prerequisite

Provider standard

3 years

Recertification

ASSE recertification policy

$995

Typical Course + Exam

IAPMO / BPI providers

The ASSE 5120 course is twenty hours for candidates who hold a current ASSE 5110 Tester certification, or forty hours for candidates who are not tester certified, culminating in a fifty-question written examination. Candidates who earn seventy percent or higher typically pass, and the certification is valid for three years before recertification. Effective preparation focuses on hazard classification, containment versus isolation, assembly selection per hazard, survey documentation, and the USC FCCCHR and EPA 816-R-03-002 cross-connection control manuals.

Sample ASSE 5120 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ASSE 5120 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which term best describes any actual or potential connection between a potable water supply and a non-potable source?

A.Air gap

B.Cross-connection

C.Backflow preventer

D.Barometric loop

Explanation: A cross-connection is any actual or potential connection between a potable water supply and any non-potable source or substance. The ASSE 5120 Surveyor's core job is to locate these connections in the field, classify them, and specify the correct backflow protection.

2A surveyor classifies a substance that could cause illness or death if it backflowed into the potable water supply as a:

A.Non-health hazard

B.Nuisance only

C.Health hazard

D.Chemical hazard only

Explanation: A health hazard is any substance that, if backflowed into the potable supply, could cause illness, disease, or death. Health hazards require a reduced pressure principle (RP) assembly or an air gap. Non-health hazards may cause taste, odor, or aesthetic effects but are not dangerous to health.

3Containment protection is installed at what location on a facility's plumbing system?

A.At each individual fixture inside the building

B.At the water service connection to the premises

C.On the drainage system only

D.On the hot water recirculation loop

Explanation: Containment places a backflow prevention assembly at the service line into the premises so contamination inside the facility cannot reach the public water main. Isolation places protection at individual internal cross-connections. A high-hazard site often requires both.

4Backsiphonage is caused by:

A.Downstream pressure exceeding supply pressure

B.Negative or reduced pressure in the supply line

C.Excess chlorine in the distribution system

D.High flow velocity through a meter

Explanation: Backsiphonage occurs when supply pressure drops below atmospheric (or below the pressure at the cross-connection), creating a vacuum that pulls contaminated water backward into the potable system. Backpressure, in contrast, is when downstream pressure exceeds supply pressure.

5Which federal law places primary responsibility for protecting public drinking water on the water purveyor?

A.Clean Water Act

B.Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

C.Safe Drinking Water Act

D.Occupational Safety and Health Act

Explanation: The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 places responsibility for protecting the public water supply on the water purveyor. EPA sets primary drinking water standards, state primacy agencies enforce them, and the purveyor implements a cross-connection control program locally.

6Which EPA document is the most widely used reference for cross-connection control program design in the United States?

A.EPA 625-R-00-001

B.EPA 816-R-03-002 Cross-Connection Control Manual

C.EPA 40 CFR 261

D.EPA 832-R-12-011

Explanation: EPA 816-R-03-002, the Cross-Connection Control Manual, is the standard federal reference for hazard identification, assembly selection, and program administration. ASSE 5120 exam content frequently paraphrases definitions and examples from this manual.

7A commercial irrigation system with only domestic water, no chemical injection, and no auxiliary supply is considered a:

A.Non-health hazard

B.Health hazard

C.Backpressure-only hazard

D.Barometric-loop-only hazard

Explanation: Most jurisdictions and EPA 816-R-03-002 classify in-ground irrigation as a health hazard because of soil contamination, fertilizers that may be added later, and buried piping that can be exposed to pathogens. The correct containment device is typically a DCVA at minimum, with RP or PVB required in many states.

8Which assembly is required at a service that supplies water to a hospital or medical center?

A.Atmospheric vacuum breaker

B.Dual check valve

C.Reduced pressure principle assembly

D.Pressure vacuum breaker

Explanation: Hospitals are high health hazards because of dialysis, laboratory, autopsy, sterilization, and chemical feed connections. Containment at the service must be an RP assembly (or an air gap). PVB and AVB cannot be used where backpressure can occur, and a dual check offers no health-hazard protection.

9An ASSE 1013 assembly is commonly referred to as which device type?

A.Pressure vacuum breaker

B.Double check valve assembly

C.Reduced pressure principle assembly

D.Spill-resistant vacuum breaker

Explanation: ASSE 1013 is the standard for the reduced pressure principle (RP) backflow prevention assembly, which uses two independently acting check valves separated by a relief-vented zone.

10The device standard covering the pressure vacuum breaker (PVB) is:

A.ASSE 1015

B.ASSE 1020

C.ASSE 1047

D.ASSE 1056

Explanation: ASSE 1020 is the device standard for the pressure vacuum breaker (PVB). PVBs protect against backsiphonage only and cannot be installed where backpressure can occur.

About the ASSE 5120 Exam

ASSE 5120 is the national certification for Cross-Connection Control Surveyors who identify cross-connections, classify the degree of hazard, specify the correct backflow prevention assembly per hazard, and document survey findings for water purveyors and the AHJ. The written exam covers hydraulics, cross-connection theory, federal/state/local regulations, product performance of ASSE 1001/1013/1015/1020/1024/1047/1048/1056 devices, survey methodology, and reporting.

Assessment

Single written exam; course prerequisite

Time Limit

2 hours (written, per ASSE Series 5000)

Passing Score

70% (standard ASSE Series 5000 written threshold)

Exam Fee

$995 typical course + exam (varies by provider) (ASSE International / IAPMO)

ASSE 5120 Exam Content Outline

20%

Hydraulic Principles and Backflow Theory

Backpressure, backsiphonage, atmospheric and working pressure, velocity head, venturi effect, and basic hydraulic constants relevant to surveying.

25%

Cross-Connection Identification and Hazard Assessment

Recognizing health hazards vs non-health hazards across boiler feed, irrigation, fire sprinklers, chemical feed, autopsy, beauty salon, hospital, dental, and food-service applications.

25%

Assembly Selection and Product Performance

Choosing RP, DC, PVB, SVB, AVB, DCDA, or RPDA by hazard and installation condition; applications and limits of ASSE 1001, 1013, 1015, 1020, 1024, 1047, 1048, and 1056 devices.

15%

Codes, Regulations, and Manuals

Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA Cross-Connection Control Manual (EPA 816-R-03-002), USC Manual of Cross-Connection Control 10th Edition, AWWA M14, state primacy rules, and local plumbing code.

10%

Survey Procedures and Documentation

Planning a facility survey, walk-through sequence, interviewing facility staff, use of drawings and as-builts, data sheets, deficiency notices, and follow-up reporting.

Containment vs Isolation Policy

Purveyor-level containment at the service, premise isolation inside the facility, and combined strategies for high-hazard sites.

How to Pass the ASSE 5120 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 70% (standard ASSE Series 5000 written threshold)
Assessment: Single written exam; course prerequisite
Time limit: 2 hours (written, per ASSE Series 5000)
Exam fee: $995 typical course + exam (varies by provider)

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ASSE 5120 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize which assembly type matches which hazard scenario: RP for health hazards (including backpressure), DC for non-health hazards, PVB/SVB for backsiphonage-only, AVB for backsiphonage-only without continuous pressure.

2Learn the ASSE device numbers cold: 1001 (AVB), 1013 (RP), 1015 (DC), 1020 (PVB), 1024 (dual check), 1047 (RPDA), 1048 (DCDA), and 1056 (SVB).

3Drill cross-connection examples by facility type — hospitals, mortuaries, commercial laundries, dental offices, plating shops, car washes, and agricultural operations all appear on the exam.

4Understand the purveyor vs facility owner responsibility split: containment protects the main, isolation protects the occupants, and most high-hazard sites need both.

5Practice writing a survey narrative for a sample facility so you can spot deficiencies, recommend the correct device, and justify the recommendation in a deficiency notice.

6Know the SDWA chain of authority: EPA sets national primary drinking water standards, the state primacy agency enforces them, and the water purveyor administers the cross-connection program locally.

7Read EPA 816-R-03-002 chapters on hazard assessment and surveys — exam questions frequently paraphrase definitions and examples from this manual.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an ASSE 5120 Cross-Connection Control Surveyor do?

A 5120 Surveyor walks facilities to identify cross-connections, rates the degree of hazard (health vs non-health), specifies the correct backflow prevention assembly per hazard, and documents findings for the water purveyor or AHJ. Surveyors focus on risk assessment and assembly selection, while ASSE 5110 Testers verify that the installed assembly actually works.

Do I need ASSE 5110 Tester certification before taking the 5120 Surveyor course?

ASSE 5120 is commonly taught as a 20-hour course for candidates who already hold a current ASSE 5110 Tester certification, or as a 40-hour course for candidates who are not tester certified. Many jurisdictions and training providers strongly prefer or require 5110 first, so check with your local ASSE-approved school and AHJ.

How many questions are on the ASSE 5120 exam and what is the passing score?

The ASSE 5120 written examination is 50 questions. ASSE Series 5000 certifications generally require 70% or higher to pass the written exam, consistent with the ASSE 5110 Tester threshold. You must pass the written exam to earn the Surveyor credential.

What is the difference between containment and isolation in the 5120 exam?

Containment protects the public water main by installing backflow protection at the water service connection to the premises, so contamination inside the building never reaches the purveyor's distribution system. Isolation protects occupants inside the building by placing backflow protection at each internal cross-connection. Many high-hazard facilities require both.

Which assembly is correct for a health hazard with backpressure?

A reduced pressure principle (RP) assembly meeting ASSE 1013 is the correct selection for a health hazard where backpressure is possible, because it provides a relief-vented zone that discharges to atmosphere if either check fouls. PVB and SVB devices are backsiphonage-only and must not be used where backpressure can occur.

How often do I need to recertify ASSE 5120?

ASSE Series 5000 certifications must be recertified every three years through an ASSE-approved recertification class and exam. Surveyors typically take an 8-hour recertification course and pass a written exam before the expiration date to keep the credential active.

Which reference manuals should I study for ASSE 5120?

Primary references include the USC Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research Manual of Cross-Connection Control (10th Edition), EPA's Cross-Connection Control Manual (EPA 816-R-03-002), AWWA M14 Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control, and the ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 5000 standard itself.