Certification Action Line features questions and answers typical of those appearing in Water Quality Association (WQA) certification examinations. Some answers may not satisfy everyone or every condition.
1. What percentage of American families have private water systems?
a) 10%
b) 20%
c) 40%
d) 50%
2. What percentage of fresh water in the continental United States is located underground?
a) 13%
b) 33%
c) 67%
d) 86%
3. A well pump that operates by passing water upward through a series of impellers and diffusers until the water reaches the discharge pipe is called a:
a) submersible pump
b) jet pump
c) ejector pump.
4. The number of stages in a submersible pump determines the:
a) capacity of the pump (the amount of water produced per minute or per hour)
b) pumping depth (how far the pump will lift the water).
5. The size of the impellers and diffusers in a submersible pump determines the:
a) capacity of the pump (the amount of water produced per minute or per hour)
b) pumping depth (how far the pump will lift the water).
6. When reading manufacturers’ pump curves to select a well pump, the point of intersection between the total pumping head (feet or meters) value and the maximum pump capacity (gallons per minute or meters per hour) value must always be _________ the respective pump model curve.
a) below
b) on
c) above
d) a or b
e) b or c
7. What should be the minimum length of time between a well pump’s on-off cycle?
a) 1 minute
b) 2 minutes
c) 5 minutes
d) 10 minutes
8. If the pump capacity is 12 gallons per minute, what should be the minimum acceptable drawdown volume for the pressure tank before a signal is sent for the pump to kick back on?
a) 6 gallons
b) 10 gallons
c) 12 gallons
d) 24 gallons
9. In addition to preventing rapid cycling of the pump, the pressure storage tank serves to:
a) create an automatic system to provide water under pressure between pump cycles
b) provide additional water under pressure for heavy demand periods when the pump and/or well might not be able to provide enough water
c) moderate the water temperatures that are coming from the well
d) oxygenate the water for a more crisp taste
e) a and b
10. For pre-charged tanks such as the air bladder or air diaphragm tank and in situations where the well flow may not match the peak water demand in the house or building, the total water volume of tank capacity should be at least ________ times the pump’s capacity for one minute.
a) 2
b) 3
c) 5
d) 10
e) 15
