CA Branch 1 case studies
CA Branch 1 · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The California Branch 1 water treatment operator certification is an entry-level credential for people who want to work at a surface water or groundwater treatment plant in California. Branch 1 is the starting point in the state's treatment operator ladder: it signals that you understand the basic treatment train, can read instruments and lab results, and can work safely under supervision. The CA Branch 1 case studies are 5 cases and about 3,683 words.
1Turbidity Excursion After a Reservoir Turnover
A 12 MGD conventional surface water plant draws from a stratified 640-acre reservoir. In late September the reservoir destratifies; the intake, which sits 18 ft below full pool, begins pulling water with a raw turbidity that climbs from 3 NTU to 38 NTU over 36 hours, with a corresponding jump in manganese from 0.02 to 0.31 mg/L and dissolved oxygen dropping toward 1 mg/L at the intake depth.
822 words, about 4 min2Lead Action Level Exceedance in an Older Distribution Area
A utility serving 48,000 people runs a lead and copper sampling program. The 90th percentile lead result from the most recent round is 0.019 mg/L, above the 0.015 mg/L action level.
747 words, about 4 min3Chlorine Residual Loss and DBP Formation in a Long Distribution Main
A 6 MGD surface water plant disinfects with free chlorine, targeting 1.0 mg/L residual leaving the plant. A dead-end 9-mile transmission main serves a small community at the far end.
694 words, about 3 min4Filter Backwash Recycling and a Cryptosporidium Concern
A 20 MGD conventional plant with six dual-media filters recycles filter backwash water to the head of the plant at a rate of about 1.2 MGD, roughly 6 percent of plant flow. The recycle stream is high in turbidity and particles and is returned just ahead of coagulation.
693 words, about 3 min5Pump Station Telemetry Failure During a Peak Demand Event
A booster pump station with three 500 gpm vertical turbine pumps (two duty, one standby) feeds a pressure zone serving 9,000 customers. The station is controlled by a programmable logic controller that maintains discharge pressure at 65 psi and alternates lead and lag pumps.
727 words, about 4 min