KS Water Operator cheat sheet

Conventional surface-water train order: coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection, clear well, distribution.

CT (contact time) requirement: CT = disinfectant residual concentration (mg/L) x contact time (minutes); required CT depends on pH, temperature, and log inactivation credit.

Log inactivation credit for Giardia and viruses increases with higher CT, lower temperature correction, and lower pH for chlorine; chlorine dioxide and ozone credits differ from free chlorine.

Turbidity limits under the Surface Water Treatment Rule: combined filter effluent must be <=0.3 NTU in at least 95% of monthly samples and never above 1 NTU.

Jar test determines optimum coagulant dose and pH; typical coagulants include alum, ferric chloride, and polyaluminum chloride.

Filter backwash is triggered by head loss (typically 6-8 ft) or turbidity breakthrough, not by a fixed clock alone.

Chlorine demand = applied dose minus residual after contact time; breakpoint chlorination occurs when free chlorine residual rises after ammonia is oxidized.

Fluoride target is typically 0.7 mg/L; the MCL is 4.0 mg/L and the secondary standard is 2.0 mg/L.

Minimum residual disinfectant in distribution is typically 0.2 mg/L free chlorine (or 0.5 mg/L chloramine) at the farthest point; state primacy rules may be stricter.

Pipe flow velocity should generally stay between 2 and 5 ft/s to limit sediment deposition and excessive head loss; fire flow may exceed this.

Hazen-Williams head loss: hL = 4.52 Q^1.85 / (C^1.85 d^4.87) in US units, where Q is gpm and d is inches.

Dead-end mains require flushing programs and often automatic flushers to prevent stagnation and loss of residual.

Cross-connection control hierarchy: air gap is best, then reduced-pressure-zone backflow preventer, then double check valve, then vacuum breaker.

Water main disinfection after repair: chlorinate to 25 mg/L for 24 hours or 50 mg/L for 24 hours, then flush and test for bacteriological clearance.

Storage tank turnover should occur regularly; long detention time reduces residual and promotes nitrification in chloraminated systems.

Leak detection uses acoustic listening, correlators, or step testing; unaccounted-for water is supply minus metered consumption minus known uses.

Aquifer types: unconfined (water table) aquifers are recharged directly; confined aquifers are bounded by confining layers and often artesian.

Well drawdown creates a cone of depression; specific capacity = pumping rate (gpm) divided by drawdown (ft).

Wellhead protection area delineation often uses a fixed radius, calculated fixed radius, or hydrogeologic mapping approach.

Total coliform is an indicator organism; E. coli indicates fecal contamination and triggers repeat sampling and public notice requirements.

Surface water sources vary seasonally in turbidity and temperature; groundwater is typically more stable in temperature and chemistry but may contain iron, manganese, arsenic, or radionuclides.

Source water assessment includes susceptibility to contamination, potential contaminant sources, and monitoring history.

Nitrate in groundwater commonly originates from agricultural fertilizer and septic systems; MCL is 10 mg/L as nitrogen.

Arsenic MCL is 0.010 mg/L; treatment options include coagulation/filtration, ion exchange, and adsorption media.

Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes EPA to set national standards; states with primacy enforce them and may adopt stricter rules.

Primary standards (MCL, MRDL, treatment technique) protect health; secondary standards address aesthetics such as color, odor, and iron.

Total coliform rule: routine samples plus repeat samples after a positive; 5% of samples may be positive per month for systems with 40 or more samples.

Public notification tiers: Tier 1 (24 hours) for acute violations such as E. coli or nitrate MCL; Tier 2 (30 days); Tier 3 (annual).

Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is due annually by July 1 for community water systems.

Lead and copper rule: action level 0.015 mg/L for lead and 1.3 mg/L for copper, based on 90th percentile of first-draw samples.

Disinfection byproducts: TTHM MCL 0.080 mg/L and HAA5 MCL 0.060 mg/L, measured as locational running annual averages.

Operator certification requires state-approved exams, continuing education hours, and renewal cycles; requirements vary by state and system size.

Confined space entry requires permit, atmospheric testing (oxygen 19.5-23.5%), ventilation, attendant, and rescue plan before entry.

Chlorine gas is heavier than air; use supplied-air respirators and escape packs, and never rely on cartridge respirators for IDLH atmospheres.

Liquid chlorine and acid must never be stored together; mixing releases chlorine gas.

Hazardous energy control (lockout/tagout) applies to pumps, blowers, and electrical panels before maintenance.

Trenching: spoil pile and equipment must be at least 2 ft from the edge; protective systems are required at 5 ft depth or deeper in most states.

Hydrogen sulfide and methane are common sewer and treatment hazards; both are flammable or toxic and require continuous monitoring.

Hearing protection is required when noise exceeds 85 dBA over an 8-hour time-weighted average.

SDS (Safety Data Sheet) must be available for every hazardous chemical on site; training is required before handling.

Annual budget categories: personnel, chemicals, power, maintenance, debt service, and capital reserve; power and chemicals are typically the largest variable costs.

Cost per 1,000 gallons = total annual cost divided by annual gallons produced, expressed in consistent units.

Water loss percentage = (produced - billed) / produced x 100; values above 10-15% suggest leak or metering problems.

Asset management prioritizes repair or replacement by criticality and condition; criticality combines consequence of failure and likelihood.

Recordkeeping: monitoring results, chain of custody, and operating logs must be retained per state rules, often 3 to 5 years minimum.

Emergency response plan should cover power loss, main breaks, contamination, and communication with the primacy agency and public.

Rate design options include uniform, increasing block, and seasonal rates; cost-of-service studies support rate changes.

Staffing and succession planning address operator certification levels, on-call rotation, and cross-training for small systems.