Regulations
Regulations
This domain tests the federal and Montana framework that governs water and wastewater operations: permits, monitoring, reporting, public notice, operator certification, and records. Expect scenario questions about who to notify and when.
Core rules and concepts
- Drinking water: Safe Drinking Water Act, 40 CFR Parts 141 and 142, implemented in Montana by DEQ's Public Water Supply Section. MCLs, monitoring, and public notification apply.
- Wastewater: Clean Water Act permits are issued in Montana as MPDES permits under the Montana Water Quality Act; discharge limits, DMRs, and bypass/upset reporting apply.
- Consumer Confidence Report: community systems deliver by July 1 each year, covering contaminants detected, MCLs, and health effects.
- Sanitary surveys: EPA requires at least every 3 years for community systems and every 5 years for noncommunity systems.
- Operator certification: Montana issues classes by system type and size; operators must hold the correct class and renew with continuing education.
Worked example
A nitrate sample reports 11 mg/L as N. The MCL is 10 mg/L as N, so this is an exceedance, not a close result. Nitrate is a Tier 1 violation: public notice within 24 hours, plus repeat sampling and DEQ notification. Do not compare 11 mg/L as N to 45 mg/L nitrate: the 45 mg/L figure is nitrate expressed as NO3, and 10 mg/L as N equals about 44.3 mg/L as NO3.
Traps
Missing the 24-hour Tier 1 deadline; confusing as N with as NO3; treating a DMR as a place to report only monthly averages when daily maximums also apply; and letting a certified operator lapse while the system keeps operating.