Lesson Eight

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Indiana Water Operator Training
Lesson Eight
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Indiana Water Operator Training
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Indiana Rural Water Association
American Water Works Association
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators

• WT4 systems and operators
• Surface water
• Ground water under the direct influence of
  surface water
• Coagulation
• Flocculation

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Classification of water distribution systems and
water treatment plants
Water treatment plants
WT4 Class WT4 includes systems that meet the
following (A) Serve a population less than or
equal to ten thousand (10,000) people (B)
Acquire water from one (1) of the following (i)
Surface water (ii) Ground water under the direct
influence of surface water
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Classification of water system operators
Water operator certification qualifications
WT4 Grade WT4 is a certified operator qualified
to operate a Class WT1,WT2 and WT4 water
treatment plant after having fulfilled the
following requirements (A) Possess a high school
diploma or its equivalent (B) Meet the
qualifications of the certification rule (C) Must
be able to (i) maintain inventories (ii) order
supplies and equipment (iii) interpret chemical
and bacteriological sample reports (D) Attain the
following acceptable work experience at a
minimum (i) Two (2) years in the operation of a
Class WT4 water treatment plant
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Classification of water system operators
Water operator certification qualifications
WT4 (continued from previous slide) (D) Attain
the following acceptable work experience at a
minimum (i) Two (2) years in the operation of a
Class WT4 water treatment plant (ii) Successful
completion of educational work at college level
in (AA) engineering, (BB) chemistry, or (CC)
science related to water treatment may be
substituted for work experience required
according to item (i) at the ratio of four (4)
semesters or six (6)quarters of schooling for a
maximum substitution of one (1) year of
experience (iii) Two (2) years in the operation
of a Class WT3 water treatment plant may
substitute for a maximum of one (1) year of
experience required according to item (i)
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Classification of water system operators
Water operator certification qualifications
Operator-in-Training (OIT) Grade
Operator-in-Training (OIT) is available under the
following guidelines (1) to a person meeting the
following (A) Currently employed at a public
water system with facilities classified as
a Class WT 3, Class WT 4 or Class WT 5 water
treatment plant or a DSL water distribution
system (B) has fulfilled the qualifications of
the certification rule
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Classification of water system operators
Water operator certification qualifications
Operator-in-Training (OIT) (continued from
previous slide) (2) In accordance with the
following (A) Until the OIT meets the experience
requirement needed for the classification
of treatment plant or distribution system where
the OIT is accumulating work experience (B)
Operating work must be accomplished under the
supervision of a certified
operator-in-responsible-charge who must verify to
the Commissioner the satisfactory
achievement of acceptable experience by the
OIT
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Classification of water system operators
Water operator certification qualifications
Operator-in-Training (OIT) (continued from
previous slide) (C) An OIT may not (i) serve as
a certified operator in responsible charge (ii)
transfer an OIT certification to a water
treatment plant or distribution system with
a public water system identification number
(PWSID) different than the PWSID for which the
certification was issued (iii) hold two (2)
treatment plant or distribution system OIT
certifications concurrently or (iv) renew the
OIT certification
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Surface water
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Surface water

• Susceptible to pollution
• Temperature changes
• pH changes
• Water level changes
• Turbidity
• Often less hard

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Surface water Point source pollution
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Surface water Non-point source pollution

• Fertilizers
• Pesticides
• Animal waste

Runoffs from rain drain into lake
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Surface water Temperature changes

• Colder wateris denser
• Flocculationis slower
• Sedimentationis slower
• Chemical reactionsusually takemore time

57 F
75 F
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Ground water under the direct influence
ofsurface water

• Safe Drinking Water Act definition
• Any water beneath the surface of the ground with
• Significant occurrence of insects or
  othermacroorganisms, algae or large-diameterpath
  ogens such as Giardia lamblia, or
• Significant and relatively rapid shifts in
  watercharacteristics such as turbidity,
  temperature,conductivity, or pH which closely
  correlate toclimatological or surface water
  conditions

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Ground water under the direct influence
ofsurface water Example 1
Well
Stream or lake
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Ground water under the direct influence
ofsurface water Example 2
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Coagulation

• Coagulation
• Rapid mixing of coagulants with waterto cause
  very small particles to jointogether (floc)
• Coagulants include
• aluminum sulfate (alum)
• ferric chloride
• synthetic polymers

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Flocculation

• Flocculation
• Slow mixing after coagulation
• Allows light floc to rise to top
• Heavy floc settles to bottom

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Coagulation Steps
Coagulant
Untreated water
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Coagulation Steps
Rapid mixer
Floc formation
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Flocculation Steps
Skim or send to filter
Slow mixer
Sludge to waste
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Coagulation Selection

• What is pH?
• potential (of) Hydrogen
• Measures activity of hydrogen ions(H) in a
  solution
• Scale of 0 14
• 7 is neutral
• gt 7 is basic (alkaline)
• lt 7 is acidic (acid)

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Coagulation Selection

• When an acid is put into water, the acid gives
  upH (hydrogen) to the water
• When a base is poured into water, the base gives
  upOH (hydroxide) to the water

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Coagulation Selection
pH 0 Hydrochloric Acid 2 Lemon
Juice 4 Beer 7 Pure water 11 Ammonia 12.4 Li
me (Calcium hydroxide) 14 Sodium Hydroxide
Acid Neutral Base
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Coagulation Selection

• Aluminum sulfate (alum)
• 6.8 7.5 most effective pH range
• Above 7.8 Alum becomes highly soluble
• Will pass through filters
• May coagulate in clear well
• Or worse, may coagulate in the distribution
  system
• Ferric chloride
• Effective wide pH range
• Available as a liquid
• Very corrosive
• Synthetic polymers
• Effective wide pH range
• Many different types and forms

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Coagulation Selection

• Select coagulants carefully
• Water characteristics vary widely between water
  systems
• Perform laboratory testing with product
  sampleson your water (jar testing)
• Discuss the problem with multiple suppliers
• Order small amounts of the product for initial
  trialbefore committing to full scale
  implementation
• Ask your IDEM inspector for help

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Coagulation Jar testing
Courtesy Velp Scientifica
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Ok, there is a light at the end of the
tunnel. Were about done. Are there any
questions?
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Self Graded Examination
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Self Graded Examination
10 Minutes
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Self Graded Examination
5 Minutes
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Self Graded Examination
Times Up
OK
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• Susceptible to pollution
• Temperature changes
• pH changes
• Water level changes
• Turbidly
• Often less hard

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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• Fertilizers
• Pesticides
• Animal waste

Runoffs from rain drain into lake
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• Colder water is denser
• Flocculation is slower
• Sedimentation is slower
• Chemical reactions usually take more time

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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• Direct influence
• Any water beneath the surface of theground with
• Significant occurrence of insects or
  othermacroorganisms, algae or large-diameterpath
  ogens such as Giardia

If you answered C, it might help, but
chlorination must be combinedwith very fine
filtration to be effective against Giardia.Ozone
works better. Giardia looks a little like a face
staring at you.
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X
Coagulation Rapid mixing of coagulants with
waterto cause very small particles to
jointogether (floc)
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• Coagulants include
• aluminum sulfate (alum)
• ferric chloride
• synthetic polymers

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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• What is pH?
• potential (of) Hydrogen
• Measures activity of hydrogen ions(H) in a
  solution

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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X
Sort of a trick question. If you answered A,
your might becorrect, but you never know without
testing. C is the best answer. The point
here is that you need to know what your water
characteristicsare before making a decision on
what water treatment chemicals to use.
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Lesson Eight WT4 Operators
Answers
X

• Perform laboratory testing with product
  sampleson your water (jar testing)

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Thank you for your participation

• Are there any other questions or comments?
• Please turn in your
• Self-graded examinations
• Training course evaluation forms
• Continuing education credit reports

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Indiana Water Operator Training
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Indiana Rural Water Association
American Water Works Association
46
Contact Information
Instructor For additional information
concerning this water operatortraining course,
please contact Indiana Rural Water
Association Odetta Cadwell, Executive
Director 317-402-7349