Terms Flashcards
Aquifer
A natural underground layer of porous, water-bearing materials usually capable of yielding a large amount of water
Flow Rate
Also known as GPM, is the measurement of how many gallons of water potentially flow out of something
Air Gap
An open vertical drop, or vertical empty space, that separates a drinking water supply to be protected from another water system in a water treatment plant or other location. This open gap prevents the contamination of drinking water by backsihonage or backflow because there is no way raw water or any other water can reach the drinking water
GUDI
Groundwater under direct influence of surface water
Breakpoint Chlorination
Breakpoint chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to water until the chlorine demand has been satisfied
Clearwell
Is a treated water storage tank at the treatment plant that allows the plant to operate continuously at a constant flow
Standpipe
Are tanks that stand on the ground and can provide large volumes of water at low pressures
Reservoirs
Constructed out of concrete and are either circular or rectangular in shape. They may be buried in the ground or located on the ground surface
Blow-out
Occurs when corrosion has reduced the strength of the pipe wall and where. a pressure surge causes the wall to rupture
Pinhole
Leaks that are very small holes in the pipe wall
Circumferential Break
Occur when a pipe cracks along its circumference (due to corrosion or external forces)
Cathodic Protection
This type of protection consists of a “sacrificial anode or cathode” made of zinc or magnesium. These anodes or cathodes are buried in the ground in close proximity to the pipe and in areas that are prone to external corrosion. These metals deteriorate first and thus protect the pipe material from deterioration
Water hammer
The force caused by a sudden change in water velocity
Cryptosporidium
Responsible for a diarrheal disease, and is a protozoa of major concern as a source of waterborne diseases
Heterotrophic Plate Count
Provides an indication of the level of the aerobic bacteria population. This test does not provide an indication of a pubic health risk; however, the results can be used to assess treatment efficiency and distribution system conditions
Trihalomethanes (THMs)
Are formed when chlorine interacts with naturally occurring organic compounds during chlorination. THMs are the most widely occurring synthetic organic compound found in chlorinated drinking water.
Resistance
A material’s tendency to restrict or resist the flow of current and represented by the symbol R in electrical equations
Ohm’s Law
States that in an electrical circuit, the amount of current in amperes is equal to the pressure in volts divided by the resistance in ohms.