Midterm 1

Question 1

adaptation

Answer 1

for climate change, adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. (IPCC)

Question 2

advanced treatment

Answer 2

treatment of wastewater beyond secondary treatment (can include nutrient removal, filtration…etc)

Question 3

acre-foot (acre-ft)

Answer 3

the volume of water required to cover 1 acre of land (43,560 square feet) to a depth of 1 foot. Equal to 325,851 gallons or 1,233 cubic meters. In California, an AF of water serves 2-5 households or, more simply, roughly 10 people for a year.

Question 4

adjudicated basin

Answer 4

a groundwater basin that has had stakeholders take their case to the courts to settle disputes; a judge’s ruling governs the basins operations and how much each party can extract

Question 5

aquifer

Answer 5

a geologic formation(s) that is water bearing. A geological formation or structure that stores and/or transmits water, such as to wells and springs. Use of the term is usually restricted to those water-bearing formations capable of yielding water in sufficient quantity to constitute a usable supply for people’s uses.

Question 6

artificial recharge

Answer 6

a process where water is put back into groundwater storage from surface-water supplies such as irrigation, or induced infiltration from streams or wells.

Question 7

assimilative capacity

Answer 7

a water body receiving a waste has the capacity to assimilate (treat) some of the waste before the ecosystem is degraded.

Question 8

blackwater

Answer 8

flush water from toilets (the water, plus the feces and urine)

Question 9

blue water

Answer 9

a term used in water footprinting to denote the amount of surface or groundwater applied and consumed in an activity

Question 10

brackish groundwater

Answer 10

Water containing dissolved minerals in concentrations above normally acceptable standards for municipal, domestic, and irrigation uses; less saline than sea water.

Question 11

British thermal unit (BTU)

Answer 11

unit of energy needed to heat one pound of water by 1° Fahrenheit

Question 12

ccf

Answer 12

one hundred cubic feet, the typical volume of water used to set billing rates in the U.S.

Question 13

centralized systems

Answer 13

systems that serve a large population with a piped network (can be potable water or wastewater)

Question 14

Climate change

Answer 14

change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g. using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. [IPCC]

Question 15

combined sewer overflow (CSO)

Answer 15

the discharge of untreated wastewater from a combined sewer, consisting of raw wastewater diluted by stormwater. Combined sewer overflows occur during large storms when the combined flow of wastewater and stormwater is greater than the treatment plant can handle.

Question 16

cone of depression or drawdown

Answer 16

A local reduction in the water table around a pump in an unconfined aquifer. In a confined aquifer, there will be a local reduction in the pressure head around the pump which will reduce the measure potentiometric head.

Question 17

conjunctive use

Answer 17

The operation of a groundwater basin in conjunction with a surface water storage and conveyance system so the basin is recharged during years of above average water supply to store it for drier years when surface water supplies are below normal.

Question 18

consent decree

Answer 18

legal settlement between two parties that doesn’t require admitting guilt or liability but has associated enforceable requirements

Question 19

constituents of emerging concern (CECs)

Answer 19

Trace contaminants that are present in very low concentrations and are not currently regulated under SDWA, and may present concerns for human or environmental health. Includes pharmaceuticals and personal care products, some of which are endocrine disruptors.

Question 20

consumer confidence report (CCR)

Answer 20

Annual report sent to all customers of public water systems showing contaminants detected during the year in the drinking water, their levels, and health risks associated with them.

Question 21

consumption or consumptive use

Answer 21

that part of water withdrawn that is evaporated, transpired by plants, incorporated into products or crops, consumed by humans or livestock, or otherwise removed from the immediate water environment. Also referred to as water consumed.

Question 22

Contaminant Candidate List (CCL)

Answer 22

List updated by EPA every 5 years, consisting of contaminants that are under evaluation for regulation under SDWA.

Question 23

decentralized systems

Answer 23

systems that serve a single household up to a neighborhood (can be potable water or wastewater).

Question 24

decoupling

Answer 24

an industry best practice that is used within rates and enables water conservation while covering a utility’s fixed costs of providing reliable water services.

Question 25

defacto reuse

Answer 25

occurs when a water supply contains a significant fraction of wastewater effluent, but is not permitted as a reuse project.

Question 26

dependent management

Answer 26

a governance structure where a utility reports to a city council or board of supervisors who are elected for general management of the city (i.e., not focused solely on the utility’s purpose) and/or to a commission appointed to address the utility’s concerns by those elected leaders; utility funds may be co-mingled with other municipal agencies.

Question 27

desalination

Answer 27

the removal of salts from saline water to provide freshwater. This method is becoming more common as a way of providing freshwater to populations.

Question 28

Disinfection by-product (DBP)

Answer 28

DBPs are contaminants created when disinfectants react wtih organic compounds in water

Question 29

disruptive innovation

Answer 29

An innovation that disrupts an existing market and displaces existing technology

Question 30

drought:

Answer 30

1) (traditional) A long period of abnormally low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects growing or living conditions
2) Not having enough water to do what you want.”
(Peter Gleick, https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2016/08/23/peter-gleick-why-californias-current-drought-is-different)

Question 31

economies of scale

Answer 31

the unit cost (or other metric, like energy or GHG) decreases as more water is supplied or treated. Diseconomies of scale is the opposite.

Question 32

effluent

Answer 32

water that flows from a sewage treatment plant after it has been treated.

Question 33

energy intensity

Answer 33

energy required to achieve a particular goal; in water systems, energy consumption per unit volume of water supplied, treated, or delivered

Question 34

entrepreneur

Answer 34

Someone who brings together resources to accomplish something that they can’t do on their own

Question 35

environmental flow

Answer 35

the minimum quantity, quality, and timing of water flow in a river or stream needed to maintain the health of the water body, the ecosystem, and the humans that depend on it

Answer 36

evapotranspiration: the sum of evaporation and transpiration

Question 37

evapotranspiration

Answer 37

the sum of evaporation and transpiration

Question 38

externality

Answer 38

an externality is a cost to society that is not reflected in it’s price. (environmental externalities are externalities that impact the environment)

Question 39

extreme events

Answer 39

the occurrence of a weather variable near or beyond the ends of historical observed range of values in a specific region, including drought, heat, wildfires, floods (or storms), and sea level rise.

Question 40

fecal sludge

Answer 40

the material removed from latrine chambers and septic tanks (also called septage). Fecal sludges are highly concentrated and thus requires treatment methods different than regular wastewater. Depending on the time of removal, the material can be fresh or have undergone significant decomposition

Question 41

freshwater

Answer 41

water that contains less than 1,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of dissolved solids; generally, more than 500 mg/L of dissolved solids is undesirable for drinking and many industrial uses.

Question 42

functional unit

Answer 42

A unit used in LCA to allow equivalent comparison of alternatives; defined such that an equal amount of product or equivalent service is delivered to the customer” (EPA 2006- LCA 101)

Question 43

green water

Answer 43

used in water footprinting and defined as portion of precipitation that does not runoff as streamflow or percolate to groundwater, and is accessible to the root zone of plants as soil moisture

Question 44

greywater/graywater

Answer 44

1) in most water contexts, refers to wastewater from clothes washing machines, showers, bathtubs, hand washing, lavatories and sinks. Does not include water from toilets. 2) in the context of water footprinting, describes the amount of water needed to assimilate pollutants from a process back into water bodies at levels that meet governing standards, regardless of whether those standards are actually met (Hoekstra et al. 2011). Can also be spelled graywater, gray water, grey water.

Question 45

groundwater

Answer 45

(1) water that flows or seeps downward and saturates soil or rock, supplying springs and wells. The upper surface of the saturated zone is called the water table. (2) Water stored underground in rock crevices and in the pores of geologic materials that make up the Earth’s crust.

Question 46

groundwater basin

Answer 46

A groundwater reservoir, together with all the overlying land surface and underlying aquifers that contribute water to the reservoir. (Antelope Valley IRWMP)

Question 47

groundwater recharge

Answer 47

inflow of water to a groundwater reservoir from the surface. Infiltration of precipitation and its movement to the water table is one form of natural recharge. Also, the volume of water added by this process.

Question 48

groundwater table

Answer 48

The upper surface of the zone of saturation (all pores of subsoil
filled with water), except where the surface is formed by an impermeable body.

Question 49

head

Answer 49

the change in elevation from source to outlet plus any friction loss in the pipe

Question 50

hydrologic cycle

Answer 50

the cyclic transfer of water vapor from the Earth’s surface via evapotranspiration into the atmosphere, from the atmosphere via precipitation back to earth, and through runoff into streams, rivers, and lakes, and ultimately into the oceans.

Question 51

incremental innovation

Answer 51

innovation through a series of small improvements

Question 52

independent management

Answer 52

a governance structure where a utility (usually a special district) operated separately from the conventional political structure and reports to an elected Board solely focused on the utility’s purpose; utility budget is managed separately from other municipal agencies.

Question 53

indicator bacteria/organism

Answer 53

organism that is always present in fecal waste, and therefore indicates the presence of fecal waste

Question 54

inflow

Answer 54

in a water balance calculation, inflow includes all sources of water entering the area being evaluated and may include precipitation, streamflow, and sales or transfers.

Question 55

inflow and intrusion (I&I)

Answer 55

ways groundwater, stormwater, and other water enters sewer systems. Inflow refers to water, usually stormwater, through direct connection points to the system because they have been improperly or illegally connected. Intrusion refers to water that “leaks” in through cracks, holes, etc.

Question 56

in-lieu recharge

Answer 56

storing water by utilizing surface water “in-lieu” of pumping groundwater. No physical recharge occurs but it is accounted as such.

Question 57

innovation:

Answer 57

the development, application, diffusion, and utilization of new knowledge and/or technology. In incremental innovation is a series of small improvements. A disruptive innovation disrupts an existing market or displaces and existing technology.

Question 58

integrated regional water management (IRWM):

Answer 58

a collaborative effort to identify and implement water management solutions on a regional scale that increase regional self-reliance, reduce conflict, and manage water to concurrently achieve social, environmental, and economic objectives. (DWR)

Question 59

levee:

Answer 59

a natural or manmade earthen barrier along the edge of a stream, lake, or river. Land alongside rivers can be protected from flooding by levees.

Question 60

life-cycle assessment:

Answer 60

A concept and methodology to evaluate the environmental effects of a product or activity holistically, by analyzing the whole life cycle of a particular product, process, or activity (U.S. EPA, 1993); quantifies environmental impacts from cradle to grave.

Question 61

linear water system:

Answer 61

linear water system: water system (composed of potable water supply and wastewater management) in which the water is used only once and then disposed

Question 62

marginal cost:

Answer 62

the cost of providing one additional unit volume of water ($/volume).

Question 63

maximum contaminant level (MCL):

Answer 63

The maximum allowable level of a contaminant regulated under the SDWA. It should be set as close to the MCLG as possible, taking into account cost.

Question 64

maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG):

Answer 64

the level at which a contaminant has no known adverse health effects (with an adequate margin of safety)

Question 65

million gallons per day (Mgd or MGD):

Answer 65

a rate of flow of water equal to 133,680.56 cubic feet per day, or 1.5472 cubic feet per second, or 3.0689 acre-feet per day. A flow of one million gallons per day for one year equals 1,120 acre-feet (365 million gallons).

Question 66

mItigation:

Answer 66

for climate change, reducing and stabilizing the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/ )

Question 67

non-potable water:

Answer 67

water of a quality not suitable for drinking, often used for agricultural or landscape treating; may be raw water or water that have been treated to a lower standard.

Question 68

outfall:

Answer 68

the place where a sewer, treated wastewater, or storm drain is discharged to a receiving water body.

Question 69

overdraft:

Answer 69

Withdrawal of groundwater in excess of a basin’s perennial yield; also called over-pumping.

Question 70

parts per billion:

Answer 70

Mass fraction of a water contaminant, or the number of “parts” of a substance per billion parts of water. E.g., 10-9 g of contaminant per g of water. Because the density of water is ~ 1 kg/L, 1 ppb is equivalent to 1 𝛍g/L.

Question 71

parts per million:

Answer 71

Mass fraction of a water contaminant, or the number of “parts” of a substance million parts of water. E.g., 10-6 g of contaminant per g of water. Because the density of water is ~ 1 kg/L, 1 ppm is equivalent to 1 mg/L.

Question 72

parts per trillion:

Answer 72

Mass fraction of a water contaminant, or the number of “parts” of a substance per trillion parts of water. E.g., 10-12 g of contaminant per g of water. Because the density of water is ~ 1 kg/L, 1 ppt is equivalent to 1 ng/L.

Question 73

pathogen:

Answer 73

a disease-producing agent. e.g., viruses, bacteria, or protozoan parasites that cause disease.

Question 74

per capita water use:

Answer 74

the average volume of water used by a single person over a time period, most commonly reported per day.

Question 75

physical water scarcity:

Answer 75

physical water scarcity: occurs in places and at times when there is insufficient water to meet human demands and for local ecosystems to function effectively.

Question 76

Potable reuse:

Answer 76

water recycled into drinking water supply

Question 77

potable water:

Answer 77

water of a quality suitable for drinking.

Question 78

primary energy:

Answer 78

energy in the form that it occurs in nature. Natural gas, coal, sunlight, wind are all primary energy sources. Electricity is not because it must be converted from its natural form. The conversion process involves a loss of usable energy.

Question 79

primary wastewater treatment:

Answer 79

the first stage of the wastewater-treatment process where mechanical methods, such as filters and scrapers, are used to remove pollutants. Solid material in sewage also settles out in this process.

Question 80

prior appropriation doctrine:

Answer 80

the system for allocating water to private individuals used in most Western states. The doctrine of Prior Appropriation was in common use throughout the arid West as early settlers and miners began to develop the land. The prior appropriation doctrine is based on the concept of “First in Time, First in Right.” The first person to take a quantity of water and put it to beneficial use has a higher priority of right than a subsequent user. The rights can be lost through nonuse; they can also be sold or transferred apart from the land. Contrasts with riparian water rights.

Question 81

private utility:

Answer 81

a utility that is owned by investors, rather than local taxpayers or ratepayers

Question 82

public benefits charge:

Answer 82

a fixed surcharge on water rates that could be used to support innovation (R&D, reducing the cost of new technologies, and water conservation practices)

Question 83

pumped storage:

Answer 83

method of storing energy as gravitational potential energy in water by pumping from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation and recovering energy as it flows down again

Question 84

reclaimed water:

Answer 84

wastewater that is being used for a beneficial purpose.

Question 85

recycled water:

Answer 85

reused water, reclaimed water

Question 86

reservoir:

Answer 86

a pond, lake, or basin, either natural or artificial, for the storage, regulation, and control of water. In this class, reservoirs generally refer to storage of raw (untreated) water.

Question 87

reverse osmosis:

Answer 87

An advanced method of water or wastewater treatment that relies on a semi-permeable dense membrane to separate waters from other constituents, especially ions. High pressure is used to reverse the normal osmotic process resulting in the water moving from a solution of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. A concentrated brine stream is produced that must be disposed of. Common applications include desalination and advanced treatment of wastewater.

Question 88

riparian water rights:

Answer 88

the rights of an owner whose land abuts water. They differ from state to state and often depend on whether the water is a river, lake, or ocean. The doctrine of riparian rights is an old one, having its origins in English common law. Specifically, persons who own land adjacent to a stream have the right to make reasonable use of the stream. Riparian users of a stream share the streamflow among themselves, and the concept of priority of use (Prior Appropriation Doctrine) is not applicable. Riparian rights cannot be sold or transferred for use on nonriparian land.

Question 89

saline water:

Answer 89

water that contains significant amounts of dissolved solids.
Here are our parameters for saline water:
Fresh water - Less than 1,000 parts per million (ppm)
Slightly saline water - From 1,000 ppm to 3,000 ppm
Moderately saline water - From 3,000 ppm to 10,000 ppm
Highly saline water - From 10,000 ppm to 35,000 ppm

Question 90

satellite treatment system:

Answer 90

A type of decentralized wastewater treatment system. An independent system provides complete treatment. A dependent satellite system treats the water but still discharges solids to the centralized sewer system.

Question 91

seawater intrusion:

Answer 91

occurs when extractions exceed freshwater replenishment of groundwater basins and causes seawater to travel laterally inland into fresh water aquifers.

Question 92

secondary wastewater treatment:

Answer 92

secondary treatment (following primary wastewater treatment) is usually a biological process for removing dissolved organic matter (or Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)) from primary effluent. Activated sludge is a common means of secondary treatment and has two steps. In the first step, bacteria are provided with oxygen in large aerated basins and the bacteria consume (“eat”) the dissolved BOD, which results in the growth of bacteria. In the second step, the bacteria are removed by settling (secondary clarifier) and most of the bacterials solids (waste activated sludge) is returned to the aeration basin.

Question 93

septic tank:

Answer 93

a tank used to detain domestic wastes to allow the settling of solids prior to distribution to a leach (drain) field for soil absorption. Septic tanks are used when a sewer line is not available to carry them to a treatment plant.

Question 94

sewer:

Answer 94

a system of underground pipes that collect and deliver wastewater to treatment facilities or streams. Sewers can be combined (draining both stormwater and wastewater) or separate (sewer collects only wastewater; a separate storm drain system is used for stormwater).

Question 95

special district:

Answer 95

a local government established by a community for a specific purpose (e.g., water, sewer, fire protection). When municipal funds are not sufficient to provide adequate services, a community can establish a special district to manage and pay for the desired higher level of service.

Question 96

State Revolving Funds (SRF):

Answer 96

fund administered by each state to provide low-interest loans for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure and non-point source pollution control

Question 97

stationarity:

Answer 97

the assumption that, while observed conditions may exhibit large variations, the variability and average conditions will remain consistent into the future.

Question 98

storage:

Answer 98

in a water balance calculation, the change in storage term includes the change in volume of water that remains in the area being evaluated, which could include groundwater recharge, reservoir storage, soil moisture, and water in distribution pipes and tanks (This last one doesn’t usually vary much over long timeframes though can vary over a day- but you don’t have to know that).

Question 99

storm sewer:

Answer 99

a sewer that carries only surface runoff, street wash, and snow melt from the land. In a separate sewer system, storm sewers are completely separate from those that carry domestic and commercial wastewater (sanitary sewers).

Question 100

stranded asset:

Answer 100

Infrastructure that is abandoned before the end of its design lifetime

Question 101

subsidence:

Answer 101

a dropping of the land surface as a result of groundwater being pumped. Cracks and fissures can appear in the land. Subsidence is virtually an irreversible process.

Question 102

surface water:

Answer 102

water that is on the Earth’s surface, such as in a stream, river, lake, or reservoir.

Question 103

suspended solids:

Answer 103

solids that are suspended in water (i.e., they are not dissolved) and can be removed by settling and filtration. Such suspended solids usually contribute directly to turbidity.

Question 104

sustainable yield:

Answer 104

1) in general, an estimate of the long‐term average annual amount of water that can be withdrawn without inducing a long-term progressive drop in water level. 2) In SGMA, the “maximum quantity of water … that can be withdrawn annually from a groundwater supply without causing an undesirable result.”

Question 105

technology lock-in:

Answer 105

A current investment or design decision reduces future options.

Question 106

tertiary wastewater treatment:

Answer 106

Additional treatment of wastewater beyond that of primary and secondary treatment methods to obtain a higher quality of effluent, typically for non-potable reuse. Tertiary treatment typically consists of coagulation, flocculation, granular media filtration, and disinfection.

Question 107

wastewater:

Answer 107

water that has been used in homes, industries, and businesses; includes blackwater and greywater.

Question 108

water balance:

Answer 108

a means to quantify water flows over an area (groundwater basin, watershed, utility boundary). It is calculated as:
Inflow - Outflow + ∆ Storage=0

Question 109

water distribution system:

Answer 109

network for distributing potable water to consumers, consisting of pipes and treated water storage reservoirs

Question 110

water markets:

Answer 110

mechanisms to enable utilities to trade unused or unneeded supplies via short-term leases, long-term leases, or permanent sales of their water rights.

Question 111

water reuse:

Answer 111

use of wastewater for a beneficial purpose. Non-potable reuse is when water is recycled for purposes other than drinking water. Potable reuse is water recycled into a drinking water supply.

Question 112

water right:

Answer 112

the legal right of a user to use water from a particular water source, e.g., river, lake, or groundwater aquifer

Question 113

water table:

Answer 113

the top of the water surface in the saturated part of an aquifer.

Question 114

watershed:

Answer 114

the land area that drains water to a particular stream, river, or lake. It is a land feature that can be identified by tracing a line along the highest elevations between two areas on a map, often a ridge. Large watersheds, like the Mississippi River basin contain thousands of smaller watersheds.

Question 115

withdrawal:

Answer 115

water removed from a ground- or surface-water source for use.