Question 2 of 21

Of the more than 60,000 chemicals used within the U.S., how many are regulated by 1974's Safe Water Drinking Act?

... According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only 91 chemicals are regulated by the Safe Water Drinking Act.

Question 3 of 21

Which of the following cities does NOT use a water contaminant monitoring system that involves bluegill fish?

... The U.S. Army developed an automated bio-monitoring device that watches the physical responses of eight bluegills in a reservoir or treatment plant. If the fish show signs of distress, there could be a problem with the water. The system is being used successfully in San Francisco, Washington D.C. and New York.

Question 4 of 21

Which of the following water sources is regulated by the EPA?

... Although most people in the U.S. have their water supplied by large public water systems, which are regulated by the EPA, one out of seven people use smaller public systems or private wells, which are not regulated.

Question 5 of 21

The average American uses about how much water per day?

... Considering all water consumption (e.g., drinking, bathing, washing clothes, gardening), the average American uses more than 100 gallons (379 liters) of water each day. The average household water bill is about $300 per year.

Question 6 of 21

Which of the following is NOT included in the EPA's Secondary Drinking Water Standards?

... According to the EPA, the secondary water standards -- guidelines that are not mandatory -- include "cosmetic" effects of water, such as discoloration of skin or teeth and "aesthetic" effects, such as color, odor and taste. Neutral particulates aren't covered.

Question 7 of 21

Granulated, activated carbon filters are the most inexpensive way to remove radon, a carcinogen, from drinking water as it enters the home. However, the problem is that ________.

... Radioactive particles collect on the filter and make it potentially dangerous to handle, and the filter must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Aeration devices are also employed; they force air through the water, removing the radon gas through an exhaust fan. This process is more expensive.

Question 8 of 21

Water was first treated by humans in order to _______.

... As long ago as 4000 B.C., water was being treated for aesthetic effects. The ancients improved the taste and smell of water by using such methods as exposing it to sunlight, filtering it through charcoal and boiling it.

Question 9 of 21

According to the EPA, how many glasses of tap water are consumed daily in the U.S.?

... Americans draw more than 1 billion glasses of water from their taps every day.

Question 10 of 21

Which of the following is NOT one of the top contaminants found in U.S. public water systems?

... Hepatitis B is not a top contaminant. Some that ARE include those we list, as well as hepatitis A, copper, legionella (Legionnaires' disease) and shigella (which causes diarrhea).

Question 11 of 21

Within the water processing business, untreated water is referred to as _____ water.

... Raw water, as it's known in the water processing business, collects in such places as lakes, rivers and aquifers (underground sources of water that are often lined in sand or gravel).

Question 12 of 21

In a 2007 attempt to deal with water shortages due to drought, governors from which three states met to discuss their shared water supply?

... The governors of Alabama, Florida and Georgia met in Washington, D.C. to decide how water would be shared and distributed within their three states.

Question 13 of 21

Water towers, which store water before dispersing it to the public, are tall because being up high ________.

... Since the average city water supply needs to function at 50 to 100 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure, water tower tanks require significant elevation to provide that level consistently. A typical tank holds enough water to supply a municipality for about one day.

Question 14 of 21

Which of the following is often used to kill remaining bacteria in public water after it has been filtered?

... Ozone, chlorine and ultraviolet light are common, last-step decontaminants for public water systems. They may be used individually or, more effectively, in combination.

Question 15 of 21

In 1993, the protozoa cryptosporidium found its way into the drinking water supply in Milwaukee because ________.

... Dozens of people were killed and more than 400,000 fell ill because the protozoa, found in excrement, was too small to be stopped by physical filters, and chlorine did not kill it. The city has since added ozone to its water treatment process.

Question 16 of 21

According to a 2009 report from the General Accounting Office, which type of water has the strictest safety standards: bottled or tap?

... Tap water, regulated by the EPA, faces more regulations than bottled water, which is controlled by the Food and Drug Administration. Companies that bottle water are not required to test and release information about their water to the same extent that municipal water sources are.

Question 17 of 21

If public drinking water were suddenly to present a health threat, the Safe Water Drinking Act requires that citizens be notified by ________.

... The act requires that water suppliers use the media or posted signs to alert users to any significant dangers.

Question 18 of 21

About how many public water processing systems are there in the U.S.?

... There are about 170,000 individual American public water processing systems. Almost all Americans will be serviced by at least one of these systems sometime during their lives.

Question 19 of 21

A water treatment system screens water to filter out natural debris, aquatic animals and trash. Screens in water treatment plants throughout the Great Lakes region face a problem from ________.

... In both the Great Lakes region and the Mississippi Valley, zebra mussels can attach themselves to the screens, clogging them. This can be prevented with the use of potassium permanganate, which kills the mussels.

Question 20 of 21

In 2007, the town of Orme, Tenn. ran out of water. What happened to the village afterward?

... Initially, the town of New Hope, Ala. provided enough water to refill Orme's water tank. Subsequently, a 2-mile-long (3.2-kilometer) water pipe was built that allowed Orme to share New Hope's supply.

Question 21 of 21

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about how many people in developing countries have unsafe water sources?

... The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation determined that more than 780,000 people worldwide have water sources that are dangerous.

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