Texas Wastewater Class B Practice Exam

If a wastewater treatment facility is experiencing hydraulic overload, what symptom might the operators observe?

1. Clear effluent discharge

2. Poor settling characteristics

3. Foul odors near the treatment plant

4. Stable levels of dissolved solids

The correct answer is: Poor settling characteristics

Choosing the option related to poor settling characteristics is appropriate when discussing symptoms of hydraulic overload in a wastewater treatment facility. When a facility experiences hydraulic overload, it means that too much water is entering the system too quickly. This excessive flow can overwhelm the treatment processes, especially the sedimentation and clarification stages. Poor settling characteristics indicate that solids are not able to effectively settle out of the water, resulting in an increase in suspended solids in the effluent. This is a direct consequence of hydraulic overload, as the increased flow rate can disrupt the settling process, preventing solids from properly accumulating at the bottom of the clarifier. Other symptoms, such as clear effluent discharge, would be unlikely under hydraulic overload conditions. Clear effluent typically suggests effective treatment, which contradicts the effects of being overwhelmed. Foul odors may arise from various factors including anaerobic conditions but are not as directly linked to hydraulic overload as settling issues. Finally, stable levels of dissolved solids would not be expected, as hydraulic overload typically leads to increased concentrations of suspended solids due to insufficient settling, thus disrupting stability.