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Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Molecules of one type are pulled within another material. Not to be confused with adsorption which refers to surface adhesion only. | absorption |
| Covers a surface area of 1 acre and is 1 foot deep. Equal to 43,569 cubic feet of water or about 325,896 gallons. | acre-foot |
| The concentration of a contaminant, at and beyond which, treatment may be required to reduce levels or invoke other treatment measures. Typically, action levels are in reference to concentrations of lead and copper. | action level |
| Occurring over a short period of time; used to describe brief exposures and effects, which appear promptly after exposure; poses an immediate risk to human health. | acute |
| Molecules of one type attach to the surface of another molecule or material. | adsorption |
| The process of adding air to water either by passing water through air or passing air through water. | aeration |
| Referring to the quality of a water as determined by the senses. Typically color, odor, and taste of a water. | aesthetics |
| Physical separation between the flowing end of a potable water supply line and the overflow rim of a receiving vessel. | air gap |
| Valves used to release trapped air or vacuums created in water pipelines. | air release or vacuum breaker valves |
| A measure of a water's capacity to neutralize acids. | alkalinity |
| Mud and/or sand deposited by flowing water, commonly formed in river valleys and deltas from materials washed down the river after a heavy rain storm. | alluvium |
| An electric current of constantly changing value which reverses direction of electrical flow at regular intervals. | alternating current (AC) |
| A valve that automatically opens and closes to maintain the level of water in a reservoir. Most commonly a wide body globe valve. | altitude valve |
| Common name for the coagulant aluminum sulfate. | alum |
| Referring to surrounding conditions or the surrounding atmosphere. | ambient |
| The ring-shaped space located between the bore-hole of a well and the well casing; the space between any two pipes fit within each other. | annular space |
| Portions of a main structure necessary to allow it to operate as intended, but not considered part of the main structure (hydrants, valves, tees, elbows, etc.). | appurtenances |
| A natural underground layer of porous, water-bearing materials (sand, gravel) usually capable of yielding a large amount of water. | aquifer |
| Water held under pressure in porous rock or soil confined by impermeable geologic formations. Also, see CONFINED AQUIFER. | artesian |
| The drawing created by an engineer from the collection of the original design plans, including changes made to the design or to the system, that reflects the actual constructed condition of the water system. | as-built drawing |
| A backflow-prevention apparatus with two shut-off valves and two test cocks that can be tested while in line. | assembly |
| A mechanical device that prevents backflow due to siphoning action created by a partial vacuum that allows air into the piping system, breaking the vacuum. | atmospheric vacuum breaker |
| Occurs when normal flow in the distribution system is reversed due to an increase in the downstream pressure above the supply pressure. | backpressure |
| Occurs when a negative pressure (below atmospheric pressure, or a vacuum) develops in the distribution system which can allow pollutants or contaminants to be siphoned into the water system. | backsiphonage |
| The undesirable reversal of flow of water or other substances, through a cross-connection, into a public water system or consumer's potable water system. | backflow |
| The reversal of flow through a filter in order to clean the filter by removal of material trapped by the media in the filtration process. | backwash |
| A light-colored valuable clay that expands with the addition of water and is used as a sealant in water wells, as oil-well drilling mud, and as a filler in the building, paper, soap, and pharmaceutical industries. | bentonite |
| The best technology, treatment techniques, or other means that EPA finds, after examination for efficacy under field conditions, are available, taking cost into consideration. | Best Available Technology (BAT) |
| A sample collected from two or more individual sources at a point downstream of the confluence of the individual sources and prior to the first connection. | blended sample |
| The output horsepower of an electric motor. The representation of the amount of work that the motor can perform. Providing work of 33,000 foot pounds per minute is equivalent to one horsepower. | brake horsepower |
| Addition of chlorine to water until the chlorine demand has been satisfied. At this point, further additions of chlorine will result in a free residual chlorine which is directly proportional to the amount of chlorine added beyond the breakpoint. | breakpoint chlorination |
| The act of material or contamination making its way through a filter, typically as a result of a failure to maintain or replace the filter. | breakthrough |
| A substance or mechanism that prevents excessive change in a system. | buffer |
| A valve whose movable closure rotates 90 degrees around a shaft that is set through the center of the closure and the center of the flow path. | butterfly valve |
| Something produced, usually in an industrial or biological process, in addition to the principal product. | by-product |
| The factor used in the Hazen-Williams equation for determining headloss. The "C" Factor is a representation of the roughness of the inside of the pipe. The larger the number the smoother the pipe. | C Factor |
| Large pipe placed in a vertical position | caisson |
| The principal compound of hardness. The term used as an equivalent for hardness and alkalinity. Chemical symbol is CaCO3. | calcium carbonate |
| A dry material, of about 65% available chlorine, that comes as a powder, granular or tablet form. | calcium hypochlorite |
| The enclosure surrounding the pump, where the suction and discharge ports operate. | casing |
| The formation and collapse of a gas pocket on the impeller blade or gate valve. The collapse of the pocket drives water into the valve or impeller at high velocity. It causes a loud hammering or vibrating sound. | cavitation |
| A pump consisting of an impeller on a rotating shaft enclosed by a casing that has suction and discharge connections. The spinning impeller throws water outward at high velocity, and the casing shape converts this high velocity to pressure. | centrifugal |
| A special valve with a hinged disc or flap that opens in the direction of normal flow and is forced shut when flows attempt to go in the reverse or opposite direction of normal flow. | check valve |
| The ability of pipe, valve or tank materials to be in contact with certain chemicals without losing strength or integrity. Corrosive chemicals in particular need compatible materials used for their storage and application. | chemical compatibility |
| Berms, walls or other means by which potential chemical spills are limited to a controlled area. | chemical containment |
| Compounds of organic or inorganic nitrogen and chlorine sometimes used a disinfectant; A nitrogen compound changed to form monochloramines, dichloramines and trichloramines. | chloramines |
| The difference between the amount of chlorine added to water and the amount of residual chlorine remaining after a given contact time. | chlorine demand |
| A greenish-yellow gas with a penetrating and distinctive odor used for disinfection. It is 100% available chlorine and is highly toxic in pure form. | chlorine gas |
| A sometimes lethal disease caused by infection with vibrio cholera, a comma-shaped bacteria, which thrives in damp, moist places and stools of infected patients. | cholera |
| A chemical used in water treatment to destabilize particulates and accelerate the rate at which they aggregate into larger particles. | coagulant |
| A group of bacteria found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals (including humans) also in plants, soil, air and water. Its presence is an indication that the water is polluted and may contain pathogenic organisms. | coliform bacteria |
| Any substance in a certain state of fine division in which the particles are less than one micron in diameter. | colloid |
| Portion of the residual chlorine that has combined with ammonia, other nitrogen compounds, or organic matter. | combined available chlorine |
| Public water systems which serve at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serve at least 25 year-round residents. | community water system |
| A sample in which more than one source is sampled individually by the water system and then composited by a certified laboratory by mixing equal parts of water from each source (up to five different sources) and then analyzed as a single sample. | composite sample |
| A schedule that describes both the frequency and appropriate locations for sampling of drinking water contaminants as required by state and federal rules. | comprehensive monitoring plan |
| A measure of the ability of water to carry an electric current. Conductivity increases with total dissolved solids. | conductivity |
| The depression, roughly conical in shape, produced in a water table or other piezometer surface by the extraction of water from a well at a given rate. | cone of depression |
| An aquifer which is surrounded by formations of less permeable or impermeable material. | confined aquifer |
| A space which by design has limited openings for entry and exit; unfavorable natural ventilation which could contain or produce dangerous air contaminants, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. | confined space |
| A geologic material whose particles are stratified (layered), cemented or firmly packed together (hard rock). | consolidated deposits |
| A type of piston, diaphragm, gear or screw pump that delivers a constant volume with each stroke. They are often used as chemical solution feeders. | constant displacement pump |
| An annual report to consumers of each community public water supply system on the source of their water and the levels of contaminants found in the drinking water. | Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) |
| The amount of time in minutes that the disinfectant, measured as a free residual, is in contact with the water; before the water is delivered to the first customer. | contact time (CT) |
| An impurity that causes air, soil, or water to be harmful to human health or the environment; something that makes a substance impure, infected, corrupted, or polluted. | contaminant |
| A water service shutoff valve located at a street water main. This valve cannot be operated from the ground surface because it is buried and there is no valve box. | corporation stop |
| The gradual decomposition or destruction of a material by chemical action, often due to an electrochemical reaction. Can be caused by electrolysis, galvanic corrosion caused by dissimilar metals, or differential concentration cells. | corrosion |
| An indication of the corrosiveness of water. The corrosiveness of water is described by the water's pH, alkalinity, hardness, temperature, total dissolved solids, and the dissolved oxygen concentration. | corrosivity |
| Any actual or potential physical connection between a public water system or the consumer's water system and any source of non-potable liquid, solid, or gas that could contaminate the potable water supply by backflow. | cross connection |
| An infectious condition of humans and domestic animals, characterized by fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. It is spread by a protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium. | cryptosporidiosis |
| A cyst-forming protozoan found in water that causes gastrointestinal illness in humans. The primary sources are human and animal feces. | Cryptosporidium |
| Valve located between the corporation stop on a water main and the customer’s home, business, or other facility. This valve is used to shut off the water supply leading to a facility. | curb stop |
Created by:
jeffwhite
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