Water Sources and Characteristics

COURSE OVERVIEW

Water Sources and Characteristics is an online course for water plant operators. The objectives of the course are: to recognize physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of water, to recognize the characteristics of surface water and groundwater, to become familiar with the multi-barrier approach, and to identify the various threats to source water (microbiological, chemical, radiological contamination).

COURSE OUTLINE

  • Introduction (human health, ecosystem health, economic health, the water cycle).
  • Water characteristics (physical characteristics, chemical characteristics, microbiological characteristics, surface water, groundwater).
  • Water sources (quantity, quality, groundwater, surface water, springs, catchments, source protection, multibarrier approach).
  • Threats to source water (introduction, microbiological contamination, summary of pathogens, chemical contamination, radiological contamination, other sources).
  • Glossary.
  • FAQs.
  • Quizzes.
  • Final test.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Water utility field staff, forepersons, supervisors, managers, contractors, water utility construction inspectors, and fire department personnel.