California Wastewater Treatment Operator Practice Exam

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What is the typical removal efficiency of settleable solids in a primary clarifier?

75 to 80%

80 to 85%

The typical removal efficiency of settleable solids in a primary clarifier is generally understood to fall within the range of 80 to 85%. Primary clarifiers play a crucial role in the wastewater treatment process by allowing solids to settle out of the water due to gravity. During this phase, larger and heavier particles are removed effectively.

This range of 80 to 85% indicates that a significant majority of the settleable solids is removed, which is essential for reducing the organic load on subsequent treatment processes such as biological treatment. While some facilities may achieve slightly higher removal efficiencies, particularly under optimal conditions, 80 to 85% is widely recognized as a standard performance benchmark for primary clarifiers in typical wastewater treatment operations.

Higher percentages, such as 90 to 95% or even more, may be achievable under certain optimized conditions but are not representative of the typical operational efficiencies seen in many municipal systems. Therefore, the choice of 80 to 85% accurately reflects the expected performance of primary clarifiers in most conventional wastewater treatment plants.

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90 to 95%

95 to 99%

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