Prepare for the American Water Works Water Treatment Plant Operator Test. Study with multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready to excel!

Multiple Choice

Turbidity in water is affected by erosion control. Which statement best describes this relationship?

Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness in water caused by suspended particles, especially soil grains. Erosion moves soil into streams and reservoirs, increasing turbidity. When erosion control practices are used—such as stabilizing soils, vegetation cover, contouring, and sediment barriers—they reduce soil detachment and runoff. With fewer sediments entering the water, the amount of suspended particles drops, so turbidity decreases. Erosion control doesn’t directly affect dissolved solids, which are salts and minerals dissolved in water, not particles suspended in it. So erosion control reduces turbidity, not increases it or leaves it unchanged.

Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness in water caused by suspended particles, especially soil grains. Erosion moves soil into streams and reservoirs, increasing turbidity. When erosion control practices are used—such as stabilizing soils, vegetation cover, contouring, and sediment barriers—they reduce soil detachment and runoff. With fewer sediments entering the water, the amount of suspended particles drops, so turbidity decreases. Erosion control doesn’t directly affect dissolved solids, which are salts and minerals dissolved in water, not particles suspended in it. So erosion control reduces turbidity, not increases it or leaves it unchanged.