Glossary of Water and Wastewater Terms

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5 random terms from our glossary

service pipe

The pipeline extending from the water main to the building served or to the consumer's system.

dissolved organic matter (DOM)

That portion of the organic matter in water that passes through a 0.45 µm pore-diameter filter.

direct runoff

Water that flows over the ground surface directly into streams, rivers, or lakes. Also called storm runoff.

specific conductance

A rapid method of estimating the total dissolved solids content of a water supply. The measurement indicates the capacity of a sample of water to carry an electric current, which is related to the concentration of ionized substances in the water. Also called conductance.

quadrant

Any of the 4 more or less equal parts into which something can be divided by 2 real or imaginary lines that intersect each other at right angles. In television inspection of pipes, for example, the picture of the pipe can be divided into fourths (upper-left, lowerleft, upper-right, and lower-right quadrants) to identify the location of observed objects.