TCEQ Class C Surface Water Practice Test
Original questions written to TCEQ’s Need-to-Know Criteria for this license, every option explained.
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371 original TCEQ Class C Surface Water questions with explanations · 100-question practice exam · 7 subjects
TCEQ Class C Surface Water exam format
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality licenses public water system operators. The Class C surface water criteria add coagulation, jar tests, sedimentation, filtration, taste and odor, trihalomethanes, softening, plant equipment and sludge disposal, with math on dosage, detention time and filter rates. You need 70 percent to pass, at a TCEQ-approved computer-based testing center.
- Subjects (TCEQ Need-to-Know)
- Rules/Regulations, Safety, General, Treatment/Production, Storage/Distribution, Disinfection, Math
- Where
- At a TCEQ-approved computer-based testing (CBT) center after TCEQ approves your application; scores are immediate
- Passing score
- 70 percent
- Fees
- TCEQ application $111 ($74 provisional Class D); each CBT center sets its own testing fee
- Allowed aids
- A non-programmable calculator; scratch paper from the proctor. No books or notes
- Questions and time
- TCEQ does not publish the number of questions or the time limit for this exam
- Requirements
- High school diploma or GED and two years of experience, one of them hands-on and at least half in surface water (up to one year can be replaced by college hours or extra training)
- Required training
- Basic Water Operations, Surface Water Production I and II, and Resiliency Overview
What’s on the TCEQ Class C Surface Water exam
TCEQ lists these subjects without question counts. Our practice exam gives each subject an equal share; each row links to the free topic drills that practice it.
| Subject | What it covers | Our practice exam | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rules/Regulations | Licensing rules, 30 TAC Chapter 290 and Health and Safety Code Chapter 341 | 15 | Regulations drill |
| Safety | First aid, traffic control and trench safety | 15 | Safety drill |
| General | Waterborne disease, records, cross-connections, softening and sampling | 14 | Water lab drillBackflow drillManagement drill |
| Treatment/Production | Pretreatment, coagulation, jar tests, sedimentation, filtration, taste and odor, equipment | 14 | Coagulation and filtration drillCorrosion and chemistry drillSource water drill |
| Storage/Distribution | Storage, corrosion, distribution equipment and leak detection | 14 | Mains and valves drillHydraulics drill |
| Disinfection | Coliform sampling, dose, demand and residual, chlorine hazards and chlorinators | 14 | Disinfection drill |
| Math | Dosage, detention time and filter rates | 14 | Water math drill |
How to take the TCEQ Class C Surface Water exam
- Complete the required training (Basic Water Operations, Surface Water Production I and II, and Resiliency Overview) and meet the education and experience rules.
- Submit the TCEQ application and $111 fee (online through OLEA or by mail).
- Once TCEQ approves the application, schedule the exam at a TCEQ-approved computer-based testing center and pay its testing fee.
- Score 70 percent or more; results are immediate, and some centers offer one retest the same day.
Common questions
What is on the TCEQ Class C Surface Water exam?
TCEQ's Need-to-Know Criteria list the subjects: Rules/Regulations, Safety, General, Treatment/Production, Storage/Distribution, Disinfection, Math. TCEQ does not publish how many questions each subject gets.
What score do I need to pass?
TCEQ requires a minimum score of 70 percent.
How many questions are on the exam?
TCEQ does not publish the question count or time limit for this exam. Our practice exam has 100 questions on a 3-hour clock so you can practice at full length.
What can I bring to the exam?
A non-programmable calculator. The proctor supplies scratch paper and collects it. Phones, books and notes are not allowed.
Are these the real TCEQ questions?
No. TCEQ prohibits sharing or copying exam content. These are original questions written to TCEQ’s published Need-to-Know Criteria, with an explanation for every option.
Ready for exam day?
100 questions across the published subjects, with a score for every area and an explanation for every option.
Or start with a free ten-question drillMore Texas exam practice
One water operator pass covers every practice exam on the site.
Requirements, subjects, fees and pass mark checked November 2026 on tceq.texas.gov: TCEQ: Public Water System Operators licensing requirements · TCEQ: Need-to-Know Criteria for public water system operators · TCEQ: Licensing exams (computer-based testing, authorized aids) · TCEQ: Continuing education hours to renew by license type (PDF).
Game Assessment Prep is an independent practice site, not affiliated with or endorsed by Water Professionals International (WPI, formerly ABC), the California State Water Resources Control Board or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Every question is original; none is taken from a certification exam, an official study guide or another prep provider.