I NDIANA D EPARTMENT OF E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT

Conversion Table / Formula Sheet for Water Treatment

and Distribution Exams

Part 1: Abbreviations and Conversions

Abbreviations Abbreviations continued
ac acre(s) TDH total dynamic head
bhp brake horsepower TTHM total trihalomethanes
cfs cubic feet per second TOC Total organic carbon
DO dissolved oxygen TSS Total suspended solids
EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ug/L Micrograms per liter (ug/L ≈ ppb)
ft or ’ foot (feet) VS Volatile solids
fps feet per second
g gram(s) Conversion Factors
gal gallon(s) 1 acre 43,560 square ft
gpcd gallons per capita per day 1 acre foot 326,000 gallons
gpd gallons per day 1 cubic foot (ft3) 7.48 gallons
gpg grains per gallon 1 cubic foot (ft3) 62.4 pounds (water)
gpm gallons per minute 1 cubic foot per second 0.646 MGD
hp horsepower 1 day 1,440 minutes
hr hour(s) 1 foot 0.305 meters
HTH high test hypochlorite 1 foot of water 0.433 psi
in or ” inch(es) 1 gallon 8.34 pounds (water)
kW kilowatt 1 gallon 3.79 liters
kWh Kilowatt hour 1 grain per gallon 17.1 mg/L
L liter(s) 1 horsepower 0.746 kW
lb(s) pound(s) 1 horsepower 746 watts
mg milligram(s) 1 horsepower 33,000 ft lbs/min
mg/L milligrams per liter 1 mile 5,280 feet
MGD million gallons per day 1 million gallons per day 694 gpm
mhp motor horsepower 1 million gallons per day 1.55 cfs
mil gal million gallons 1 pound 0.454 kilograms
mL milliliter 1 pound per square inch 2.31 feet of water
min minute(s) 1 ton 2,000 pounds
ppb parts per billion (ppb ≈ ug/L) 1% 10,000 mg/L
ppd pounds per day π (pi) 3.14159
ppm parts per million (ppm ≈ mg/L)
psf pounds per square foot Miscellaneous
psi pounds per square inch Decimal percent = Percentage, expressed as a
Q Flow decimal, e.g. 65% = 0.65
sec second(s)
sq ft square foot (feet)
SS settleable solids

Formula Sheet Page 1 of 6 • IDEM Water Operator Certification Examination Formulas • www.idem.IN.gov
 Part 2: Formulas in Alphabetical Order
Alkalinity, as mg CaCO3/L
Amps
Area, ft2
Area of a Circle
Area of a Cone
(lateral area)
Area of a Cone
(total surface area)
Area of a Cylinder
(total exterior surface area)
Area of a Rectangle
Area of a Right Triangle
Average
(arithmetic mean)
Average
(geometric mean)
Chemical dry feeder
calibration, lbs/day
Chemical feed pump
setting, % stroke
Chemical feed pump (Flow, MGD) (Dose, mg/L) (3.785 L/gal) (1,000,000 gal/MG)
setting, mL/min
Circumference of Circle
Composite sample single
portion
CT Calculation (Disinfectant residual concentration, mg/L) (Time, min)
Degrees Celsius
Degrees Fahrenheit
Detention time
Formula Sheet Page 2 of 6 • IDEM Water Operator Certification Examination Formulas • www.idem.IN.gov
Alternative
Formula
Formula / Notes
l (Titrant Volume, mL) (Acid Normality)(50,000) l
Sample Volume, mL
l Volts l
Ohms
l (Flow, Ft3) l
(Velocity, Ft/Sec)
(0.785) (Diameter2) (π)(Radius2)
(π)(Radius)�Radius 2 + Height 2
(π)(Radius)(Radius) + �Radius 2 + Height 2
[Surface area of end #1] + [Surface area of end #2] +
[(π)(Diameter) (Height or Depth)]
(Length) (Width)
(0.5) (Base) (Height)
l Sum of all terms l
Number of terms
The nth root of the
[(X1)(X2)(X3)…(Xn)]1/n
product of n numbers
l (Dry chemical collected, grams) (1440 min/day) l
(454 grams/lb) (Time, min)
l Desired flow x 100% l
Maximum flow
(Liquid, mg/mL) (1440 min/day)
(π)(Diameter) (2π)(Radius)
l (Instantaneous flow) (Total sample volume) l
(Number of portions) (Average flow)
(°F – 32)
(°F – 32) (5/9)
1.8
(°C) (1.8) + 32
(°C) (9/5) + 32
l Volume l
Flow
 Alternative
Formula
Formula / Notes
Electromotive Force
(Current, amps) (Resistance, ohms) E = IR
(EMF), volts
l (Dosage, mg/L) (Capacity, MGD) (8.34 lbs/gal) l
Feed rate, lbs/day
Purity, decimal percent
Feed rate, gal/min l (Plant capacity, gpm) (Dosage, mg/L) l
(Fluoride Saturator) 18,000 mg/L
Feed rate, lbs/day l (Dosage, mg/L) (Capacity, MGD) (8.34 lbs/gal) l
(Fluoride) (Available Fluoride ion, decimal percent) (Purity, decimal percent)
Filter backwash rise rate, l (Backwash rate, gpm/ft2) (12 in/ft) l
in/min 7.48 gal/ft3
Filter drop test velocity, l Water drop, ft l
ft/min Time of drop, min
Filter flow rate or l Flow, gpm l
backwash rate, gpm/ft2 Filter area, ft2
l (Solids loading, lbs/day) (Recovery, decimal percent) l
Filter yield, lbs/hr/ft2
(Filter operation, hr/day) (Area, ft2)
Flow rate (Area) (Velocity)

Force, lbs (Pressure, psi) (Area, in2)

Gallons/capita/day
Hardness, as mg CaCO3/L
Horsepower, brake (bhp)
l (Flow, gpm) (Head, ft)
Horsepower, motor (mhp)
Horsepower, water (whp)
Hydraulic loading rate,
gpd/ft2
Hypochlorite strength, %
Langelier Index
Leakage, gpd
Mass, lbs
l Volume of water produced, gpd l
Population
Note: only when the
l (Titrant volume, mL) (1,000) l
titration factor is 1.00 of
Sample volume, mL EDTA
l (Flow, gpm) (Head, ft) l
(3,960) (Pump efficiency, decimal percent)
l
(3,960) (Pump efficiency, decimal percent) (Motor efficiency,
decimal percent)
l (Flow, gpm) (Head, ft) l
3,960
l Total flow applied, gpd l
Area, ft2
l Chlorine required, lbs x 100% l
(Hypochlorite solution needed, gal) (8.34 lbs/gal)
pH – pHS
l Volume, gallons l
Time, days
(Volume, MG) (Concentration, mg/L) (8.34 lbs/gal)

Formula Sheet Page 3 of 6 • IDEM Water Operator Certification Examination Formulas • www.idem.IN.gov
 Alternative
Formula
Formula / Notes
Mass flux, lbs/day (Flow, MGD) (Concentration, mg/L) (8.34 lbs/gal)

Milliequivalent (mL) (Normality)

l Moles of solute l
Molarity
Liters of solution
1 Number of equivalent weights of solute 1
Normality
Liters of solution
Number of equivalent l Total weight l
weights Equivalent weight
l Total weight l
Number of moles
Molecular weight
1 (Original flow – Reduced flow) x100% 1
Reduction in flow, %
Original flow
1 (In – Out) x 100% 1
Removal, %
In
Reservoir Surface Area, 1 (Surface area, ft2) 1
acres 43,560 ft2/ac
1 Drop or Rise x 100% 1
Slope, %
Distance
1 (Dry solids, grams) (1,000,000) 1
Solids, mg/L
Sample volume, mL
l Weight, mg l
Solids Concentration, mg/L
Volume, L
1 Specific weight of substance, lbs/gal 1
Specific Gravity
Specific weight of water, lbs/gal
Surface loading (overflow) l Flow, gpd l
rate, gpd/ft2 Area, ft2
Where
Three Normal Equation (N1 x V1) + (N2 x V2) = (N3 x V3)
V1 + V2 = V3
N = normality
Two Normal Equation N1 x V1 = N2 x V2
V = volume or flow
1 Flow rate, ft3/sec 1 Distance, ft
Velocity, ft/sec
Area, ft2 Time, sec
(1/3) [(π) (Radius2)
Volume of Cone (1/3) (0.785) (Diameter2) (Height)
(Height)]
(π) (Radius2)
Volume of Cylinder (0.785) (Diameter2) (Height)
(Height)
Volume of Sphere (4/3)(π)(Radius3)
Volume of Rectangular
(Length) (Width) (Height)
Tank

Formula Sheet Page 4 of 6 • IDEM Water Operator Certification Examination Formulas • www.idem.IN.gov
 Alternative
Formula
Formula / Notes
Watts
(Volts) (Amps) (Power Factor)
(AC circuit)
Watts
(Volts) (Amps)
(DC circuit)
l Flow, gpd l
Weir Overflow Rate, gpd/ft
Weir length, ft
Wire-to-Water Efficiency, 1 Water horsepower, hp x 100% 1
% Power input, hp or Motor hp
Wire-to-Water Efficiency, (Flow, gpm) (Total dynamic head, ft) (0.746 kW/hp) x 100%
% (3,960) (Electrical demand, kW)

Formula Sheet Page 5 of 6 • IDEM Water Operator Certification Examination Formulas • www.idem.IN.gov
 Area of Circle *Pie wheels

- To find the quantity above the horizontal line, multiply

Area
the pie wedges below the line together.
Circle
- To solve for one of the pie wedges below the horizontal
line, cover that pie wedge, then divide the remaining pie
0.785 D2 wedge(s) into the quantity above the horizontal line.

Given units must match the units shown in the pie wheel.

Area of Rectangle Area of Right Triangle Electromotive Force (EMF), volts

Area Area Volts

Rectangle Right Triangle EMF

1 Amps Ohms
Length Height
Width Current Resistance
2
Base

Feed Rate, lbs/day Flow Rate, cfs Force, lbs

lbs/day
cfs Pounds
Chemical Feed
Flow Rate Force
100% Purity
MGD 8.34
ft2 ft/sec psi in2
Flow lbs/gal Pressure
mg/L Area Velocity Area
Dose

Horsepower, Water (whp) Mass, lbs Mass Flux, lbs/day

whp lbs lbs/day

Horsepower Mass Mass Flux

gpm 1 l mil gal 8.34 MGD 8.34

Flow 3,960 Vol. lbs/gal Flow lbs/gal
feet mg/L mg/L
Head Conc. Conc.

Volume of Cone Volume of Cylinder Volume of Rectangular Tank

Volume Volume Volume

Cone Cylinder Rectangle

1 0.785 0.785 Height Length Height

3
D2 H D2 Width

Formula Sheet Page 6 of 6 • IDEM Operator Certification Examination Formulas • www.idem.IN.gov