Test Your Water Quality IQ

If you're not part of the solution,
you're part of the pollution.

Okay, so you are interested in learning more about how to restore the parklands and improve water quality. But how much do you already know?

You can read our booklet: Improving Water Quality: The Solution Starts With You! -- but first take our quiz to test your current level of knowledge:

1. The Charles River Watershed encompasses _______.

A. 10 miles
B. The Esplanade
C. 311 square miles
D. All of Back Bay

2. Running a faucet for two minutes uses this much water:

A. 030 gallons
B. 005 gallons
C. 007 gallons
D. 100 gallons

3. What band sang the 1960's pop hit "Dirty Water?"

A. The Animals
B. The Standells
C. Elvis Presley
D. The Cars

4. Which of the following is safe to pour into a storm drain?

A. Motor oil
B. Latex paint
C. Grass clippings and leaves
D. None of the Above

5. Which of the following can contribute to water pollution?

A. Pet waste
B. Washing your car in the driveway
C. Changing your oil and dumping it on the ground or road
D. All of the above

6. The Charles River originates in the town of _______.

A. Holliston
B. Hopkinton
C. Brookline
D. Brewster

7. The area that soaks up groundwater and facilitates the river's flow is called _______.

A. A delta
B. A levee
C. An aquifer
D. An aquarium

8. The characteristic brownish color of the Charles River is caused by _______.

A. Tannins in the water
B. Chocolate
C. Pollution
D. Reflections from the brownstones in Back Bay

9. Which of these water-borne pathogens WILL NOT cause health problems in humans?

A. Escherichia Coli
B. Giardia lamblia
C. Cryptosporidium
D. None of the Above

10. Which of these DO NOT negatively impact water quality?

A. Septic tanks
B. Road run-off
C. Fertilizers and pesticides
D. None of the above

11. The water pipes in older homes may be made with which material?

A. Iron
B. Copper
C. Wood
D. All of the Above

12 How does E. coli get into the water?

A. From people swimming
B. From animals and birds
C. From rotting fish
D. From sewer overflow

13. Pollution from several wide-spread, run-off locations is called _______.

A. Power point pollution
B. Pointless pollution
C. Non-point pollution
D. No problem

14. What does it mean if you have a whale on your Massachusetts license plate?

A. You just got back from a whale watch
B. You are improving the environment of Massachusetts
C. You are a scuba diver
D. You are a Yankee Fan

15. The Charles River was named after_______.

A. Ray Charles
B. King Charles
C. Charlie on the MTA
D. Charles Eliot

16. There is no public swimming in the Charles River because ___________.

A. There are fresh water sharks
B. The water is too polluted for safe swimming
C. The sediments are toxic
D. The Charles River is only for boating

17. People purchasing the environmental license plate have helped to ___________.

A. Raise $10 million for the Massachusetts Environmental Trust

B. Provide $1.5 million in grants

C. Support nearly 60 environmental and educational programs

D. All of the above

18. CRC stands for _________.

A. Charles River Conservancy
B. Charles River Choral
C. Catch, Revert and Carve
D. Conserving Rivers Club