Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment requirements may depend on the work situations available.

What water treatment equipment may be relevant to this standard?
Equipment may include electronic monitoring and metering systems, manual chart recording, basic hand tools, basic testing and sampling equipment, and reuse and recycling equipment.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this standard?
These may include systems and procedures for the safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment, safe systems and procedures for handling, transporting, using and storing chemicals (taking into account toxicity levels and environmental effects), and the selection, use and maintenance of relevant personal protective clothing and equipment.

What water quality measures might be used when standard tests are conducted?
Measures include salinity and electro conductivity, pH, sodicity, chloride, calcium carbonate, iron, turbidity, BOD (biological oxygen demand), biota, nutrients, pathogens, and pesticides.

What enterprise policy and procedures and statutory requirements might relate to controlling chemical use?
These may include the use of suitable personal protective equipment, waste disposal/recycling and re-use guidelines, contamination controls, safe storage and labelling processes, OHS legislation, local government by laws, and Australian standards for handling and using toxic or hazardous materials.

What water treatment processes are operated and controlled?
Water treatment processes may include pre-treatment, chemical addition, solids separation and disinfection.
Pre-treatment may include screens, lime and chlorination. Chemical addition may include coagulation, flocculation and flash mixing. Solids separation may include sedimentation, flotation, filtration and membrane processes. Disinfection may include chlorination, ozonation, chloramination and ultra violet treatment.

What waste water treatment processes are operated and controlled?
Waste water treatment processes may include pre-treatment, primary treatment, secondary treatment, chemical precipitation, solids handling, disinfection and advanced treatment.
Pre-treatment may include screens, grit removal, shredding, and odour removal. Primary treatment may include primary sedimentation. Secondary treatment may include tricking filters, rotating biological contactors, activated sludge and lagoon systems. Solids handling may include aerobic or anaerobic digesters and sludge disposal. Disinfection may include maturation ponds, chlorination, ultraviolet irradiation, and ozonation. Advanced treatment may include chemical nitrogen removal, biological nitrogen removal, biological phosphorus removal, chemical phosphorous removal, and micro filtration.

What adjustments may be made to the system?
Adjustments may include dosing adjustments and pH correction.

What records may be compiled?
Records may include equipment performance data, sampling results, and chemical usage, which may be recorded on computer or manually in a log book.

What water treatment equipment may be relevant to this standard?
Equipment may include electronic monitoring and metering systems, manual chart recording, basic hand tools, basic testing and sampling equipment, and reuse and recycling equipment.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this standard?
These may include systems and procedures for the safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment, safe systems and procedures for handling, transporting, using and storing chemicals (taking into account toxicity levels and environmental effects), and the selection, use and maintenance of relevant personal protective clothing and equipment.

What water quality measures might be used when standard tests are conducted?
Measures include salinity and electro conductivity, pH, sodicity, chloride, calcium carbonate, iron, turbidity, BOD (biological oxygen demand), biota, nutrients, pathogens, and pesticides.

What enterprise policy and procedures and statutory requirements might relate to controlling chemical use?
These may include the use of suitable personal protective equipment, waste disposal/recycling and re-use guidelines, contamination controls, safe storage and labelling processes, OHS legislation, local government by laws, and Australian standards for handling and using toxic or hazardous materials.

What water treatment processes are operated and controlled?
Water treatment processes may include pre-treatment, chemical addition, solids separation and disinfection.
Pre-treatment may include screens, lime and chlorination. Chemical addition may include coagulation, flocculation and flash mixing. Solids separation may include sedimentation, flotation, filtration and membrane processes. Disinfection may include chlorination, ozonation, chloramination and ultra violet treatment.

What waste water treatment processes are operated and controlled?
Waste water treatment processes may include pre-treatment, primary treatment, secondary treatment, chemical precipitation, solids handling, disinfection and advanced treatment.
Pre-treatment may include screens, grit removal, shredding, and odour removal. Primary treatment may include primary sedimentation. Secondary treatment may include tricking filters, rotating biological contactors, activated sludge and lagoon systems. Solids handling may include aerobic or anaerobic digesters and sludge disposal. Disinfection may include maturation ponds, chlorination, ultraviolet irradiation, and ozonation. Advanced treatment may include chemical nitrogen removal, biological nitrogen removal, biological phosphorus removal, chemical phosphorous removal, and micro filtration.

What adjustments may be made to the system?
Adjustments may include dosing adjustments and pH correction.

What records may be compiled?
Records may include equipment performance data, sampling results, and chemical usage, which may be recorded on computer or manually in a log book.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in monitoring and operating water treatment processes requires evidence that a person can carry out routine inspections and tests on water samples, control chemical use in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, operate and control water treatment processes, and compile records and reports.
The skills and knowledge required to monitor and operate water treatment processes must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, this could include different treatment processes, equipment and machinery, and enterprise procedures.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

water treatment and water filtration techniques
water quality monitoring methods and techniques
environmental impacts of irrigation, using water from any ground or underground source
hazardous materials handling
chemical dosing processes
enterprise policies and procedures
biosecurity and food safety codes of practice
OHS procedures relating to the operation of machinery and the use of chemicals.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

identify control system faults
identify adverse environmental impacts of irrigation activities and appropriate remedial action, and use water sampling and testing techniques
read and apply information on chemical labels
prepare and apply chemical dosing
implement and follow relevant enterprise OHS and environmental policies and procedures
record data.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

water treatment and water filtration techniques
water quality monitoring methods and techniques
environmental impacts of irrigation, using water from any ground or underground source
hazardous materials handling
chemical dosing processes
enterprise policies and procedures
biosecurity and food safety codes of practice
OHS procedures relating to the operation of machinery and the use of chemicals.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

identify control system faults
identify adverse environmental impacts of irrigation activities and appropriate remedial action, and use water sampling and testing techniques
read and apply information on chemical labels
prepare and apply chemical dosing
implement and follow relevant enterprise OHS and environmental policies and procedures
record data.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Recording and reporting information. (2)

Communicating ideas and information
Recording and reporting information. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Collecting and interpreting water quality data. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Collecting and interpreting water quality data. (2)

Planning and organising activities
Operating and monitoring water treatment equipment. (2)

Planning and organising activities
Operating and monitoring water treatment equipment. (2)

Working with others and in teams
Reporting process faults and operational conditions of treatment equipment to others. (2)

Working with others and in teams
Reporting process faults and operational conditions of treatment equipment to others. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Interpreting measurements in water quality data and measuring chemical dosages. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Interpreting measurements in water quality data and measuring chemical dosages. (2)

Solving problems
Identifying faults in water treatment equipment and processes. (2)

Solving problems
Identifying faults in water treatment equipment and processes. (2)

Using technology
Using water treatment and monitoring equipment. (2)

Using technology
Using water treatment and monitoring equipment. (2)