Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Water systems may include:
urban potable water supply
regional source management and water transfer
reclaimed and wastewater supply for non potable use
collection and distribution of treated wastewater into potable and non-potable water supply
Environmental impacts may include:
visual
odour
noise
social
political
natural
cultural
infrastructure
Project design requirements may include:
reticulation main sizes and locations
pressure reducing valve locations and settings
staging of developments
preliminary reticulation main layouts
system configuration
service and operating pressures
pressure zone boundaries
water main sizes
water quality
pumping stations
storage tanks
future system expansion options
Design standards and specifications may include:
legislation and by-laws
enterprise and organisational plans, policies and procedures
Australian standards
ISO standards
specific design guidelines and manufacturers’ and contractors’ conditions, contracts and standards
Analysis of proposals may include:
cost benefit analyses
net present value
feasibility study
risk analysis
life cycle cost
management requirements and conditions
community interests and submissions
Legislative and organisation requirements may include:
federal and state legislation
national guidelines
environmental protection agencies
water quality management strategy
industry codes of practice
Initial data may include:

costs
existing and future flows
input and output quality
customer requirements
locations
catchments
demographics
land use
pressure
hydrological information
meteorological information
topographic information
Modelling systems may include:
manual models
computer models

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
The candidate should:
perform each task outlined in the elements consistently and in a representative range of contexts
meet the performance criteria associated with each element by employing the techniques, procedures, information and resources available in the workplace from those listed in the range statement
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The candidate should demonstrate the ability to plan either water collection or distribution systems including:
identifying, analysing and defining water distribution and reticulation system planning requirements, conditions and constraints
identifying and interpreting legislative, environmental, business and project management requirements
developing scenario options for future needs and conditions
analysing a range of factors to determine catchment and supply impacts
planning, preparing and selecting options for system design
managing and securing documentation to support and report project management
evaluating, and consulting on proposals to gauge impact and support
making recommendations on the planning and design requirements for water distribution and reticulation systems
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Access to the workplace and resources including:
documentation that should normally be available in a water industry organisation
workplace specific equipment and technology
supervision and experienced team members to provide observations, feedback and third party reports
enterprise operating procedures and work allocation
relevant codes, standards and government regulations
Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.
Method of assessment
The following methods are suggested:
assessment in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions
assessment should also be conducted in conjunction with aspects of technical competencies that are consistent with the work environment
techniques for gathering evidence of competency may include:
observation of performance
written and/or oral questioning to assess knowledge and understanding
completion of workplace documents and reports produced as part of routine work activities
third-party reports from experienced practitioners
completion of performance feedback from supervisors and colleagues
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Validity and sufficiency of evidence require that:
competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice
a decision of competence only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person’s competence over time and in various contexts
all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence
where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be authenticated and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time
assessment can be through simulated projectbased activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit
In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in a manner appropriate to the skill levels of the operator and cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and will reflect the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.