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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Identify sources and characteristics of wastewater and reasons for wastewater treatment.
  2. Monitor and report on wastewater quality.
  3. Follow safety requirements for work in a wastewater treatment plant.
  4. Monitor and report on wastewater treatment.

Required Skills

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit

Required skills

apply policies procedures and standards

recognise and report operational problems

use safety equipment and personal protective equipment

select collect and test samples

interpret material safety data sheets MSDS

receive and apply instructions

use literacy skills in regard to verbal and written communication in the workplace

communicate with other employees and people that interact within the work environment

Required knowledge

sources of wastewater

physical chemical and microbiological characteristics and operating principles related to wastewater treatment

reasons for wastewater treatment

types of wastewater treatment plant processes

major chemicals and equipment used

wastewater treatment plant hazards

safety equipment

reasons for data and information collection

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The candidate should demonstrate the ability tomonitor and report on wastewater treatment processes within domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants in urban and rural areas including

performing recording and reporting process measurements and calculations

demonstrating procedures for starting and stopping plant and locking out control equipment

adjusting process controls according to specific plant procedures

recording and reporting faults and breakdowns

identifying common process faults and following procedures to rectify these

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

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

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 requires 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 persons 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 RCCRPL 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


Range Statement

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. Add any 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.

Wastewater sources may include:

domestic

industrial

storm

ground

Reasons for treatment may include:

ensuring conformity with legislation, regulations, standards and codes

removal of impurities and contaminants to enable discharge or re-use

reducing impact of impurities on the environment and public health

Statutory requirements are defined by:

relevant federal and state or territory legislation and regulations

codes of practice, associated standards and guidance material

documented organisational policies, manuals and induction programs

relevant community planning and development agreements, such as land care agreements

Wastewater treatment processes may include:

grit removal

aeration

screening

sedimentation

disinfection

granular and membrane filtration

thickening and dewatering

suspended and fixed media aerobic bioreactor processes

anaerobic processes

lagoons and wetlands

gas scrubbers

biosolids and effluent disposal and re-use

dilution

chemical dosing

nutrient removal

reverse osmosis

Characteristics of wastewater may include:

types of impurities, such as:

organic

inorganic

micro-organisms

public health considerations

Equipment used may include:

pumps, including:

centrifugal

positive displacement

airlift

blowers

screens

control valves

electronic digital monitoring systems

recording systems

chemical testing and analysis equipment

communication equipment

belt press

centrifuge

comminutor

flow meters

flow recorders

manual or hydraulic equipment

personal protective equipment

Chemicals and major equipment used may include:

chemicals and lime

sodium hypochlorite

aluminium and iron coagulants

polymers

Data may include:

instantaneous flow rate

flow records

temperature

sand and grit

pH

chemical oxygen demand

dissolved oxygen

settleable solids concentration (cone test)

thirty minute settleability test

sludge blanket level

residual chlorine

microscopic examination

conductivity

Process calculations may include:

average dry weather flow

peak dry weather flow

chemical feed rate and concentration

process efficiency

Wastewater quality parameters may include:

physical

chemical

microbiological