Application
This unit describes the skills required to locate, treat (for human consumption) and manage water in a survival situation. This unit also includes extracting water directly through evaporation, transpiration and desalination; filtering techniques; and treating foul water to render it potable. Of equal importance to optimising the input of water, is minimising the expenditure of water. Individuals will need to protect and ration their water assets and to implement measures to minimise water loss to increase their chances of survival.
This unit was developed for Defence personnel but may be relevant to others.
The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to.
Those undertaking this unit would act autonomously, while performing concrete tasks, in a broad range of contexts which may be highly unpredictable.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section. |
1. Locate and extract water | 1.1 Discover water by recognising and investigating the likely locations and the indicators of water. 1.2 Collect water during periods of rain and high atmospheric moisture content. 1.3 Extract water from the ground through evaporation. 1.4 Extract water from vegetation using transpiration. |
2. Prepare water for consumption | 2.1 Filter water (i.e. clarify content, remove debris and large contaminants) using improvised filtration methods. 2.2 Make water safe for drinking using improvised desalinator system, including boiler (i.e. drum), collector (i.e. bag) and condenser (i.e. tube/pipe). 2.3 Taste and smell water to confirm it is safe for drinking. |
3. Manage water resources | 3.1 Store water using improvised storage receptacles. 3.2 Minimise loss of water by implementing water loss reduction management techniques. 3.3 Ration water in accordance with minimum daily requirements as per the survival situation. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.
assembling basic improvised equipment
demonstrating extreme care in handling critical survival items
extracting water through:
evaporation – a minimum of 20
transpiration – a minimum of 200
desalination – a minimum of five litres of potable water in 24
a ten litre metal drum
plastic (transpirator) bag (0.6
pipe section (ten to twenty
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.
desalinator construction including:
drum
condensing tube
collecting device
connections of the following to each other
cooling options for the condensing device
desalinator non
transpirator non
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be assessed with access to improvised desalinator kits, the desalinator is to provide the only source of water for a minimum of two days unless safety/health reasons require additional supplementation. Competency must be demonstrated once in the evaporation and transpiration of water and competency must be demonstrated in the desalination and management of water, and minimisation of water loss, over a minimum of two days.
Consideration must be given to holistic assessment with other survival units.
While a person can demonstrate the technical ability to locate and treat water, the aspect of longer
Assessment under simulated survival conditions includes:
food restrictions
absence of normal living conditions and amenities
significant period of time
Refer to advice in the companion volumes.
Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The foundation skills demands of this unit have been mapped for alignment with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The following tables outline the performance levels indicated for successful attainment of the unit.
ACSF levels indicative of performance:
Further information on ACSF and the foundation skills underpinning this unit can be found in the Foundation Skills Guide on the GSA website.
Competency Field
Survival