NWP546B
Develop and review water treatment process management plan

This unit of competency describes the outcomes required to develop and review the management plan for the treatment of raw water supplies to potable standards.

Application

This unit supports the attainment of skills and knowledge required for managers in water organisations with responsibility for the implementation of water treatment management plans.


Prerequisites

Not applicable.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1Plan and prepare for water treatment.

1.1 Identify and interpret treatment plant management requirements, including legislative and enterprise policies.

1.2 Identify and assess process capability and performance design.

1.3 Access, review and interpret historic information, relevant to the treatment of water.

1.4 Identify and interpret issues that impact on the treatment of water.

1.5 Identify and interpret stakeholder and customer requirements that impact on the treatment processes.

1.6 Identify and interpret water catchment impacts.

2Develop a water treatment management plan.

2.1 Identify and interpret water quality and quantity requirements according to legislative and enterprise procedures.

2.2 Identify and assess environmental factors that impact on the treatment of water.

2.3 Identify, specify and monitor testing and monitoring procedures according to organisational requirements.

2.4 Monitor information that impacts on the planning process according to enterprise procedures.

2.5 Identify, quantify and define available resources.

2.6 Prepare and present the water treatment management plan.

3Review and refine the water treatment management plan.

3.1 Identify deviations from the treatment management plan.

3.2 Identify and evaluate system changes to meet the requirements of the treatment management plan.

3.3 Report and recommend changes to the treatment management plan according to legislative and organisational requirements.

3.4 Incorporate accepted recommendations into the updated and modified treatment management plan.

3.5 Implement changes to the treatment management plan.

4Complete documentation.

4.1 Maintain records of plant and system data according to organisational and statutory requirements.

4.2 Report observations outside defined parameters for further action.

Required Skills

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

Required skills:

communicate effectively

plan effectively

prepare reports

interpret and apply legislation and policies

coordinate measuring and testing activities

use mathematical and scientific techniques to interpret test results

conduct investigations

assess environmental impacts.

Required knowledge:

relevant legislation

range of appropriate measuring and testing procedures

investigation procedures

risk management principles

customer expectations and requirements

environmental legislation

enterprise financial systems and key performance indicators

occupational health and safety legislation.

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 to develop and review the management plan for the treatment of raw water supplies to potable standards including:

gathering, interpreting and synthesising information (including historical data, current legislation and standards, stakeholder views and the results of water treatment system testing and monitoring) to underpin the implementation of the water treatment processes management plan

planning and implementing testing processes and programs

monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of the water treatment processes management plan

providing advice and communicating with stakeholders and users

preparing reports and recommendations for future action.

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/or 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 should only be made 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 project-based 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, any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and reflecting 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 if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Issues and/or resources to be considered may include:

chemicals used/usage

electricity used/usage

gas used/usage

people available

technical skills and training

funds available for capital and/or operation

maintenance standards of plant and equipment

maintenance procedures and schedules

previous risk assessments

union expectations

community expectations

the natural environment

the built environment

occupational health and safety requirements.

Customers may include:

individual consumers

regulators

suppliers

government

community or specific enterprises

industry

rural consumers

internal and external customers.

Environmental factors that impact on the treatment process may include:

flora

fauna

organic and inorganic chemicals

salinity (in a marine environment)

nutrients

oils and greases

pesticides

trade waste

upstream communities and activities

natural events (eg floods, fires)

algae

micro-organisms

geology of catchment

tastes and odours.

Testing may include, but not be limited by:

physical analysis of water:

pH

conductivity

colour

turbidity

chemical analysis of water:

chlorine

alkalinity

chemical oxygen demand

heavy metals

iron

manganese

microbiological analyses:

coliforms

plate counts

algae identification and counts

physical measures:

power

chemicals

water flows

sludge volumes

mechanical testing:

vibration

noise

temperature.

Monitoring may include:

process control monitoring

mechanical and electrical maintenance schedules

mechanical and electrical equipment condition

licensing requirements

legislative requirements

chemical, physical, biological and microbiological quality.


Sectors

Not applicable.


Competency Field

Treatment


Employability Skills

This unit of competency contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

Not applicable.