Carry out operations in a clean water or waste water treatment facility to ensure water safety.
This standard has options. Display duties and KSBs for:
This occupation is found in the water industry, in clean water and waste water treatment. Water treatment operatives work for clean water and/or waste water treatment companies regulated by OFWAT - Office of Water Services (UK government), all of which are large organisations. Operatives typically work in only one type of water treatment.
This is a core and options apprenticeship standard. Apprentices will complete the core requirements, plus one option:
1. Clean water process operative.
2. Waste water process operative.
The broad purpose of the occupation is is to carry out operations in a clean water or waste water treatment facility to ensure water safety. In both environments they operate treatment work assets and take, monitor, record and interpret water samples to ensure treatment processes are working effectively. To support treatment processes, they receive and store chemical deliveries, assess and optimise energy on site and carry out site checks for safety, security and productivity purposes, reporting any faults, issues and concerns that need escalation. In waste water they are focused on safe effluent discharge and in clean water for maintaining water quality and hygiene standards.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with colleagues such as managers, water process technicians, engineers, maintenance engineer’s, delivery drivers, contractors, other treatment operatives and customers (internal/external). They may work as part of a small or large team, depending on the scale of the treatment facility. They will typically work under the supervision of a treatment works manager or senior water process technician. They will typically spend their time in a clean water or waste water treatment works.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for completing work to the required standard, following procedures and ensuring health and safety, and regulatory compliance, for example DWI (Drinking Water Inspectorate) and EA (Environment Agency); failure to do so could have serious consequences for self, public health and the environment. Ensuring optimisation of the treatment processes, balancing water quality against cost (energy and chemical usage).
Recording daily activities and work completed for example, completion of the daily plant log. They are responsible for the safety and well-being of themselves, reporting site security and safety concerns in line with company procedures and demonstrating the expected behaviours of their organisation.
Water treatment operatives must have a valid National Water Hygiene (Blue) card.
| Duty | KSBs |
|---|---|
|
Duty 1 Carry out visual routine treatment works site (clean or waste) checks including security, safety and housekeeping; report hazards and/or take appropriate action to resolve. |
|
|
Duty 2 Monitor water processes using process control equipment for example, SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition system), to identify issues and trends. |
|
|
Duty 3 Respond to process alarms generated via telemetry (problem notification); identify the issue remotely or on site, rectify issue or escalate. |
|
|
Duty 4 Identify and report asset faults; use the escalation process to report any issues and concerns. |
|
|
Duty 5 Monitor trends and respond with remedial action; use the escalation process to report any issues and concerns. |
|
|
Duty 6 Receive deliveries and appropriately store and manage treatment chemicals. |
|
|
Duty 7 Carry out first line operational maintenance on assets for example, topping up oil, washing down, brushing down, greasing and de-rag. |
|
|
Duty 8 Engage with internal and external customers for example, contractors, regulators, colleagues visiting the site. |
| Duty | KSBs |
|---|---|
|
Duty 9 Clean water process operative. Take, monitor and record water samples, checking and recording compliance levels. |
|
|
Duty 10 Clean water process operative. Apply hygiene procedures and Energy and Utilities Skills Register (EUSR) standards to clean water operations. |
|
|
Duty 11 Clean water process operative. Conduct disinfection of plant, tools and equipment. |
|
|
Duty 12 Clean water process operative. Operate clean water treatment processes for example, chemical dosing, filtration, disinfection, coagulation, clarification and waste stream treatment. |
|
|
Duty 13 Clean water process operative. Control the supply of water to meet the diurnal (daily) demand. |
| Duty | KSBs |
|---|---|
|
Duty 14 Waste water process operative. Take, monitor, record and record samples for example, carry out final effluent tests, checking and recording compliance levels including final effluent. |
|
|
Duty 15 Waste water process operative. Monitor and record sewage flow into the waste water treatment works (measure flow into the works in consent) in line with the relevant criteria, such as DWF (Dry Weather Flow) and FFT (Flow to Full Treatment). |
|
|
Duty 16 Waste water process operative. Operate assets to deliver waste water treatment processes for example, preliminary, primary, secondary, tertiary and sludge treatment processes optimising service, including start up and shut down - minimising energy and chemical usage, and increasing sludge dry solids. |
|
|
Duty 17 Waste water process operative. Monitor capacity of sludge storage, to ensure optimisation of sludge dry solids. |
K1: The water industry: the water cycle and key stakeholders: Regulators (Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT), Environment Agency (EA) and Health & Safety Executive (HSE), customers; Customer Experience Measure (CMEX).
Back to Duty
K2: Water process operative role; position in structure, limits of authority; escalation procedures.
Back to Duty
K3: Policy and procedures: operating manual, safety, emergencies, security, isolation – their purpose.
Back to Duty
K4: Health and safety legislation/regulations: Health & Safety at Work, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), manual handling, working in confined spaces, working at height, lone worker.
Back to Duty
K5: Dynamic risk assessments.
Back to Duty
K6: Health and safety equipment: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Harnesses, gas detectors and breathing apparatus. Their purpose, checking and storage requirements.
Back to Duty
K7: Environmental legislation and practice. Environmental Protection Act - safe disposal of waste.
Back to Duty
K8: First line operational maintenance: different types - cleaning, greasing, and washing, removing debris and clearing blockages.
Back to Duty
K9: Maintenance tools and equipment: rakes, spades, pressure washers, brushes, spanners.
Back to Duty
K10: Telemetry and monitoring processes; monitoring variables including flow, quality, turbidity (particles), chemical usage. Limits, consequences of being outside limits.
Back to Duty
K11: Water process fault finding techniques – visual, flow, odour, listening.
Back to Duty
K12: Chemicals: delivery and storage requirements - permits, limits.
Back to Duty
K13: Calculations: dilutions/concentrations, flows, conversions.
Back to Duty
K14: Clean water process operative. Different clean water treatment processes and purpose.
Back to Duty
K15: Clean water process operative. Clean water operating parameters, consequences of failure, impact of weather conditions on treatment processes.
Back to Duty
K16: Clean water process operative. Clean water treatment work assets and equipment: pumps, pressure vessels, reservoirs, tanks, valves.
Back to Duty
K17: Clean water process operative. Consequence of asset failure on clean water process.
Back to Duty
K18: Clean water process operative. Different types of water sources.
Back to Duty
K19: Clean water process operative. Water usage diurnal (daily) profile and impact of bursts; water cycle, flooding, drought, industries.
Back to Duty
K20: Clean water process operative. Clean water sampling requirements: different types of samples, sample points, storage, labelling, safe disposal, recording results, permits and consent parameters.
Back to Duty
K21: Clean water process operative. Chemicals used in clean water process: chlorine, coagulants, disinfectant chemicals, pH correction, orthophosphoric acid, hexafluorisilic acid polymers and ozone; their use, dosage and health and safety risks.
Back to Duty
K22: Clean water process operative. Water as a food source – importance of wholesomeness, why it is treated.
Back to Duty
K23: Clean water process operative. Clean water principles/procedures; Water Hygiene – Blue Card, Leptospirosis Card (Weil’s disease).
Back to Duty
K24: Clean water process operative. Clean water equipment: testing, cleaning, segregation, disinfection process and hygienic storage requirements.
Back to Duty
K25: Waste water process operative. Different waste water treatment processes and purpose. Primary, secondary, tertiary, preliminary, sludge.
Back to Duty
K26: Waste water process operative. Waste water operating parameters, consequences of failure, impact of weather conditions on treatment processes.
Back to Duty
K27: Waste water process operative. Waste water treatment work assets and equipment: primary settlement tanks, biological filters, activated sludge plants, final settlement tank, digesters. Flow meters, pumps, screens.
Back to Duty
K28: Waste water process operative. Consequence of waste water asset failure.
Back to Duty
K29: Waste water process operative. Different types waste: domestic, tanker, trade.
Back to Duty
K30: Waste water process operative. Flow: volumes, permits, catchment area consent and impact of weather conditions.
Back to Duty
K31: Waste water process operative. Waste water sampling requirements: different types of samples, sample points, storage, labelling, safe disposal, recording results, permits and consent parameters.
Back to Duty
K32: Waste water process operative. Chemicals used in clean water process: Nutriox, Ferric, Chloride, Sulphate, Ferris Chloride, Polyelectrolytes, Aluminium Sulphate.
Back to Duty
K33: Waste water process operative. Impact of operational performance on customer and environment - smell, pollution.
Back to Duty
K34: Waste water process operative. Commercial value of sludge.
Back to Duty
K35: Waste water process operative. Sludge tank monitoring requirements and dry solids.
Back to Duty
K36: Waste water process operative. Health hazards from working with waste water.
Back to Duty
S1: Organise and prioritise work.
Back to Duty
S2: Identify risks and control measures.
Back to Duty
S3: Follow health and safety and environmental legislation, regulations and practice. For example, apply control measures, wear PPE, harness, gas detector and breathing apparatus required for the task.
Back to Duty
S4: Read and interpret information/data.
Back to Duty
S5: Identify trends.
Back to Duty
S6: Undertake sensory analysis.
Back to Duty
S7: Use measuring equipment.
Back to Duty
S8: Apply fault finding techniques.
Back to Duty
S9: Determine action and follow procedure.
Back to Duty
S10: Undertake first line operational maintenance of assets.
Back to Duty
S11: Select and use tools and equipment; check/calibrate equipment.
Back to Duty
S12: Undertake first line maintenance of tools and equipment, for example cleaning.
Back to Duty
S13: Store tools and equipment.
Back to Duty
S14: Maintain housekeeping: tidy, segregate and dispose of waste.
Back to Duty
S15: Prepare and use chemicals.
Back to Duty
S16: Audit and request chemical and or consumables stock.
Back to Duty
S17: Check chemical deliveries – quality/content.
Back to Duty
S18: Communicate – verbal.
Back to Duty
S19: Use technology.
Back to Duty
S20: Record information/complete documentation.
Back to Duty
S21: Clean water. Take clean water sample; process.
Back to Duty
S22: Clean water process operative. Operate clean water treatment work assets.
Back to Duty
S23: Clean water process operative. Apply clean water treatment processes.
Back to Duty
S24: Waste water process operative. Take waste water sample; process.
Back to Duty
S25: Waste water process operative. Operate waste water treatment work assets.
Back to Duty
S26: Waste water. Apply waste water treatment processes.
Back to Duty
B1: Prioritises on health, safety and environment for example, challenges unsafe practice, says ‘no’ where action could have negative impact.
Back to Duty
B2: Takes responsibility for work for example, completes allocated work, takes proactive approach, knows own limitations and asks for help where required.
Back to Duty
B3: Professional for example, ethical – does the right thing, trust-worthy; presents positive image of self and company – work attire worn, polite and respectful
Back to Duty
B4: Team player for example, keeps other informed.
Back to Duty
B5: Customer focus for example, polite, courteous.
Back to Duty
English and maths qualifications form a mandatory part of all apprenticeships and must be completed before an apprentice can pass through gateway. The requirements are detailed in the current version of the apprenticeship funding rules.
2
18
This apprenticeship standard will be reviewed after three years
Contact us about this apprenticeship
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date | Latest end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 24/08/2020 | Not set | Not set |
Crown copyright © 2024. You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. Visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence