Water process operative

Overview of the role

Carry out operations in a clean water or waste water treatment facility to ensure water safety.

Details of standard

This standard has options. Display duties and KSBs for:

Occupation summary

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.

Typical job titles include:

Sewage operative Waste water operational technician Waste water operator Waste water process operator Waste water process technician Water plant operator Water process assistant Water production operative Water production technician Water technical operator

Core occupation duties

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.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 S1 S2 S3 S6 S9 S18 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
Duty 2 Monitor water processes using process control equipment for example, SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition system), to identify issues and trends.	K2 K3 K4 K7 K10 K11 S1 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S19 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
Duty 3 Respond to process alarms generated via telemetry (problem notification); identify the issue remotely or on site, rectify issue or escalate.	K1 K2 K3 K10 S1 S2 S3 S4 S8 S9 S18 S19 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
Duty 4 Identify and report asset faults; use the escalation process to report any issues and concerns.	K1 K2 K3 K5 K6 K7 K11 S1 S2 S3 S6 S7 S8 S9 S18 S19 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 5 Monitor trends and respond with remedial action; use the escalation process to report any issues and concerns.	K1 K2 K3 K10 K11 S1 S2 S4 S5 S9 S18 S19 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
Duty 6 Receive deliveries and appropriately store and manage treatment chemicals.	K4 K5 K6 K7 K12 K13 S1 S2 S3 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 7 Carry out first line operational maintenance on assets for example, topping up oil, washing down, brushing down, greasing and de-rag.	K2 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 S1 S2 S3 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 8 Engage with internal and external customers for example, contractors, regulators, colleagues visiting the site.	K1 K2 S18 S19 S20 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Option duties

Clean water process operative duties

Duty	KSBs
Duty 9 Clean water process operative. Take, monitor and record water samples, checking and recording compliance levels.	K15 K16 K18 K19 K20 K23 K24 S1 S3 S4 S19 S20 S21 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 10 Clean water process operative. Apply hygiene procedures and Energy and Utilities Skills Register (EUSR) standards to clean water operations.	K21 K22 K23 S1 S2 S3 S22 S23 B1 B2 B3
Duty 11 Clean water process operative. Conduct disinfection of plant, tools and equipment.	K16 K24 S1 S2 S3 S4 S15 S23 B1 B2 B3
Duty 12 Clean water process operative. Operate clean water treatment processes for example, chemical dosing, filtration, disinfection, coagulation, clarification and waste stream treatment.	K14 K15 K16 K17 K19 K22 K23 S23 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 13 Clean water process operative. Control the supply of water to meet the diurnal (daily) demand.	K19 K22 S1 S2 S3 S22 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Waste water process operative duties

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.	K31 S1 S2 S3 S18 S19 S20 S24 B1 B2 B3 B4
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).	K26 K29 K30 K31 S1 S2 S3 S19 S20 S24 B1 B2 B3 B4
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.	K3 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K32 K33 K36 S1 S2 S3 S19 S20 S25 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 17 Waste water process operative. Monitor capacity of sludge storage, to ensure optimisation of sludge dry solids.	K34 K35 S1 S2 S3 S25 S26 B1 B2 B3 B4

KSBs

Knowledge

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

Skills

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

Behaviours

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

Qualifications

English and Maths

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.

Additional details

Occupational Level:

Duration (months):

Review

this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

Status: Approved for delivery (available for starts)

Level: 2

Reference: ST0876

Version: 1.0

Date updated: 15/02/2023

Approved for delivery: 24 August 2020

Route: Engineering and manufacturing

Typical duration to gateway: 18 months (this does not include EPA period)

Maximum funding: £9000

Options: Clean water process operative, Waste water process operative

LARS Code: 593

EQA Provider: Ofqual

Water process operative assessment plan

File size: 386.7 KB

Find an apprenticeship

Employers involved in creating the standard: Affinity Water, Northumbrian Water Ltd, Severn Trent, Southern Water, South West Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Thames Water, United Utilities, Wessex Water, Yorkshire Water

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Version log

Version	Change detail	Earliest start date	Latest start date
1.0	Approved for delivery	24/08/2020	Not set

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