All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: |
National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Process Control |
SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
60190 | National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Process Control | |||
ORIGINATOR | ||||
SGB Water Sector | ||||
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
EWSETA - Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
National Certificate | Field 12 - Physical Planning and Construction | Civil Engineering Construction | ||
ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
Undefined | 138 | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | Regular-Unit Stds Based |
REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered" |
SAQA 9999/99 | 2018-07-01 | 2023-06-30 | |
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
2026-06-30 | 2029-06-30 |
In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. |
PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
Purpose:
This qualification will prepare learners to function independently on water or wastewater treatment works. A person acquiring this qualification will be able to operate and control specific processes at a water or wastewater treatment works within the context of legislation and work policies and procedures. This qualification is aimed at people who are expected to make decisions relating to the amount of chemicals dosed, volumes of water treated and pumped. The qualification will provide learners with knowledge and skills to be able to lead a small team or group on a plant as well as to conduct administrative tasks in order to meet organizational objectives. This qualification forms the foundation for progression and to higher-level qualifications within the water sector as fundamental learning such as mathematical literacy, communication, computer skills and first line supervisory skills are included in the qualification. This qualification focuses on the full development of the learner and further mobility and transportability within the water sector. This qualification will provide learners with key competencies in interpersonal communications skills, measurement skills and quality management skills at a lower level including required at this level. This qualification will expand the skills base of the qualifying learner and make the person more effective in his/her tasks and more employable and will open up job opportunities in related fields. This qualification will enhance productivity within the water sector and contribute towards the ecological sustainability and improvement of the water environment. Rationale: This qualification reflects the workplace-based needs of water and wastewater treatment process for the advancement of the operators in terms of skills and knowledge within the sector. Currently there is no registered qualification on the NQF that bridges the knowledge and skills gap required to fulfill supervisory role on a plant at a lower level between Levels 2 and 4 registered qualifications. This qualification provides the learner with a career path and progression from water and wastewater process operations to water and wastewater process control within the water sector. The National Certificate in Water and Wastewater Process Operations (Level 2) equips the candidate to operate certain sections on water or wastewater treatment works, whereas the National Certificate in Water and Wastewater Process Control pegged at NQF Level 3 will prepare the candidate to operate more independently on the plant. The qualification also provides the flexibility to pursue different careers in fields related to the water sector. The level of flexibility within the range of electives will allow the individual to follow a career in a range of water or wastewater operations including careers other related sectors such as pollution control, wet industries, electricity generation, environmental qualifications. This qualification will enhance productivity within the water sector, improve the health of communities and contribute towards the ecological sustainability and improvement of the water environment. |
LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
It is assumed that learners are competent in:
It also assumed that learners are competent in the following unit standards Access to Qualification Access to this qualification is open bearing in mind learning assumed to be in place. |
RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
N |
QUALIFICATION RULES |
Fundamental:
Core: Elective: Learners must choose electives unit standards with a minimum total value of 15 credits in the elective component. It is further recommended and mandatory that learners who specialise in wastewater competencies should choose the Activated Sludge Unit Standard as an elective. |
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
1. Compare water and wastewater works performance with legislative and workplace requirements at an operational level.
2. Interpret and apply legislation relevant to the operation of water and wastewater treatment works. 3. Apply communication and leadership skills at the working environment. 4. Demonstrate of administration required on a wastewater treatment works. 5. Use the System International (SI) and appropriate formulae to perform calculations needed to operate water or wastewater treatment plant. Critical Cross-Field Outcomes: |
ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level 1:
1.1 Results of plant tests are compared with regulated or organizational standards. 1.2 The production of water or the treatment of the effluent meets the requirements of the community in terms of quality and quantity. 1.3 The plant is operated in accordance with environmental requirements in order to meet national and organisational policies relating to nuisance conditions. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level 2: 2.1 Personal safety practices are identified and applied in accordance with standard operating procedures and safety requirements in a water and wastewater environment. 2.2 Personal health, hygiene and presentation in a wastewater environment is maintained according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 2.3 Water and wastewater treatment is applied in terms of the National Water Act and the Water Services Act. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level 3: 3.1 Verbal and non-verbal skills are applied to promote interaction and teamwork on a water and wastewater works. 3.2 Technology applicable in the water and wastewater treatment works is used to achieve communicative objectives in the workplace. 3.3 Conflict management techniques are applied to handle conflict within own scope of responsibility on a wastewater treatment works. 3.4 Leadership skills are applied to lead and promote teamwork. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level 4: 4.1 The functions of administration are identified and explained in terms of water services provision. 4.2 Administration tasks and activities are identified and described in accordance with organizational policies and procedures to achieve administrative objectives in the water and wastewater treatment plant. 4.3 Own work and workload is organized in accordance with oragnisational works policies and procedures. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level 5: 5.1 Measurements are taken and used to adjust operating parameters on a water and wastewater treatment plant. 5.2 Production quantities are compared with targets to determine the performance of the treatment plant. Associated Unit Standard: Integrated Assessment: Integrated assessment at the level of qualification provides an opportunity for learners to show that they are able to integrate concepts, ideas and actions across unit standards to achieve competence that is grounded and coherent in relation to the purpose of the qualification. Integrated assessment should show how already demonstrated competence in individual areas can be linked and applied for the achievement of a holistic outcome. Integrated assessment must judge the quality of the observable performance, and also the quality of the thinking that lies behind it. Assessment tools must encourage learners to give an account of the thinking and decision-making that underpin their demonstrated performance. Some assessment practices will demand practical evidence while others may be more theoretical, depending on the type of outcomes to be assessed, and the nature and level of the qualification. The ratio between action and interpretation is not fixed, but varies according to the demands of the qualification. While the generic component (literacy, communication and life skills) of this qualification at NQF Level 3 can be assessed through occupational contexts and activities relating to water and wastewater treatment, care must be taken in both the learning programme and the assessment to ensure that these foundational skills are truly portable. The primary aim of this qualification is to ensure that learners have a sound base of general education to prepare them for further learning, whatever career path they may choose. Learners must be able to transfer generic skills such as language, computation and learning skills etc across a number of different contexts, and apply them within a number of learning areas. A broad range of task-orientated and theoretical assessment tools may be used, with the distinction between practical knowledge and disciplinary knowledge maintained so that each takes its rightful place. Unit standards in the qualification must be used to assess specific and critical cross-field outcomes. During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and should assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflexive competencies. |
INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
This qualification and component unit standards have been compared with similar qualifications including short courses and/or training programmes from various countries which include, Australia, New Zealand, France and United Kingdom. Other countries searched include Scotland, United States of America and Canada. The countries were chosen specifically on their bases of their approach in water and wastewater treatment processes or control processes to produce clean water that is essential for good health and safe to drink, treat wastewater both from domestic and industrial so that it is safe to return to the environment. Best practices have been considered in relation to education and training in water and wastewater related qualifications/courses in the study. Another reason for the choice of the countries was to find out as close as possible, countries whose water and wastewater process control systems including climate conditions are similar to the South African context. New Zealand was the mostly preferred country as their water and wastewater treatment processes are very similar to South Africa. Given the fact that the qualification is more focused on water and wastewater plant operators at NQF Level 3, qualifications and the relevant awarding bodies accredited to provide a wide range of academic and vocational qualifications including short courses in this field were searched.
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA): National Certificate in Wastewater Treatment (Site Operator), Level 3: This qualification is designed to recognise the core knowledge and skills associated with treatment process management systems, legislation relating to water and wastewater treatment and other competencies relating specifically to wastewater treatment which are similar to the our qualification in that such skills are packaged for wastewater plant operator in the wastewater cluster. The qualification has a water component that is treated as generic unit standards that form part of the qualification. It must be mentioned however, that some of the competencies in both qualification may be expressed either in a form of unit standard or specific outcomes which shows a slight difference between the two qualification. In addition, it must be born in mind that the South African qualification recognises the commonalities of competencies to be addressed for both water and wastewater plant operations hence these competencies have been reflected in the core component of the qualification since it has been merged into one qualification. New Zealand Water and Environment Training Academy (NZWETA) which is a joint venture between the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association and Opus International Consultants, provides education and training for all sectors of the broader water and wastes industry also offer this qualification. The New Zealand Water and Environment Training Academy's courses have been specially developed to meet the needs of the broader water and wastes industry. The qualifications offered by NZWETA are approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and are recognised by the industry both nationally and internationally. The following unit standards compare favourably with the NQF Level 3 South African qualification in terms of the elements of each unit standard: The water component - Generic domain consist of the following unit standards that compare well with the South African qualification: Other unit standards that are compare with the qualification but are treated as electives are: NZWETA provides the following qualification that compares well with the South African qualifications: This qualification covers specialist water treatment skills that compare favourably with this qualification. The topics covered include: United Kingdom (QCA): City and Guilds Level 3 VQR in Water Engineering: The City and Guilds is offering this qualification at an Apprenticeship level. The qualification provides learners with skills that will make them qualify in a number of pathways, namely, water networks, in constructions operations, leakage, distribution control and water supply and waster operations. Although the qualification does not compare fully with the South African qualification, the competencies covered to fulfill the requirements of the latter learning pathways, some of competencies compare well with the South African qualification. The competencies covered are as follows: CABWI Awarding Body: CABWI is an accredited NVQ Awarding Body accredited by the QCA to award National Vocational Qualifications for people working in the water and utilities (electricity and gas) industries. The Scottish Qualifications Authority and CABWI offer the following qualification. The Scottish qualification compares with the South African qualification in that the some of the elements that make up some of the units are comparable with the units standards contained in the qualification as follows: Department for Employment and Learning: The Department for Employment and Learning offers qualifications on Level 3 Apprenticeship Framework that has been agreed between the Department and Energy and Utility Skills Limited. The following qualification that compares with the South African qualification is as follows: Australia: Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF): Certificate III in Water Industry Operations: This qualification compares well with the South African qualification. It is pegged at Level 3 and the unit standards address some competencies contained in the South African qualification. Some of the unit standards covered in this certificate have been covered in our NQF Level 2 qualification. These are coagulation and flocculation, as well as sedimentation. However, the unit standards (both core and electives) that compares well and covered by the qualification at NQF Level 3 are: Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SQA): Canada: The Ontario Environmental Training Consortium: Ontario Clean Water Agency: The Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) is a leader provider of water and wastewater treatment services in Toronto and offers training to water and wastewater treatment personnel both professionals and operators at different levels. Regrettably, the site does not provide access to the full unit standards. The certificate programme offered that could compare with some of the unit standards contained in the South African qualification for operators of water and wastewater treatment is a follows: This is a three-day courses that covers microbiology, problem-solving, dosage calculations, chemical feed rates and membrane filtration: This is a three-day course that covers topics such as purpose of disinfection, types of chlorination and chlorine residuals, calculations involving volume, detention time and chemical dosages, sampling and record keeping, detection methods of broken watermains and repair. This is a two-day course that covers monitoring the rate of wastewater flow to the treatment facilities to ensure overflow does not occur, various sewer collection methods and the required maintenance. In examining the topics covered in these courses. United States of America (USA): In the USA, programmes focus primarily on higher levels than this level, for example, technicians and engineers hence there are no qualifications and standards developed at this level. Nonetheless, there were few short courses found that are offered for Water and Wastewater Operators at entry levels but rather for the different categories of classes. Rocky Mountain Water and Wastewater Plant Operators Fundamentals School: The school provides a course intended for those new plant operators to provide them with information needed to better understand water and wastewater treatment and to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. The course is designed to furnish concepts of how treatment processes work and the requirements of government regulations. The South African qualification also provides learners with knowledge of legislative requirements and regulations in relation to standards to provide the safest drinking water quality. The course topics include: Penn Foster Workforce Development: Penn Foster is a career school that provides programmes aimed at improving job performance. It provides the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator curriculum that provides learners with fundamental knowledge of sewage treatment, sludge processing, various sampling procedures and methods used to obtain the sample for the physical test of wastewater, various types of equipment to test, treat and process raw water, methods of wastewater generation, collection and transportation. This programme compares well with the unit standards contained in the South African qualification which are aimed at water and wastewater plant operators. Capital Community College: Certificate programme in Wastewater III: The curriculum has been designed cooperatively with the Department of Environmental Protection so that the courses will best meet the needs of wastewater treatment plant operations in hiring new employees and in preparing current employees for Class I and II Wastewater Certification examinations. The safe and effective operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment facilities will be further investigated with an emphasis on larger, conventional treatment plants. Topics include: SADC Region: In an attempt to do a comparison with the SADC region and emerging economies, searches have been conducted in the following international accrediting bodies. Regrettably there were no specific qualifications that could be compared with this qualification in the sense that most of the countries searched had limited information on qualifications developed so far, and it has been discovered that some bodies providing accreditation do not use unit standards for accreditation. Mauritius: A search was conducted on the Mauritius Qualifications Authority to establish qualifications related to water at this level. It has been discovered that Mauritius so far has developed qualifications in the following fields; Information and Communication Technology; Printing; Tourism and Hospitality Management; Jewellery; Building Construction and Civil Works; Adult Literacy and Health and Social Care. Unfortunately none of these related to this qualification. However, there is only one unit standard that are contained in this qualification in the Elective component that compare with this qualification: Further searches have been conducted in countries such as Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Botswana, regrettably there were no qualifications found that could be compared with the South African qualification at this level. Conclusion concerning comparability: The search has indicated that the South African qualification compares well in that a substantial degree of similarity was found in the most of the qualifications examined in terms of the occupational profiles and training standards. Generally, the Australian and New Zealand qualifications have been found to be more comparable in terms of the elements of the unit standards when cross-referencing was done against the South African unit standards. |
ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
Vertical articulation is possible with:
Horizontally articulation is possible with: |
MODERATION OPTIONS |
CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
REREGISTRATION HISTORY |
As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. |
NOTES |
N/A |
UNIT STANDARDS: |
ID | UNIT STANDARD TITLE | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | CREDITS | |
Core | 7812 | Perform basic calculations | Level 2 | NQF Level 02 | 3 |
Core | 9882 | Read and interpret basic engineering drawings | Level 2 | NQF Level 02 | 8 |
Core | 113877 | Understand fundamentals of electricity | Level 2 | NQF Level 02 | 8 |
Core | 242870 | Apply public sector policies and procedures to achieve administration objectives | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 12 |
Core | 9532 | Demonstrate basic knowledge of computers | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 6 |
Core | 254103 | Demonstrate knowledge of different methods of achieving disinfection in a water and wastewater effluent environment | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 2 |
Core | 254114 | Demonstrate knowledge of quality and its management in water and wastewater context | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 4 |
Core | 254125 | Demonstrate knowledge of sampling procedures for water and wastewater treatment tests | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 6 |
Core | 254123 | Demonstrate knowledge of SI measurement units used in water and wastewater treatment | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 7 |
Core | 254097 | Measure and interpret chlorine dosage | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 6 |
Core | 254117 | Operate a membrane process | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 8 |
Core | 246446 | Operate a rapid gravity filtration process | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Core | 255474 | Operate mechanical and electrical plant and equipment in a water and wastewater environment | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 6 |
Core | 12058 | Demonstrate knowledge and operation of mechanical and electrical sytems | Level 4 | NQF Level 04 | 6 |
Fundamental | 119472 | Accommodate audience and context needs in oral/signed communication | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Fundamental | 9010 | Demonstrate an understanding of the use of different number bases and measurement units and an awareness of error in the context of relevant calculations | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 2 |
Fundamental | 9013 | Describe, apply, analyse and calculate shape and motion in 2-and 3-dimensional space in different contexts | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 4 |
Fundamental | 119457 | Interpret and use information from texts | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Fundamental | 9012 | Investigate life and work related problems using data and probabilities | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Fundamental | 119467 | Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Fundamental | 7456 | Use mathematics to investigate and monitor the financial aspects of personal, business and national issues | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Fundamental | 119465 | Write/present/sign texts for a range of communicative contexts | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Elective | 246445 | Operate a biological trickling filter | Level 2 | NQF Level 02 | 4 |
Elective | 12048 | Operate rotating biodisc contactor | Level 2 | NQF Level 02 | 4 |
Elective | 116534 | Carry out basic first aid treatment in the workplace | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 2 |
Elective | 254116 | Demonstrate knowledge of activated sludge processes in wastewater treatment | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 6 |
Elective | 254101 | Demonstrate knowledge of oxidation pond and maturation ponds processes in wastewater treatment. | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 7 |
Elective | 116942 | Use a GUI-based word processor to create merged documents | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 3 |
Elective | 119078 | Use a GUI-based word processor to enhance a document through the use of tables and columns | Level 3 | NQF Level 03 | 5 |
Elective | 119676 | Apply the skills of customer care in a specific work environment | Level 4 | NQF Level 04 | 4 |
Elective | 254134 | Control composting process | Level 4 | NQF Level 04 | 4 |
LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
NONE |
PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
1. | CHILUTSI TRADING ENTERPRISE |
2. | DR HE MAEPA INSTITUTE |
3. | ERGO MAPHELONG INSTITUTE (PTY) LTD |
4. | GG SQUARED PROJECTS |
5. | HAZYVIEW WATER SKILLS ACADEMY |
6. | K-BONENG CONSULTING SERVICES (PTY) LTD |
7. | NTANDOKAZI HOLDINGS (PTY) LTD |
8. | PIONEER BUSINESS CONSULTING (PTY) LTD |
9. | SEANEGO INTERGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT |
10. | TWINMARK STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS |
All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |