Environmental Water Treatment Technician Apprenticeship

Launch your career in the growing water treatment industry

Through a fully funded Level 3 Environmental Water Technician Apprenticeship

As an apprentice, you'll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You'll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you will be doing:

• Supporting installation, servicing and refurbishment of pumps, dosing equipment, control panels, valves, calorifiers and water tanks
• Conducting water quality risk assessments on hot & cold-water systems, swimming pools and spas
• Taking and analysing microbiological and chemical samples
• Carrying out condition surveys of control equipment and reporting defects
• Assisting with draining, disinfecting and re-commissioning of water systems
• Recording measurements, system data and preparing survey and inspection reports
• Carrying out both planned and reactive service visits
• Working in confined spaces, both above and below ground (full training provided)

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

THE S&A TRANSFORM GROUP LIMITED

Training course

Water treatment technician (level 3)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Understand, comply with and implement statutory health and safety regulations with regard to the tasks being undertaken.
• Understand and implement organisational safety requirements for themselves and others, including responsibility and supervision for safe access to water systems and the handling of chemicals.
• Maintain a safe environment for other building occupants during water treatment operations including any relevant signage and notifications.
• They should be able to contribute to the development of operational solutions and improvements e.g. safer working practices.
• Gather system data to enable the correct selection of operational resources that may be required e.g. access equipment (ladders, scaffold or cherry picker).
• Complete work task risk assessments and develop work plans and method statements for the task(s) involved.
• Ensure the suitability and correct operating condition of resources and equipment for the work tasks involved. This can include test equipment, chemical dosing equipment, water pumps and other specialised equipment.
• Identification of suitable sampling and application points in a water system
• Assessment of relevant test parameters and sampling plan for specific water systems
• Performance assessment and evaluation of water system conditions and operations utilising specific monitoring equipment
• Application of water treatment programmes to specific water system types e.g. cooling towers, steam boilers, heating and chilled systems etc.
• Interpretation of test results and development of treatment programme improvements and recommendations
• Identify, evaluate and resolve practical and technical problems encountered, assess suitability of the chemical and physical water treatment options employed and implement the required improvements to the treatment programme or service delivery.
• Use resources effectively including their own time management, the appropriate competence of staff chosen for the operation involved, the efficient use of staff resources and management of equipment required for specific work tasks.
• Communicate effectively. Use oral, written, electronic and IT based methods and systems for the accurate communication of technical information to other staff involved and all levels of site management. Review this information and agree actions with the relevant people involved. This can include the use, management and training with regard to electronic log systems for the storage of water system sampling and analytical results, practical demonstration of testing procedures and presentation of reports.
• Maintain level of competence commensurate with job role. Identify and recognise personal training needs and undertake suitable training when required. Complete and record CPD necessary to maintain and enhance competence.
• Design, specify and recommend chemical water treatment programmes taking account of water supply quality and system operating conditions
• Evaluate the suitability of alternative physical and chemical water treatment programmes for specific water systems and applications
• Give presentations and demonstrations to customer/site personnel regarding treatment recommendations and control requirements
• Assess the performance of a water system treatment programmes and provide recommendations for improvement
• Organise, construct, manage and report review meetings with customers/site personnel
• Complete water system surveys and produce system diagrams appropriate to the presentation of system data e.g. layout of the treatment plant within the system location
• Evaluate and design appropriate water treatment equipment installations
• Install, commission and service water treatment equipment
• Assess the performance of a water system treatment programme
• Supervise a team and manage the health, safety and environment of a water treatment equipment installation and/or operation
• Carry out site/system investigations and surveys
• Prepare water system diagrams and drawings
• Assess the comparative risk of Legionellosis presented by specific water systems
• Identify remedial, improvement and management actions required to minimise any risk presented
• Prepare and present the assessment report findings to customer/site personnel
• Review the implementation of remedial actions recommended in the risk assessment e.g. pipework changes, insulation and review the employment of management controls e.g. temperature monitoring programmes, system analysis results
• Complete water system surveys and produce system diagrams appropriate for the direction and management of a cleaning/disinfection project
• Understand and apply chemical cleaning and disinfection programmes for specific water systems
• Install, commission and service temporary operations equipment required to complete the project e.g. flushing pump stations, side stream filtration, cooling tower packing
• Assess the performance and progress of a water treatment cleaning/disinfection operation by sample analysis and make adjustments to the programme as required
• Supervise a team of Water Treatment Operatives and any associated subcontractors.
• Produce a method statement and control scheme to manage the health, safety and environment during the various phases of a project.