Maintaining fresh water distribution systems and equipment
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out corrective maintenance activities on water distribution systems and equipment, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to maintain a range of fresh water systems, such as mains cold water (potable, drinkable), hot water supplies, cold down service and non-mains supplies (river, well). This will involve dismantling, removing and replacing faulty or damaged components, including pumps, valves, couplings, traps, motors, pipework, cylinders, tanks, heaters filters, gaskets/seals, faucets and other ancillary equipment. You will be expected to apply a range of dismantling and assembly methods and techniques, such as marking/labelling of components to aid the reassembly, dismantling components requiring pressure techniques, torque loading and setting, and aligning and adjusting components.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the maintenance activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the maintenance activities, or the tools and equipment used that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You must ensure that all tools, equipment, and materials used in the maintenance activities are removed from the work area on completion of the activities, and that all necessary job/task documentation is completed accurately and legibly. You will be expected to work with minimal supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions, and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying maintenance procedures on water distribution equipment. You will understand the dismantling and reassembly methods and procedures, and their application. You will know how the equipment functions, the purpose of the individual components, and associated defects, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the maintenance activities, correcting faults and ensuring that the repaired equipment/system functions to the required specification and remains compliant with all standards and regulations. You will also have sufficient depth of knowledge of these components to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet the specifications, thus providing a sound basis for carrying out reassembly.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the maintenance activities, especially those for isolating the equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety legislation and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
- follow the relevant maintenance schedules to carry out the required work
- carry out the maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
- carry out the maintenance activities in the specified sequence and in an agreed timescale
- report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
- complete and store all relevant maintenance documentation in accordance with organisational requirements
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures and leave the work area in a safe condition
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the health and safety requirements of the area in which the maintenance activity is to take place
- the isolation and lock-off procedures or permit-to-work procedure that applies
- the specific health and safety precautions to be applied during the maintenance procedure, and their effects on others (to include The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS), The Prevention and Control of Legionellosis, and Safe Working in Confined Spaces 1997)
- hazards associated with carrying out maintenance activities on water distribution equipment and systems, and how to minimise these and reduce any risks
- the importance of wearing protective clothing and other appropriate safety equipment (PPE) during the maintenance process
- how to obtain and interpret drawings, specifications, manufacturers' manuals and other documents needed in the maintenance process
- the procedure for obtaining replacement parts, materials and other consumables necessary for the maintenance
- organisational policy on repair/replacement of components during maintenance process
- the sequence to be adopted for the dismantling/reassembly of various types of assemblies
- the methods and techniques used to dismantle/assemble mechanical equipment (release of pressures/force, proofmarking, extraction, pressing, alignment)
- methods of checking components are fit for purpose, and how to identify defects and wear characteristics
- how to make adjustments to components/assemblies to ensure they function correctly
- the basic principles of how the equipment functions, its operation sequence, the working purpose of individual units/components and how they interact
- the types and applications of the different types of pipework systems (such as copper, plastic, lead, iron)
- the applications of the different types of couplings and their fittings (tees, bends, branches)
- the equipment and tools used to bend, form and thread pipework
- the types of contaminants in water systems, and the problems they can cause
- the different methods used to treat water supplies to meet user needs
- the applications of the different pipework and equipment cleaning procedures (rod, water jet, solvents)
- methods of checking removed components are fit for purpose, and the need to replace `lifed' items (such as seals, gaskets, washers)
- how to make adjustments to components to ensure they function correctly
- how to check tools and equipment are free from damage or defects, and are in a safe and usable condition
- the generation of maintenance documentation and/or reports following the maintenance activity
- the equipment operating and control procedures to be applied during the maintenance activity
- how to use lifting and handling equipment correctly and safely in the maintenance activity
- the problems associated with the maintenance activity, and how they can be overcome
the organisational procedure to be adopted for the safe disposal of waste of all types of materials
the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Carry out all of the following during the maintenance activity:
- plan and communicate the maintenance activities to cause minimal disruption to normal working
- obtain and use the correct issue of organisational and/or manufacturers' drawings and maintenance documentation
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
- ensure the safe isolation of equipment (such as mechanical, electricity, gas, air or fluids)
- provide and maintain safe access and working arrangements for the maintenance area
- carry out the maintenance activities using appropriate techniques and procedures
- re-connect and return the system to service on completion of the maintenance activities
- record the results of the maintenance activity and report any defects found
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures and leave the work area in a safe condition
Carry out maintenance activities on two of the following types of water systems:
- mains cold water (potable)
- cold down service
- non-mains supplies
- hot water supplies
Carry out all of the following maintenance techniques, as appropriate to the equipment being maintained:
- dismantling equipment to unit/sub-assembly level
- setting, aligning and adjusting replaced components
- dismantling units to component level
- replacing damaged/defective components
- marking/labelling of components
- tightening fasteners to the required torque
- checking components for serviceability
- making checks before reconnecting supply
- replacing `lifed' items (such as filters, seals, washers)
- functionally testing the completed system
Maintain and/or replace a range of water distribution equipment, to include twelve of the following:
- pumps
- pump chambers
- cylinders
- sensors
- motors
- copper pipe
- tanks
- switches
- heaters
- plastic pipe
- gaskets and seals
- faucets
- valves
- lead pipe (replacement only)
- gauges/indicators
- control devices
- couplings/connectors
- clay pipe
- manifolds
- electrical wiring
- wet and dry risers
- iron or steel pipe
- traps
- electrical connectors
- asbestos pipe (replacement only)
- filters
- dosing plant
- ancillary equipment (such as sinks, toilets, showers)
Maintain water distribution systems, to comply with one of the following:
- organisational guidelines and codes of practice
- equipment manufacturer's operation range
- BS, ISO and/or BSEN standards
Complete and store all relevant maintenance documentation in accordance with organisational requirements, using one of the following:
- job cards
- maintenance log or report
- permits to work/formal risk assessment and/or sign-on/off procedures
- organisational-specific documentation
- electronic reports