DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION OPERATOR LIFECYCLE DELIVERY – MAINTENANCE DELIVERY
Element of Competence: Context
Validation and Calibration of Monitoring Equipment The water distribution network must be monitored to ensure that the network is correctly functioning. Typically, instruments are used within a distribution network to monitor parameters such as: ▪ flow ▪ pressure ▪ levels; and ▪ free available chlorine (FAC). These instruments must be validated and calibrated to confirm the accuracy of their measurements. This also ensures that barriers to contamination within the distribution network, such as FAC, are being maintained at the correct level.
Outcome
The instruments used to monitor the water distribution system are validated and calibrated to ensure that the water supply system remains functional and all measures to prevent contamination are effective.
To do this, Drinking Water Distribution Operators need to be able to: ▪ Carry out key calibration or instrument checks of online equipment and identify issues with their performance. ▪ Understand the operation of control systems and how to operate each instrument in various control states. ▪ Carry out the practice of maintaining online instruments in line with supplier recommendations, standard operating procedures and record keeping as detailed in the Water Safety Plan for the supply. ▪ Review and analyse the performance of the water instruments by reviewing site and telemetry data to ensure the results are correct and accurate. To do this, Drinking Water Distribution Operators need to know:: ▪ The validation and calibration procedures documented within the Water Safety Plan for the supply. ▪ What the critical control points for the water supply are. ▪ The correct type and use of various analytical equipment for water quality measurement, including the levels at which the instruments operate, and their limitations are understood e.g. the accuracy and sensitivity of the equipment. ▪ The requirement and need for online monitoring of water processes, including the key performance criteria for the supply. ▪ The use and care of online equipment, including record keeping. ▪ The equipment required to maintain the instrument and its use. ▪ The calibration of the instruments including understanding the expected results.
43