KNYSNA NEWS - A training programme that will address the need for process controllers at water treatment works and wastewater treatment works in the Western Cape and Southern Cape, including Knysna Municipality, is set to kick off soon.
The project, which will be activated in 21 municipalities, is being co-piloted by the provincial Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
In the Green Drop report for 2022 and the Blue Drop report for 2023, the DWS attributed the poor performance and supervision at water treatment works and wastewater treatment works to a staff shortfall and lack of technical skills, the DWS says in a media release.
Funding
To mitigate the challenge, the DWS funded the EWSETA for the training of 183 process controllers, to be carried out by the CSIR. After being trained for a year, graduates will obtain NQF [National Qualifications Framework] level 3 and 4 qualifications.
Regulatory requirements
The DWS says graduates would be able to meet regulatory requirements for operational compliance and would create an enabling environment for skills development.
"This training initiative will further ensure that the municipalities will comply with DWS Regulation 3630, which requires that the operations at all wastewater treatment works in the country must be overseen by someone who has the relevant qualifications and experience to ensure compliance with best-practice principles," reads the media release.
The head of the provincial DWS, Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, says the training would enable process controllers to manage water and wastewater treatment plants efficiently.
Pollution
"The qualification equips learners with the fundamental knowledge and practical skills needed to operate and control processes in water and wastewater treatment works," Bila-Mupariwa says.
"The learners will therefore be able to operate and control specific processes at a water or wastewater treatment works, and make decisions related to chemical dosing, water volumes, and pumping at the plant.
"As the country is facing challenges regarding pollution of water courses by municipalities' malfunctioning wastewater treatment systems, the learnership programme will capacitate the plants with skilled personnel who will properly manage them.
"This will in turn reduce pollution levels of the water courses, improve water quality and eventually [result in] the highest quality of our water."
The pre-assessment of the process controllers was completed on 20 March and their registration with the EWSETA is under way. The date for the training will be announced once the registration has been finalised.
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