This qualification is part of a qualification pathway for planned and reactive maintenance technicians in the infrastructure sector. It recognises the skills and knowledge required by water reticulation technicians including reacting to system failures - caused by a range of circumstances such as material failure and activity that causes a component(s) in the system to fail - and planned maintenance, which may include such things as installing a permanent solution to a temporary fix, flushing pipe lines to maintain water quality and refurbishing or replacing hydrants and valves.

Please note a separate qualification the National Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Infrastructure Pipelaying Technician) (Level 3) [Ref: 1282] exists for infrastructure pipelaying technicians involved in the installation of new assets and the replacement of existing assets across the water, wastewater and stormwater sectors. Infrastructure pipelaying projects include a number of distinct phases such as excavation, pipe and structure installation, reinstatement and surfacing. The Infrastructure Pipelaying Technician qualification focuses on the installation of pipes and structures phase.

While there are common areas of skills and knowledge shared by Planned and Reactive Maintenance Technicians and Infrastructure Pipelaying Technician the nature and focus of their roles and working environments are very different, hence the two separate qualifications. If you have any questions regarding the most appropriate qualification for you please contact Water Industry Training on 0800 WaterIT (0800 928 374) or email enquiries@waterit.ac.nz.

The strands in the qualification allow people to specialise in water reticulation or wastewater reticulation with the opportunity to achieve both strand endorsements if appropriate. This structure recognises the separation of water and wastewater teams in the field for health and safety reasons. While teams in many organisations may specialise only in one area, some organisations require multi-skilled staff who may work across both areas over a period of time.

The Core Compulsory section of the qualification recognises the technician's ability to produce and use as-built plans, enter, work in, and exit a confined space, install thrust, anti-scour or anchor blocks for water reticulation, notify members of the public affected by civil construction activities, locate and identify services on civil construction sites all within the context of the water industry.

The Core Compulsory section also recognises the technician's knowledge of infrastructure works quality assurance requirements, notifiable works and permits in the civil infrastructure industry, slinging, lifting, moving, hazards associated with confined spaces, operating as a Traffic Controller for low volume and Level 1 roads and placing loads with an excavator or loader and of reticulated services and their location, in the water industry.

People who select the Water Strand will be able to: service, clean, disinfect, and restore reservoirs or reticulation mains; shut down and re-commission a drinking-water supply mains; prepare, install fittings, charge up a pipe line, and check for leaks and operation; and refurbish or replace hydrants and valves for water reticulation.

The Water Strand Compulsory section also recognises the technician's knowledge of: water supply mains materials and fittings; causes and prevention of pipe failure; water supply and reticulation systems; and of water reticulation systems cleaning and disinfection.

The Water Strand Elective section recognises areas of focused skills and knowledge needed in some situations by planned and reactive maintenance technicians in the performance of contract and organisational requirements. Individuals must demonstrate competence in one area of skills or knowledge from the six standards available. These areas include: the rehabilitation and replacement of existing water pipe lines or of pressure zones and backflow prevention in water reticulation;; assessing and reporting on the condition of reticulation infrastructure assets; knowledge of equipment and operations for jointing polyethylene pipe for a distribution network; electrofusion jointing on polyethylene pipe for a distribution network; and butt fusion jointing on polyethylene pipe for a distribution network.

People who select the Wastewater Strand will be able to carry out wastewater pipe unblocking and access chamber maintenance and install pipes and their fittings for infrastructure pipelaying.

The Wastewater Strand Compulsory also recognises the technician's knowledge of wastewater systems and materials, and causes and prevention of pipe failure and of blockage clearance and wastewater maintenance.

The Wastewater Strand Elective section recognises areas of focused skills and knowledge needed by planned and reactive maintenance technicians. Individuals must demonstrate competence in one area of skills or knowledge from the six standards available. These areas include: rehabilitation and replacement of existing wastewater pipe lines; flows in wastewater and flow measurement techniques; the maintenance, management and treatment of stormwater systems; bypass pumping and installation, and commissioning and decommissioning bypasses for infrastructure pipelaying; and assessment and reporting of the condition of reticulation infrastructure assets, preparing for and setting up CCTV equipment and describing procedures for CCTV survey of water reticulation assets.

People who have completed this qualification may continue their learning pathway by entering a programme of study leading to the award of the National Certificate in Water Reticulation (Supervisor) (Level 4) with strands in Water, and Wastewater [Ref: 1259] or the National Certificate in Infrastructure Works Supervision with optional strands in Asphalt Surfacing, Chipseal Surfacing, Civil Works and Utilities, Road Works, Water, and Wastewater [Ref: 1658].

While not prerequisites to this qualification, the following national certificates provide a learning pathway leading to this qualification. The National Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Level 2) with optional strands in Earthworks, Pavement Surfacing, Roads, Rural Contracting, and Utilities [Ref: 1660] is the entry point for individuals entering the utilities sector.

Core Compulsory credits in the domains of Civil Infrastructure Health, Safety, and Environment, Generic Infrastructure Works, Infrastructure Works Supervision, Temporary Traffic Management, Water Reticulation are portable within a wide range of infrastructure sector qualifications.

The strands in the qualification allow people to specialise in water reticulation or wastewater reticulation with the opportunity to achieve both strand endorsements if appropriate. This structure recognises the separation of water and wastewater teams in the field for health and safety reasons. While teams in many organisations may specialise only in one area, some organisations require multi-skilled staff who may work across both areas over a period of time.

The Core Compulsory section of the qualification recognises the technician's ability to produce and use as-built plans, enter, work in, and exit a confined space, install thrust, anti-scour or anchor blocks for water reticulation, notify members of the public affected by civil construction activities, locate and identify services on civil construction sites all within the context of the water industry.

The Core Compulsory section also recognises the technician's knowledge of infrastructure works quality assurance requirements, notifiable works and permits in the civil infrastructure industry, slinging, lifting, moving, operating as a Traffic Controller for low volume and Level 1 roads and placing loads with an excavator or loader and of reticulated services and their location, in the water industry.

People who select the Water Strand will be able to: service, clean, disinfect, and restore reservoirs or reticulation mains; shut down and re-commission a drinking-water supply mains; prepare, install fittings, charge up a pipe line, and check for leaks and operation; and refurbish or replace hydrants and valves for water reticulation.

The Water Strand Compulsory section also recognises the technician's knowledge of: water supply mains materials and fittings; causes and prevention of pipe failure; water supply and reticulation systems; and of water reticulation systems cleaning and disinfection.

The Water Strand Elective section recognises areas of focused skills and knowledge needed in some situations by planned and reactive maintenance technicians in the performance of contract and organisational requirements. Individuals must demonstrate competence in one area of skills or knowledge from the seven standards available. These areas include: the rehabilitation and replacement of existing water pipe lines or of pressure zones and backflow prevention in water reticulation; preparing for and setting up CCTV equipment and describing procedures for CCTV survey of water reticulation assets; assessing and reporting on the condition of reticulation infrastructure assets; knowledge of equipment and operations for jointing polyethylene pipe for a distribution network; electrofusion jointing on polyethylene pipe for a distribution network; and butt fusion jointing on polyethylene pipe for a distribution network.

People who select the Wastewater Strand will be able to carry out wastewater pipe unblocking and access chamber maintenance and install pipes and their fittings for infrastructure pipelaying.

The Wastewater Strand Compulsory also recognises the technician's knowledge of wastewater systems and materials, and causes and prevention of pipe failure and of blockage clearance and wastewater maintenance.

The Wastewater Strand Elective section recognises areas of focused skills and knowledge needed by planned and reactive maintenance technicians. Individuals must demonstrate competence in one area of skills or knowledge from the five standards available. These areas include: rehabilitation and replacement of existing wastewater pipe lines; flows in wastewater and flow measurement techniques; the maintenance, management and treatment of stormwater systems; bypass pumping and installation, and commissioning and decommissioning bypasses for infrastructure pipelaying; and assessment and reporting of the condition of reticulation infrastructure assets.

People who have completed this qualification may continue their learning pathway by entering a programme of study leading to the award of the National Certificate in Water Reticulation (Supervisor) (Level 4) with strands in Water, and Wastewater [Ref: 1259] or the National Certificate in Infrastructure Works Supervision with optional strands in Asphalt Surfacing, Chipseal Surfacing, Civil Works and Utilities, Road Works, Water, and Wastewater [Ref: 1658].

While not prerequisites to this qualification, the following national certificates provide a learning pathway leading to this qualification. The National Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Level 2) with optional strands in Earthworks, Pavement Surfacing, Roads, Rural Contracting, and Utilities [Ref: 1660] is the entry point for individuals entering the utilities sector. The next step in the pathway is a new qualification currently under development, it has the working title of the National Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Excavation and Reinstatement) (Level 3).