Run the start of shift disinfection checks at Kialla

You are a trainee water treatment operator on day shift at the Kialla plant.

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What is going on

It is 6:00 am at the Kialla water treatment plant. The afternoon operator has left a handover report noting that the online free chlorine analyser at the contact tank outlet has been reading about 0.1 milligrams per litre above the bench test for three days and that a hypochlorite delivery is due at 10:00 am. Raw water turbidity is 9 NTU after rain and the blue-green algae alert has moved the offtake to the lower level. The Water Treatment Manager wants you to run the disinfection checks under the procedure, decide whether the analyser needs recalibration, be present for the delivery and complete the shift handover report.

Anjali Menon, Water Treatment Manager
Subject: Morning checks and hypochlorite verification, Kialla plant

You are on the day shift at Kialla with Tyler this week. I want you to run the start of shift disinfection checks yourself under the Hypochlorite Disinfection Monitoring and Adjustment Procedure: compare the online analyser against a bench test, check the day tank, pump and injection point, review the contact time calculation and enter the results in the Water Quality Sampling Register. The analyser has been reading a little high against the bench for a few days, so pay attention to the difference and tell me what you find. Complete the handover report at the end of the shift.

Your brief

Carry out the start of shift disinfection checks, verify the online analyser against a bench test, review the contact time calculation and dosing equipment, receive the chemical delivery safely, record every result in the Water Quality Sampling Register and hand the plant over at the end of the shift with a complete report.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the afternoon handover report and the Hypochlorite Disinfection Monitoring and Adjustment Procedure and list the checks you will make in order.
Read the disinfection critical control point entry in the Critical Control Points Register and write down the target, alert level and critical limit you are working to.
Take a bench free chlorine test at the contact tank outlet, compare it with the online analyser, decide whether the difference exceeds 0.1 milligrams per litre and state what the procedure requires you to do.
Check the day tank level, dosing pump stroke and speed, injection point and pH, and record your findings in the shift log.
Review the contact time calculation for the current flow and confirm it is above the minimum in the risk management plan.
Enter the bench test and analyser readings as an operational sample in the Water Quality Sampling Register with the correct result status.
Receive the hypochlorite delivery following the chemical safety section: check the docket against the tank, unlock the fill point, connect the hose and record the delivered strength.
Complete the Plant Shift Handover Report Template for the incoming operator, stating the critical control point values and the first action for the next shift.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Ordered checklist of start of shift disinfection checks
Bench test versus analyser comparison with the decision made
Water Quality Sampling Register entry
Chemical delivery record
Completed Plant Shift Handover Report

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.