Physical Planning and Construction Civil Engineering Construction

Wastewater Treatment Processes Knowledge And Skills Training

SAQA US 115901 | NQF 3 | Credits 4 | Duration 3 Days
From $529 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the knowledge and skills required to understand and apply wastewater treatment processes in a municipal or industrial context. It covers the fundamental principles, operational procedures, and regulatory requirements for effective wastewater treatment, ensuring environmental compliance and public health protection.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate understanding of the principles of wastewater treatment processes.
  • Apply appropriate treatment methods for different types of wastewater.
  • Monitor and control key process parameters to ensure efficient operation.
  • Analyze and interpret test results to assess treatment performance.
  • Implement health, safety, and environmental procedures in wastewater treatment.
  • Evaluate the impact of wastewater discharge on the environment and public health.

Target Audience

This course is designed for process controllers, plant operators, environmental health practitioners, and technicians involved in wastewater treatment operations. It is also suitable for individuals seeking to enter the water and wastewater sector.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Wastewater Treatment and Regulatory Framework

Objectives:
• Understand the purpose and importance of wastewater treatment.
• Identify key legislation and standards governing wastewater treatment in South Africa.
• Describe the basic components of a wastewater treatment system.
• Recognize the roles and responsibilities of a wastewater treatment operator.

Topics:
• Overview of wastewater sources and characteristics
• The water cycle and the need for treatment
• South African water quality legislation (NWA, SANS 241, Water Services Act)
• Basic wastewater treatment processes: physical, chemical, biological
• Introduction to treatment plant layout and unit processes
• Health and safety in wastewater treatment plants

Day 2: Detailed Process Operations and Monitoring

Objectives:
• Explain the principles of primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment.
• Describe the operation of key treatment units (screens, grit chambers, sedimentation tanks, biological reactors, clarifiers).
• Understand process control parameters (DO, pH, MLSS, SVI, etc.).
• Perform basic sampling and field tests for process monitoring.

Topics:
• Primary treatment: screening, grit removal, primary sedimentation
• Secondary treatment: activated sludge process, trickling filters, oxidation ponds
• Tertiary treatment: disinfection (chlorination, UV), nutrient removal
• Process control parameters and their significance
• Sampling techniques and on-site testing (DO, pH, turbidity)
• Troubleshooting common operational problems

Day 3: Advanced Topics, Sludge Management, and Practical Integration

Objectives:
• Understand sludge treatment and disposal methods.
• Explain advanced treatment technologies (membrane bioreactors, reverse osmosis).
• Apply knowledge to interpret plant data and make operational decisions.
• Demonstrate competence in record-keeping and reporting.

Topics:
• Sludge handling: thickening, digestion, dewatering, disposal
• Advanced treatment technologies and their applications
• Energy efficiency and sustainability in wastewater treatment
• Plant data interpretation and process optimization
• Record-keeping, reporting, and regulatory compliance
• Emergency response and contingency planning

Practicals

9 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house Venue: Lusaka, Zambia
Overview

Hands-on practicals are essential for learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real plant operations. They develop skills in sampling, testing, equipment operation, and process monitoring under supervised conditions.

Practical Activities
  • Practical 1: Sampling and Field Testing — Learners collect wastewater samples from various treatment stages and perform on-site tests for pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and turbidity. (3h)
  • Practical 2: Laboratory Analysis and Process Control — In a lab setting, learners conduct settleability tests (SVI), measure MLSS, and perform jar tests for coagulant dosing. (3h)
  • Practical 3: Plant Walkthrough and Equipment Operation — Learners tour a treatment plant, identify unit processes, and under supervision operate equipment such as screens, pumps, and valves. (3h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Tue 08 Sep 2026 Tue 08 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $529 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Mon 28 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $529 Register
Fri 23 Oct 2026 Fri 23 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $529 Register
Fri 11 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $529 Register
Thu 14 Jan 2027 Thu 14 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $529 Register
Wed 17 Feb 2027 Wed 17 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $529 Register
Tue 02 Mar 2027 Tue 02 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $529 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Mon 08 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $529 Register
Fri 19 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $529 Register
Thu 10 Jun 2027 Thu 10 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $529 Register
Wed 30 Jun 2027 Wed 30 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $529 Register
Tue 20 Jul 2027 Tue 20 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $529 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Mon 06 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $529 Register
Fri 01 Oct 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $529 Register
Thu 21 Oct 2027 Thu 21 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $529 Register
Fri 10 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $529 Register
Thu 30 Dec 2027 Thu 30 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $529 Register
Wed 19 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $529 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 505 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Fri 24 Jul 2026 Fri 24 Jul 2026 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Winter 2026 $2,495 Register
Mon 27 Jul 2026 Mon 27 Jul 2026 Johannesburg, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,253 Register
Tue 28 Jul 2026 Tue 28 Jul 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $2,495 Register
Wed 29 Jul 2026 Wed 29 Jul 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,739 Register
Wed 29 Jul 2026 Wed 29 Jul 2026 Accra, Ghana Winter 2026 $3,143 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 16 Sep 2026 Wed 16 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $686 Register
Tue 06 Oct 2026 Tue 06 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $686 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Mon 26 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $686 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Mon 14 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $686 Register
Fri 22 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $686 Register
Thu 25 Feb 2027 Thu 25 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $686 Register
Wed 10 Mar 2027 Wed 10 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $686 Register
Tue 16 Mar 2027 Tue 16 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $686 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Mon 22 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $686 Register
Fri 18 Jun 2027 Fri 18 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $686 Register
Thu 08 Jul 2027 Thu 08 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $686 Register
Wed 28 Jul 2027 Wed 28 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $686 Register
Tue 14 Sep 2027 Tue 14 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $686 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Mon 04 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $686 Register
Fri 29 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $686 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Mon 13 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $686 Register
Fri 07 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $686 Register
Thu 27 Jan 2028 Thu 27 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $686 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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