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Carry out a site and soil evaluation for an on-site domestic wastewater
system
Level
6
Credits
12
Purpose
This unit standard is intended for people who are responsible for the design,
installation, monitoring, and regulation of on-site domestic wastewater
systems.
People credited with this unit standard are able to, for an on-site domestic
wastewater system: collect information relevant to the site from reference
material check and client consultation; carry out a surface and subsurface
evaluation of the site to evaluate characteristics influencing domestic
wastewater land application; and complete a site and soil evaluation report.
Subfield
Water Industry
Domain
Wastewater Treatment
Status
Registered
Status date
17 October 2008
Date version published
17 October 2008
Planned review date
31 December 2011
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry
and teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Primary Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0179
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the Resource
Management Act 1991, Building Act 2004, Health Act 1956, Local Government Act
2002, and Historic Places Act 1993.
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2
Rules and requirements for wastewater include but are not limited to those found in
regional and district plans, and regulatory authority requirements.
3
The standard applicable to this unit standard is AS/NZS 1547:2000 On-site domestic
wastewater management, available from http://www.standards.co.nz.
4
References
Design guidelines of territorial authorities which include but are not limited to On-site Wastewater Systems: Design and Management Manual (Technical
Publication 58), 3rd edition (Auckland Regional Council: August 2004, available at
http://www.arc.govt.nz.
Guidelines for on-site sewage systems in the Wellington Region (WRC/RP-G-00/47),
(Greater Wellington Regional Council: February 2001), available at
http://www.gw.govt.nz.
On-site wastewater guidelines for the Manawatu-Wanganui Region (20/EXT/381),
(Horizons Manawatu: November 2000), available at http://www.horizons.govt.nz.
Guidelines for new on-site wastewater management systems (Marlborough District
Council: July 2005), available at http://marlborough.govt.nz.
It is recommended that the assessor uses design guidelines issued by the regional or
local authorities in the candidate’s locality.
5
Assessment
Assessment against elements 2 and 3 of this unit standard must be carried out in the
field.
6
Credit for this unit standard does not qualify the candidate to work in a drainlaying
situation that comes under the drainlayer’s licence requirements issued under the
Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006 and any subsequent amendments.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Collect information relevant to the site from reference material check and client
consultation for an on-site domestic wastewater system.
Performance criteria
1.1
Information relevant to the site is identified from relevant reference material.
Range
information must include but is not limited to – regional and district
planning regulations, technical and engineering information, site
compliance requirements, environmental information;
environmental information – land use history, soils, climate,
geology, ecology, hydrology, surface water and overland flow
paths, groundwater level and direction of flow, groundwater quality
and use, borehole data, nutrient loading;
reference material may include but is not limited to that sourced
from – regional or district councils, meteorological agencies,
central government agencies, archaeological records.
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1.2
Consultation with the client on the site identifies information relevant to the
proposed wastewater system and the site, and confirms contract brief.
Range
1.3
Regulatory requirements are described for the proposed activity.
Range
1.4
level of service required, expectations for on-property facilities and
activities, proposed earthworks, estimated quality and quantity of
wastewater (temporal patterns), existing and local system
performance, site constraints, site characteristics, cultural
expectations, source of potable water, maintenance requirements.
includes but is not limited to – regional plan rules, district plan
rules, consents, local guidelines;
Resource Management Act 1991 – Sections 5, 6-8, 15, 104, 105,
107, 338;
Health Act 1956 – Sections 23, 25, 33, 34, 39, 41, 42, 44, 54;
Local Government Act – section 127;
Building Act – Sections 32 and relevant Building Codes.
Information from reference material and client consultation is evaluated and the
client brief is confirmed.
Range
examples of client – owner, architect, surveyor; representatives of
owner, architect, or surveyor.
Element 2
Carry out a surface evaluation of the site to evaluate characteristics influencing on-site
wastewater land application.
Performance criteria
2.1
Evaluation of vegetation cover determines its influence on on-site wastewater
land application.
2.2
Evaluation of slope characteristics identifies constraints in relation to the on-site
wastewater land application.
Range
2.3
slope – aspect, shape, angle, stability, erosion.
Evaluation of surface water and stormwater identifies constraints in relation to
the on-site wastewater land application.
Range
includes but is not limited to – surface water drainage, flooding
potential, surface water separation, surface water ponding, water
quality.
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2.4
Evaluation of site clearances determines their influence on the on-site
wastewater land application.
Range
2.5
Existing and planned utility services are identified.
Range
2.6
includes but is not limited to – topography, drainage patterns,
ecosystem, areas of archaeological and cultural significance,
performance of neighbouring and local area land application
systems.
Effluent discharge within the property is described in terms of the potential
effects.
Range
2.9
includes but is not limited to – property boundary, surface water,
groundwater wells or bores, dwellings, access ways, impervious
areas, soak holes, stormwater disposal systems, recreational
facilities.
The surrounding environment is evaluated to determine constraints of the site.
Range
2.8
includes but is not limited to – water supply, power, phone.
Potential constraints and separation distances on the site are identified to
determine exclusion areas and expected available area (EAA) for a land
application system.
Range
2.7
includes but is not limited to – distances from proposed and
existing buildings, site boundaries, paved areas, water bores,
topographical features, vehicle access, clearances to surface
waters, seasonal and groundwater depth, embankments, retaining
structures, subsoil drains, ephemeral drainage.
includes but is not limited to effects on – public health, surface
water, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), downstream
hydrologic catchment through run-off; neighbouring properties,
groundwater.
All people likely to be affected by the proposed wastewater system, are
identified in terms of the consultation process and proposed responses.
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Element 3
Carry out a subsurface evaluation on the site to evaluate characteristics influencing on-site
domestic wastewater land application.
Performance criteria
3.1
The timing of the subsurface evaluation is described in terms of the implications
of influencing factors.
Range
3.2
Soils underlying the proposed land application area are assessed in accordance
with AS/NZS 1547:2000.
Range
3.3
influencing factors include but are not limited to – presence of
construction or landscaping activity, state of the soil and soil
moisture, presence of major earthworks, stage of individual site
development, seasons.
assessment by – standard procedure, modified procedure;
assessment using – test pit, hand auger borehole, soil
permeability measurement.
Site subsoil and topsoil samples are assessed to determine soil characteristics
and category and potential soil limitations, and results are reported in
accordance with AS/NZS 1547:2000.
Range
includes but is not limited to soil categories – soil colour profile,
coarse fragments, soil texture and structure, dispersion, soil
classification, drainage classification;
potential limitations include but are not limited to – observed water
table, surface condition and soil moisture status, hard pan,
seasonal water table, cracking, soil saturation, seepage areas,
exposure of rock, restrictive soil horizons;
other soil-specific factors include but are not limited to – short
circuiting paths, cracks, fissures, trenches.
3.4
Presence, amount, and location of fill on site are evaluated to determine
suitability for land application of wastewater.
3.5
Groundwater depth variation and groundwater flow are evaluated to determine
the capacity of the site to accept treated wastewater and treatment method.
Element 4
Complete a site and soil evaluation report.
Performance criteria
4.1
A site and soil evaluation report is completed in accordance with AS/NZS
1547:2000.
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4.2
All information is reported in accordance with AS/NZS 1547:2000.
Range
4.3
example data report sheets – Soil-Profile Information and Data
Sheet, Site Plan – Individual Lot, Site Information Sheet, Site-andSoil Evaluation Form – Individual Lot, Soil Permeability Field
Record Sheet, photographs.
Site assessment plans are completed in accordance with AS/NZS 1547:2000.
Range
site investigation, final design, installation.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation standards@primaryito.ac.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016