Product Overview

This Water Treatment Plant Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) sets out the step-by-step safety controls, responsibilities, and procedures required to manage hazards in water and wastewater treatment operations, helping you maintain WHS compliance on every job. It is a comprehensive document covering multiple aspects of Water Treatment Plant construction, operation, maintenance, and monitoring activities across potable, recycled, and wastewater systems.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Operation of drinking water treatment processes, including coagulation, flocculation, filtration, and disinfection systems
• Safe use and monitoring of freshwater generator operations on fixed and mobile plant
• Inspection, servicing, and maintenance of treatment systems, pumps, valves, and associated pipework
• Operation of wastewater treatment plants, including aeration tanks, clarifiers, and biological treatment units
• Management of recycled and non-potable water systems, including storage, transfer, and distribution
• Sludge pond tasks such as desludging, sampling, odour management, and access control
• Testing and purifying water resources, including sampling, laboratory testing, and field analysis
• Wastewater treatment activities including screening, grit removal, chemical dosing, and sludge handling
• Operation and monitoring of wastewater reclamation units and advanced treatment technologies
• Running and maintaining water recycling plants, including membrane systems and UV disinfection
• Chemical handling and dosing for treatment processes, including storage, transfer, and spill response
• Confined space entry controls for tanks, pits, and enclosed treatment structures
• Isolation, lockout/tagout, and energy control procedures for electrical and mechanical equipment
• Traffic and mobile plant management around treatment plant sites, lagoons, and access roads
• Emergency response planning for chemical exposure, contamination events, overflows, and plant failures

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for water authorities, utilities, civil and mechanical contractors, wastewater operators, maintenance technicians, and site supervisors working on drinking water, recycled water, and wastewater treatment plants.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on safe storage, handling, and use of treatment chemicals
• Safe Work Australia – Confined Spaces Code of Practice: Requirements for safe entry into tanks, pits, and enclosed treatment structures
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Controls for working at heights around tanks, platforms, and structures
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice: Noise control for pumps, blowers, and plant equipment
• Safe Work Australia – First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: First aid requirements for chemical exposure and plant-related injuries
• AS/NZS 4020: Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water: Performance and safety requirements for materials in potable water systems
• AS/NZS 5667: Water quality – Sampling: Procedures for representative sampling of drinking water and wastewater
• AS/NZS 3500 Plumbing and Drainage (relevant parts): Requirements relating to non-potable and recycled water pipework and backflow prevention
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017