MUTARE CITY COUNCIL

JOB DESCRIPTION FORM

SECTION 1: IDENTIFICATION

Job Title: Water Distribution Superintendent Location: Workshop (New Castle rd.)

Department: Engineering & Technical Services Section: Water Distribution

Name of incumbent(s): Number of incumbent(s): 1

Date of Description: 01 August 2018

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE (Title only)

Incumbent Superior (2nd level): Water Engineer Grade 12

Incumbent Superior (1st level): Water Technician Grade 11
Incumbent Job Title: Water Reticulation Superintendent Grade 8
Subordinates (1st level): Area/Zone Foreman Grade 7
Subordinates (2nd level): Skilled Worker 1 (Plumber) Grade 6
Subordinates (3rd level): Senior Operator Grade 4
Subordinates (4th level): Operator Grade 3

Main purpose of the job (please give a brief statement of why the job exists). Complete this sentence last.
The main purpose of the job is to ensure proper planning, administration and control of the operations of
installation/construction, repairs and maintenance of the distribution network and water storage facilities.

Agreed by Incumbent
NAME: SIGNATURE: DATE

Agreed by First Line Supervisor

NAME: SIGNATURE: DATE:

Agreed by Head of Division

NAME: SIGNATURE: DATE:
Eng. T. Mutetwa
Agreed by Head of Department
NAME: SIGNATURE: DATE:
Eng. M. Karenyi
Section 2: Major Activities/Responsibilities Description

List the key result areas under which activities should be grouped, starting with the most important

Under each heading, list the activities the incumbent is required to undertake, detailing the activities in a
logical progression from beginning to end.

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Begin each activity with an action verb to clearly identify what the incumbent is required to do eg. Records,
monitors, reconcile checks.

Please ensure that:

 The end result of each activity is clear, i.e. what is the purpose of the activity?
 The extent of supervision given to the job and received by the job is clear
 each statement is current, concise and comprehensive explaining what is done, how it is done, why
it is done, when it is done and how often it is done

KEY RESULT AREA

Key result areas
1. Administration & control of all water storage and distribution operations
2. Ensures that quality of work conforms to up-to date accredited standards (municipal,
national and international standards)
3. Controls annual budget allocation
4. Plans and prepares work schedules on the storage and distribution of water.
5. Supervises the construction and maintenance of water reticulation system.
6. Ensures that there is sufficient water in the reservoirs and ensures equitable distribution to
consumers.
7. Performs any other duties as and when required.
8. Ensures satisfactory response to customer complaints/queries
9. Fleet
10.
11. Reticulation system (Turnaround time/Service Charter)
12. Reservoirs (Housekeeping, Security – Chambers, dry valve chambers, Condition status
report (ball valves, level indicator, bulk meter, altitude valve,
13. Non-Revenue Water (Dry valve chambers, Adherence with a maintenance schedule
(valves - register, – Supervisor, physical losses, Theft – car wash disconnections, identify
illegal connections in each zone through the zone foremen plumber, )
14. Customer Care
15. Bulk Meters
16. Demand Management
17.
18.
19.
20.
21. Monitoring of clear water and waste water treatment operations.
22. Monitoring of water quality
23. Attending to consumer queries and administering new connections.
1. Office & Workshop Administration
5. Revenue Collection

ACTIVITIES UNDER EACH KEY RESULT AREA

Activities

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1.0. ADMINISTRATION & CONTROL OF WATER STORAGE & DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS
1.1 Plans and prepares work schedules on the storage and distribution of water.
1.2 Ensures that a materials schedule and a bill of quantities for any job/activity originates from a
technically reasonable scope of works approved by the Water Technician before a requisition is
finally raised.
1.3 Advises and ensures that the buyer is fully aware of the user end quality specifications of the
materials needed by the water distribution section at any instance i.e. only accepts materials
from/procured by stores which matches the specifications on the requisition.
1.4 Ensures that subordinates have sufficient resources for their respective daily operations.
1.5 Is responsible for managing water distribution section vehicle fleet for operations and is
responsible for raising awareness on good vehicle handling and care for enhanced fleet life at
reduced maintenance costs.
1.6 Supervises the construction and maintenance of water distribution/reticulation system.
1.7 Ensures that works/operations are done and finished within the acceptable turn-around time
(24 hours) stipulated in the service charter.
1.8 Issues a Service disruption notice to the Public Relations office on all works/faults repair-work
which exceeds the normal turnaround time for fixing faults (within 24 hours).
1.9 Informs the Public Relations office daily on all major service delivery issues on the water
infrastructure system.
1.10 Keeps constant communication on mobile phone and on all possible social platform
applications with both super-ordinates and subordinates on daily operations and any other
work-related matters for an efficient/improved service delivery system.
1.11 Ensures that all Zone Foreman Plumbers submits returns for all the works or operations
done/carried out in each zone against the received complaints for onward submission before
4pm every day.
1.12 Ensure that all materials leaving the Water distribution workshop are accurately recorded.
1.13 Ensures that all materials received from Stores are recorded and conforms/matches to quality
specifications stipulated by the user end as well as indicated on the requisition.
1.14 Ensures that the Water Distribution Workshop is kept clean and arranged at all instances.
1.15 Manages meter test bench team
1.16 Ensures that all materials dispatched are reconciled at the end of each day i.e. all materials
left after a day’s work or for work not finished should be returned and recorded back into the
water distribution workshop and should not be left anywhere else.

2.0 ENSURES THAT QUALITY OF WORK CONFORMS TO UP-TO DATE ACCREDITED STANDARDS

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2.1 Ensures that all works are done following standard operating procedures.
2.2 Ensures that all work complies to up-to date standards (municipality, national & international
standards).
2.3 Ensures that all zone foreman plumbers submits completed quality control forms for all daily
jobs done at the end of each day as a way of optimising quality and reducing cost.
2.4 Conducts jar tests at various stations with the assistance of the Quality Assurance Technician to
ensure that the quality of water meet the World Health Standards on monthly basis.
2.5 Ensures that the subordinates carry out the daily testing by checking the water quality returns
on monthly basis.
2.6 Carries out bacteriological tests using water testing kits on monthly basis.
2.7 Compiles reports on weekly chemical stock levels and submit to the technician for processing.

3.0 ATTENDING TO CONSUMER QUERIES AND NEW CONNECTIONS

3.1 Processes new water connection forms and issues instruction forms to effect the
connections as and when necessary.
3.2 Receives and processes reports on new connections and outstanding connections on
monthly basis.
3.3 Receives queries from stations on water related issues and ensure that they are
correctly and promptly handled.
3.4 Conducts physical checks on water connections to establish the status of the service
connections whether it is disconnected or water is in use periodically.

4.0 OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

4.1 Raises staff requisitions to fill vacant positions within the stations and submits to the
Technician for further processing when there is need.
4.2 Recommends staff transfers and relief to maintain required staff levels when needed.
4.3 Facilitates training of new Water Supply Operators with assistance from Human
Resources department.
4.4 Monitors the staff schedules for various stations through reports from the stations
4.5 Raises requisitions for safety clothing and other safety requirements for the staff
annually.
4.6 Ensures that distribution of safety clothing is equitable done through maintaining the
distribution register annually.
4.7 Ensures that queries that come from various stations are professionally handled and

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 referred to Human Resources department as and when necessary.
4.8 Raises requisitions for fuel for boreholes stations and chemicals for the full treatment
plants as and when necessary.
4.9 Raises requisitions for water meters, and other repairs and maintenance items.

Section 3: Specific Factors

Factor 1: Decision Making

Decision making is the choice between alternative lines of action for which the incumbent is
responsible, without reference to the immediate superior. (Factors to take into account e.g. who,
what will be affected. Who is consulted before the decision is made and who is consulted after the
decision is made).

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Describe below the TWO, most important types of decisions which are made in this job.
Decision 1 “Decides on allocation of chemicals, fuel, consumables”

The choice is made by considering the following factors:

1. Quality of the product

2. Station usage

3. Availability of transport

4. Stock levels

Turbidity of water
Number of consumers at the station
Geographical location of the station
Efficiency and effectiveness of the diesel engine
Availability of transport

Decision 2 Decides when to carry-out water quality tests at the various stations

The choice is made by considering the following factors:

1. Availability of water testing equipment

2. Turbidity of water

3. Consumer queries

4. Size of treatment plant

Factor 2: Pressure of Work

Pressure of Work is the frequency of decision making and volume of work. Limit the comments
below to the decisions described in Factor 1 and to decisions of the same importance and
complexity. Ignore easier decisions.

a) How often is the incumbent required to make the two decisions described in Factor 1? Every
minute/every hour/ every day/ every week/every month/ every year/ other (specify)

Decision 1 Monthly
Decision 2 Ad hoc, Monthly

b) Describe the situations and activities in which a sense of urgency is felt. (What situations and
activities increase the general level of pressure? Indicate how often this happens)

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c)

Situation & When there is a critical shortage of chemicals, fuel and consumables on stock.
Activity A
Situation & When there are possible pollution activities upstream of water abstraction
Activity B point that continues to pollute the water.

Factor 3: Controls and Checks

Controls and Checks are the direct and indirect controls which the superior applies to the decisions
listed in Factor 1. Note well that the control or check is conducted after a decision is made and
implemented.

a) Illustrate how the decisions listed in Factor 1 are checked by the incumbent’s superior.
1. Checks are made by submitting weekly and monthly reports.
2. The superior carries out spot checks to ascertain the quality of water

b) When, or how long after the decision has been taken and implemented, are these checks
made? (Please be specific, e.g. immediately; within one to two hours; after one to two days;
after two to three weeks.)
Checks are made on monthly basis.

c) How often are these checks made? (Again, please be specific, e.g. every decision, up to a
certain dollar value, ad hoc)
Checks are made on monthly basis

d) Please list written/typed reports required regarding decisions listed in Factor 1:

Name of Report How Often To whom submitted

1. Weekly reports Weekly Operations Technician

2. Monthly reports Monthly Operations Technician

3. Sales report Monthly Operations Technician

4. Chemical consumption report Weekly & Monthly Operations Technician

5. Monthly Operations Technician

Fuel Consumption report

Factor 4: Consequences of Error

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Consequences of Error are the losses of finance, material, goodwill, morale and even human life
which results if the decisions listed in Factor 1 are made incorrectly, Describe the Consequences of
error for both of the decisions listed in Factor 1 and how long after the decision had been made,
these consequences would fully come to light.

Decision 1

a) If Decision 1 is made badly; the consequence/s of error/s is/are:

1. Financial loss
2. Loss of production
3. Quality of water compromised
4. Corporate image tarnished
5. Threat of disease outbreak

b) The consequences/s would be noticed or felt usually after what length of time, (e.g. hours,
days, weeks, months, years).

Consequences are felt immediately

c) How and by whom, would the consequence be noticed or felt:

The consequence will be noticed and felt by the Authority and Consumers, Governement.

Decision 2

d) If Decision 2 is made badly; the consequence/s of error/s is/are:

1. Consumers through loss of human life
2. Consumers through unavailability of portable water
3. Authority through loss of production and sales.
4. Spread of disease

e) The consequences/s would be noticed or felt usually after what length of time, (e.g. hours,
days, weeks, months, years).

1. Consequences are felt immediately

2. How and by whom, would the consequence be noticed or felt:

The consequence will be noticed and felt by Authority and Consumers.

Factor 5: Education

Education is the minimum formal education and/or qualifications which are required to make the
decisions required by the job. Please state the education that is necessary to the job, using
Zimbabwean qualifications, unless of course the necessary qualification is not available here.

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a) The minimum level of education required to competently make the decisions in Factor 1 and
perform this job is
ND in Water & Waste Management

b) If this qualification is not stated in terms of the level of primary or secondary school (e.g. O’
Level), please also state:

i. The entry requirement is : (e.g.”5 O’ Levels with good pass in English , B. Sc Hons”).

i) The duration of study, which is to be undertaken, whether study is part-time or full-time,

whether or not the programme terminates with an examination, and the name of the
examination.

Years/ months 3
Part/ full time Full time
Exam? Yes or No Yes

ii) The authority which issues the qualification is called.

Poly - technic College

c) Add here any additional qualifications which would assist the incumbent to perform
competently but which are not essential. Note well: these qualifications are NOT used to
evaluate the job.

Factor 6: Experience
Experience is the total time taken for a person with the education listed in
Factor 5 to competently make the decisions listed in Factor 1. Experience includes all the
time/years/months which has been spent in subordinate jobs. (assume that an incumbent is to be
recruited from outside the organisation)

a) The minimum post-education experience needed for a person to be appointed to this job is:

Years 5
Months

b) The minimum induction time in the organisation for a person with this education and
experience, to become familiar with the job and to be able to competently make the decisions
in Factor 1 is:

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 Years
Months

Total experience is (a) + (b) ___5____years ____6____months

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