Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance. 8 modules with EN 13508-2 (coding of visual network inspection), EN 752 (drainage and sewer systems outside buildings) and WinCan. Dedicated tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance — studying from New Zealand
Civil engineering is one of New Zealand's largest engineering employers, driven by the need for earthquake-resilient infrastructure, roading, water and wastewater systems across a seismically active country. Major projects include Auckland's City Rail Link and Wellington's transport upgrades, with rail maintained largely by KiwiRail. Engineers work for consultancies, contractors and councils, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment administers the Building Act and related standards, while Waka Kotahi manages the national land transport network.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,770 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
What is the recognition pathway for civil and rail engineers in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand administers Chartered Professional Engineer registration, which is the main recognised professional standard for civil engineers. Rail is regulated through the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and the Ministry of Transport. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by a national body, so employers or the relevant body decide how much weight to give them.
Who hires civil, rail and smart city engineers in New Zealand?
Employers include city and regional councils, central government agencies, consultancies, contractors, and rail and transport operators. Smart city roles increasingly combine infrastructure knowledge with data and digital systems. Hiring usually depends on registration, experience and project records, so a private qualification is a supporting credential rather than a guaranteed entry point.
Will I need a visa, and how do fees and employer funding work?
No student visa is needed to study from home, because all programmes are 100% online and taught in English. Each programme includes an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300, so check the time commitment against your workload.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the components and operation of a sewerage network.
Plan sewer inspections using standardised coding.
Diagnose structural and functional defects in the network.
Organise the cleaning and operation of networks and pumping stations.
Select trenchless rehabilitation techniques.
Apply telecontrol and monitoring to network operation.
Prepare an operation and maintenance plan based on asset management.
Who it's for
- Sewerage operations manager looking to specialise in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance.
- Sewer network inspector looking to specialise in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance.
- Trenchless rehabilitation technician looking to specialise in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance.
- Sewerage telecontrol manager looking to specialise in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance.
- Drainage asset manager looking to specialise in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance.
- Maintenance planning technician looking to specialise in Urban Drainage Operation and Maintenance.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter sewerage companies.
What you'll work with
- EN 13508-2 (coding of visual network inspection)
- EN 752 (drainage and sewer systems outside buildings)
- EN 14654-1 (network operations management: cleaning)
- ISO 11296 series (rehabilitation of sewerage networks with plastics)
- ISO 55001 (asset management)
- ISO 24511 (wastewater service management)
- Royal Decree 1627/1997 (safety and health in construction works)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Combined and separate systems1.2Elements: sewers, manholes, gullies and connections1.3Pipe materials and their performance1.4Pumping stations and tanks1.5Network inventory and cadastre in GIS1.6Municipal regulations and EN 7521.7Operator responsibilities1.8Service performance indicators1.9Sewerage operating costs1.10Workshop: GIS inventory of a network sector
2.1Robotic CCTV inspection2.2Defect coding to EN 13508-22.3Manhole and chamber inspection2.4Laser and sonar scanning2.5Inspection of visitable sewers2.6Safety in confined spaces2.7Detection of infiltration and inflow2.8Leakage testing to EN 16102.9Inspection data management2.10Practical: coding a CCTV inspection
3.1Hydrogen sulphide corrosion3.2Cracks, fractures and deformations3.3Roots, sediments and grease3.4Misconnections and extraneous water3.5Subsidence and sinkholes3.6Structural and operational condition indices3.7Prioritisation by criticality3.8Deterioration models3.9Root cause analysis3.10Case study: diagnosis of a concrete sewer
4.1Cleaning with combined jetting-vacuum equipment4.2Preventive cleaning plans4.3Management of sediments and waste4.4Odour and gas control4.5FOG (fats, oils and grease) management4.6Pumping station operation4.7Storm tank operation4.8Management of overflows and discharges4.9Incident and fault response4.10Practical: risk-based cleaning plan
5.1Cured-in-place pipe lining (CIPP)5.2Sliplining and relining5.3Pipe bursting5.4Robotic spot repairs5.5Manhole rehabilitation5.6ASTM F1216 design criteria5.7Cost and service life comparison5.8Rehabilitation quality control5.9Impacts on traffic and the environment5.10Workshop: selecting a technique for three sewers
6.1Level and flow sensors6.2Ultrasonic and area-velocity flow meters6.3Rain gauges and weather radar6.4Sewerage SCADA6.5Alarms and event management6.6Real-time network control6.7Digital twin of the sewer system6.8Data analytics and anomaly detection6.9Telecontrol cybersecurity6.10Laboratory: analysis of dry-weather flow series
7.1ISO 55000 asset management7.2Network asset valuation7.3Service life and survival curves7.4Long-term renewal plans7.5Risk analysis: likelihood and consequence7.6Budgeting and investment prioritisation7.7IWA performance indicators7.8Operation and maintenance contracts7.9Health and safety in network works7.10Case study: five-year renewal plan
8.1Network characterisation8.2Assessment of current condition8.3Inspection plan8.4Cleaning and operation plan8.5Rehabilitation programme8.6Monitoring system8.7Investment plan and indicators8.8Organisation and resources8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software includes WinCan, network GIS (ArcGIS), sewerage SCADA, EPA SWMM, SAP PM, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case studies are based on real procedures: CCTV inspection of sewers, cleaning and preventive maintenance campaigns, and monitoring of trenchless rehabilitation works. Assessment is continuous per module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the components and operation of a sewerage network.
Plan sewer inspections using standardised coding.
Diagnose structural and functional defects in the network.
Organise the cleaning and operation of networks and pumping stations.
Select trenchless rehabilitation techniques.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 800 hours in total over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.
The programme uses WinCan, network GIS (ArcGIS), sewerage SCADA, EPA SWMM and SAP PM. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Postgraduate Diploma in Audits and Independent Assessment (AsBo/NoBo)
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Audits and Independent Assessment (AsBo/NoBo). 8 modules covering Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013 (common safety method for risk evaluation), Directive (EU) 2016/797…
Diploma in Soil Improvement and Injections
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in soil improvement and grouting. 8 modules covering problematic soils, consolidation and preloading, densification, grouting, jet grouting and deep mixing,…
Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Water Reuse and Quality for Urban/Industrial Uses
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Water Reuse and Quality for Urban/Industrial Uses. 8 modules covering Regulation (EU) 2020/741 (minimum requirements for water reuse), Royal Decree…
More in Civil, Rail & Smart Cities
All Civil, Rail & Smart Cities programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships