Consider Your Collection System To Be An Extension Of Your Treatment Process

By Richard Loeffler, Senior Practice Solutions Architect, Xylem

For many large wastewater utilities, the collection system and treatment plant(s) operate as separate entities. On the surface, they have very different priorities. What does an operator trying to avoid a combined sewer overflow (CSO) need to know about activated sludge? Why would a treatment plant operator want to know about lift station status?

The answer to both questions is, surprisingly, quite a lot! The reality is that the entire wastewater network is a single, unified system and what happens in collections can affect operator goals in treatment and vice versa. Wastewater utilities that want to take their operations to the next level need to connect their collections system and treatment processes.

Connecting collections and treatment means operators from both groups are looking at and engaged with the same sets of data. This enables clear communication between all departments, as all operators will be able to pull up the same readings and compare activity in compatible terms.

While this may seem like a lofty goal, it is easier than it might seem.