Featured Case Studies and Articles

  1. Sludge Thickeners: The Good, The Bad, And The Smelly 7/11/2019

    Management of wastewater sludge is a core responsibility of treatment plant operators. With this responsibility comes common challenges that must be overcome.  These include controlling odors so as to have a minimal impact on the surrounding community and minimizing hauling costs for its disposal.  Getting a handle on both of these responsibilities and more can be much easier with the proper sludge-thickening equipment.

  2. Sludge Sampling For Polymer Selection — Critical For Project Success 7/10/2019

    Polymers — the chemicals used in wastewater to thicken sludges and facilitate the removal of water — are critical to the operational efficiency of sludge-thickening equipment. Unfortunately, it’s common practice at treatment facilities to order and install equipment before even considering what the ideal polymer might be for the sludge produced at the specific plant. This flawed process is time consuming, disruptive to plant operations, and can become very costly.

  3. How To Boost Wastewater Treatment Capacity Within An Existing Footprint 7/9/2019

    Municipalities can find themselves in a real bind when wastewater treatment operations are strained by population growth. That’s because facilities are either landlocked and can’t expand at their current location, or the prospect of building an addition isn’t in the budget. When the bottleneck is at the digesters — the tanks where microorganisms break down waste — there are some commonsense strategies treatment plants can employ to address those growing pains.

  4. Technology Tips – Grinders For Sewage Sludge Systems 4/20/2018

    Ever since its invention in 1973 the Muffin Monster two-shafted grinder has been a fixture in wastewater treatment plants sewage sludge systems.  The industry has seen significant changes since then but the need for grinders has persisted and evolved with the requirements of plant operators and engineers.

  5. Monster Keeps Wipes At Bay In Billerica, MA 4/19/2018

    Billerica, Massachusetts embodies an ideal American suburb – picturesque streets, quaint houses, inviting storefronts and a central city square perfect for socializing with fellow neighbors and visitors. Located just 50 minutes north of Boston, Billerica is also a prime spot for young families who want the convenience of a close-by city with the atmosphere of a restful community.

  6. Protecting The Process: Pretreatment For Membrane Bioreactors 9/12/2017

    Toward the end of the 1980s, Professor Kazuo Yamamoto from Tokyo University gave a lecture to a skeptical crowd. His topic? Immersed hollow fiber membrane bioreactors. Since the day that first audience listened to the possibilities of MBRs, much work has been done to make membrane bioreactors a common step in the wastewater treatment process.  

  7. The Truth About Clogged Pumps 4/19/2017

    The sky is blue, grass is green, and, someday, your pumps are going to clog. It’s just another fact of life — or is it? 

  8. Retrofitting: Is It Right For Your Sewage Lift Station? 2/22/2017

    It’s just past 10:00 on a Friday night, and the phones start ringing in the pockets of the on-call collection systems operators. It’s an alarm for another pump clog at one of your sewage lift stations — the second one this week.

  9. Our Screens Work Great! Now What? (Part 3 Of 3) 9/22/2016

    This is the third installment of a three-part series exploring headworks screening problems and solutions. In this installment we will explore solids removal options for headworks facilities.

  10. The Fine Points Of Headworks Screening (Part 2 Of 3) 8/19/2016

    Protecting wastewater treatment facilities requires operators to think strategically about their unique challenges and identify the best solution for their specific requirements. Specifying the appropriate headworks system for the plant’s needs is arguably one of the most important design decisions a public works engineer will make.