Most of us don’t have to think about the vital infrastructure that supports our society. Water is delivered to our homes and businesses 24/7, and wastewater is efficiently and cleanly whisked away. The ability of our utilities to manage these services means we only take notice at times of inconvenience: water outages, sewer blockages, or stormwater overflows.
It is no secret that the number of landfills has been steadily decreasing across the United States. As more and more cities adopt ‘zero waste to landfill’ sustainability goals, the number of landfills has shrunk from 6,326 in 1990 to 1,738 in 2015. Decreasing landfills has meant increased waste hauling costs for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as sludge travels farther distances to reach landfills.
As technology improves, contaminants can be measured in ever-smaller quantities. Pollutants formerly undetected are now becoming emerging contaminants of concern. Water utility managers must stay abreast of potential new regulations and plan for ways to address these contaminants.
With data comes decision-making power, but how each utility wields that power will be different. The Smart Utility approach tailors digital capabilities to arrive at specific and optimal outcomes.
With a little help from AI (artificial intelligence) and IoT (the Internet of Things), Kansas City gives a lesson on UEA-MEP — utilizing existing assets to the maximum extent possible.
A survey of water utilities conducted by Black & Veatch reveals to what degree and how rapidly (or not) data analytics are being implemented in the real world.
While it may be premature to claim wastewater management’s arrival in the digital age, we can herald the eventuality, chart the progress, and examine potential implications.
As wastewater treatment plants evolve into resource recovery facilities, the thermal hydrolysis process (THP) is destined to play a starring role, with some major THP projects having already set the stage.
Regulators from across the country met in Vermont this week at the Environmental Council of the State’s (ECOS) fall meeting to discuss some of the nation’s most pressing environmental challenges. I joined members of ECOS’ Shale Gas Caucus to discuss an emerging threat imminently impacting oil and gas-producing states: the question of what to do with the massive amount of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry each year.
Many communities face challenges when managing their water resources. For example, runoff from agricultural fields can contribute to excess nutrients in water, like phosphorous and nitrogen, which can lead to harmful algal blooms and health concerns for the surrounding community. State and local governments trying to solve environmental problems must consider the cost and effectiveness of water management decisions for their communities.
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