In water plant operations, there’s no such thing as simply maintaining the status quo. Any utility that is not moving forward is falling behind. Whether a water treatment or wastewater treatment plant (WTP/WWTP) chooses to rely on in-house resources or outside specialists, here are some lifecycle management approaches they can use to upgrade control capabilities without compromising performance or return on investment.
Using historical data and Seeq analytical software, Nukon calculates when sewer blockages will occur up to 13 hours before occurrence, preventing spills.
“We have too much data” is the refrain we continually hear from water utilities. It’s no surprise that managing data from multiple sources and turning it into business insights presents a daunting challenge; however, data influx does not have to be a burden. When managed well, there’s no such thing as too much data, especially if your business is implementing a big data strategy — a topic that has implications and reach beyond the scope of this paper.
As electronic measurement, microprocessor or computerized control, and wireless networking have worked their way deeper into industrial processes, new opportunities for accuracy, convenience, and cost-saving efficiency have multiplied. Electronic accuracy and communication have delivered performance advantages down to even the simplest functions — including pressure readings.
Choosing the right communication network is crucial to building a successful, smart utility. The quality of the communication technology selected determines whether the data will be transmitted efficiently, securely, and reliably over the long haul. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly.
At 10am on August 24, 2017, a customer in Midway Point, a small suburb outside of Hobart, Tasmania, reported a sewage spill on his property. Midway Point stands adjacent to Pitt Water Nature Reserve, home to rare birds, butterflies, and the largest oyster lease in Tasmania, covering some 14 hectacres. In late August, Pitt Water oysters, prized for their briny flavor and consistency, were just coming into peak condition.
The OSIsoft PI System is at the center of Thames Water’s “intelligence Hub” (iHub), which merges disparate data sources to drive operational performance. Thames Water can now garner critical insights from its network of water delivery and sewage waste removal systems that span the greater London area.
Yorkshire Water produces 1.3 billion liters of clean water and treats one billion liters of water in its waste water networks every single day. The company has 686 treatment facilities spread across northern England and 83,000 kilometers of water pipelines, which is enough to circle the earth twice.
Nearly every industry requires water and wastewater treatment to some degree. From food and beverage to pulp and paper operations, influent and effluent must meet certain conditions to adhere to regulatory and/or performance requirements, and water used during the process must conform as well.
For any drinking water or wastewater treatment operation, pH neutralization is never far from top-of-mind. The regulatory standards for pH to which effluent must adhere, also known as “pH neutralization,” are central to ensuring that treatment is performed accurately and that the water or wastewater leaving a plant is safe.
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