As we approach the hottest months of the year, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators face a range of challenges arising from elevated summer temperatures. With all due respect to Eddie Cochran, this article outlines some of the cures — or at least preventive steps and countermeasures — for wastewater treatment’s “summertime blues.”
The phrase “Necessity is the mother of invention” has been definitively traced back to early 16th century England, and even attributed to Plato in the Latin form, “Mater artium necessitas.” In today’s world of water, necessity is also becoming a major factor in rising interest regarding potable water reuse. This is especially true in areas where changes in climate or usage demands have stressed traditional sources of supply, as evidenced by increasing numbers of applications worldwide. For those who work in a water-stressed environment, this article can provide added perspective on specific points of opportunity — and points of caution.
When clarifiers are not settling like they should, problems arise, including reduced capacities, high sludge volume indexes (SVI) and sludge blanket levels, and infiltration/inflow (I/I) washout issues.
While point level measuring approaches are regarded as simple and user-friendly, they lack the capabilities of more sophisticated continuous measuring instruments.
Growing cities are generating higher volumes of wastewater and putting a strain on clean water supplies, calling for solutions that extract value from “waste” and ensure the sustainability of resources — with the added bonus, or imperative, of protecting the environment.
A Q&A with Gary Wong, chairman of the SWAN North American Alliance
Sampling and laboratory testing are major responsibilities for water professionals. Test results are used for process control, and ultimately to determine that water is safe for drinking, reuse, or discharge to the environment. Regulatory agencies rely on reported results for proof of permit compliance. So, obtaining representative, properly collected and preserved samples is the first critical step to ensure accurate test results.
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.
Since 1999, when business people at more than 150,000 companies worldwide wanted to keep better track of their customers — and be more responsive — they turned to Salesforce.com and its industry-leading customer relationship management (CRM) software. Now, companies looking for ideas on sustainability, in terms of water recycling, can turn to the new Salesforce Tower in San Francisco as a leading-edge environmental solution as well. It is estimated that the building’s water recycling system will save more than 7.5-million gallons of drinking water annually — enough to supply more than 16,000 San Francisco residents.
The Greater Lawrence Sanitary District (GLSD) in North Andover, MA, was one of 28 organizations nationwide to be honored for an innovative water or wastewater project in the most recent PISCES Recognition Program sponsored by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). PISCES stands for Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success.
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