Water Online Radio

41. A Modern Approach To Modular Plant Design 10/15/2019

    Providing water services to private developments and small rural communities has always been a challenge. The cost of running pipe and installing pump stations across long distances can make or break a project and mean the difference in being able to offer affordable, high-quality drinking water and wastewater treatment.

42. Advanced Submersible Pumps A Solution To Messy Wastewater Problems 10/15/2019

    Clogging continues to be the biggest headache at municipal wastewater treatment operations, while rising energy costs and stricter government controls have been emerging as larger issues. The transportation of waste, however, is a rapidly growing concern as a higher solids content is being driven by cutbacks in water consumption. The increase in fibrous materials is challenging for both the pump hydraulics and the pipe works. In this Water Talk interview, Nicole Osborne, product manager for submersible wastewater pumps with Grundfos, discusses advanced technology that can help plant managers successfully tackle all these issues as well as address other water and wastewater demands.

43. Satisfying LCR Compliance Measurement And Management 10/15/2019

    The challenges of complying with the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) and other emerging regulations in a post-Flint world are high-priority for a variety of organizations — from government agencies, to public water systems, to individual facilities such as schools. This Water Talk discussion with Megan Glover of 120 Water Audit addresses the scope and execution of those challenges. It covers everything from providing point-of-use testing kits for sampling individual water spigots to managing overall Safe Drinking Water Act and LCR compliance through cloud-based software. Most important, it gives context to practical solutions for the many utilities and facilities coping with some level of lead exceedance.

44. Protecting Pump Motors In Water/Wastewater Operations 10/15/2019

    With electric motors playing such key roles in water and wastewater treatment and water distribution operations, protecting those motors is fundamental to keeping processes flowing smoothly. In this Water Talk interview, Steve Zbytowski, product manager for motor protection and soft starters with Eaton, shares his insights on ground-fault identification that helps maintenance personnel pinpoint exactly where the fault is and react to remedy the situation quickly. He also relates how complementary Internet of Things (IoT) network communication improves data collection, making it easier to manage field-monitoring and troubleshooting efforts and improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of motor operation.

45. A Cost-Effective Answer To Partial-Pipe Flow Metering 10/14/2019

    One of the most perplexing challenges for wastewater plant operators is the need to measure the various sources of influent. This is especially true for closed-pipe systems where the use of traditional flow devices requires intensive and expensive engineering to keep the pipe full at the point of measurement.

46. Extending SCADA's Reach To Remote Resources 10/14/2019

    Many water and wastewater treatment plant operators have a desire to ‘see’ and manage key systems beyond the reach of their plant walls and in-house SCADA systems, such as wastewater lift pumps or water distribution pumps. In this Water Talk session, Dave Stout and Ryan Hancock of In Control Technical Solutions discuss an answer that’s as simple as connecting a power cord and two wires. It employs a self-contained cellular modem that any utility can self-install — at a fraction of the cost for traditional remote cellular solutions — and use to monitor remote resources as part of their main SCADA system.

47. Gaining Better Insights Into Water/Wastewater Operations 10/14/2019

    The advantage in the growth of digital technology and Internet of Things (IoT) accessibility for water/wastewater applications is the depth and breadth of information available at a utility’s fingertips. The challenge is utilizing all that data in a convenient, comprehensive way. Mahesh Lunani, CEO of Aquasight, shares insights on digital solutions to that challenge, even in the face of a changing workforce. He describes a better way to integrate data from various siloed systems — SCADA, laboratories, smart meters, hydraulic models, GIS systems, etc. — and troubleshoot problems ranging from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to water-loss and water-quality issues. Best of all, he relates it in the context of WEFTEC’s changing focus from wastewater treatment to water resource recovery.

48. Putting Digital Instrumentation To Multipurpose Use 10/13/2019

    Instruments that deliver only one measurement point are achieving just a fraction of their potential, according to Ryan Williams. That is why smart technology is the essence of this Water Talk discussion with him and his Endress+Hauser associate Alan Vance. It explores how digitalization can elevate the role of instrumentation systems or independent flow, level, pressure, and temperature sensors to make utility managers and maintenance crews more productive than ever. Opportunities range from an electromagnetic flow meter with zero straight-pipe-run requirements, to self-diagnosing instruments, to remote-access monitoring and control, to predictive analytics for the newest members of the utility workforce. 

49. Filling The Technical Skills Gap 10/11/2019

    As the water and wastewater workforce ages, and fewer technically skilled people enter the industry, municipalities and other large operators with water needs are finding themselves in a bind.

50. The Shifting State Of CWA Regulations 10/10/2019

    While the Clean Water Act (CWA) is a federal regulation, the job of enforcing its standards has been kicked to the state level, where results can be mixed. Bluefield Research recently analyzed the trend and its impact, presenting its findings in a recent Water Online webinar. It was also a topic of discussion at WEFTEC 2019, where Bluefield's president, Reese Tisdale, sat down with Water Talk. In the interview, Tisdale addressed the evolution of the CWA, current treatment issues, and financial forecasts for the industry.