Population growth, stricter regulations, and increased energy costs continue to exert significant pressure on municipal wastewater operations. But rather than investing in tired, old solutions such as the construction of additional concrete tanks, water system managers are seeking new ways to stretch the limits of their infrastructure.  Continue Reading..

Reducing the solids coming into wastewater facilities is a daily grind for plant managers, but advanced technology is making it easier on those professionals.  Continue Reading..

With all the permutations of flow and instrument readings in water and wastewater treatment operations, having the foresight to optimize responses to changing conditions is a challenge. In this Water Talk session, Ari Opdahl, senior product manager with Bentley Systems, offers a better way to manage tools, people, and resources to achieve desired outcomes. Digital-twin technology helps utilities mirror and simulate water-system conditions and...  Continue Reading..

Coping with service or repairs to aging pipeline infrastructure without disrupting customers is always a challenge. Chris Vazzana of Hydra-Stop has a better idea that includes the use of insertion valves, which enable water utilities to install a permanent valve into a live water main without ever shutting down the line. His discussion with the Water Talk moderators at WEFTEC 2019 details how the initial perception of insertion valves as a...  Continue Reading..

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.  Continue Reading..

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...  Continue Reading..

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...  Continue Reading..

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...  Continue Reading..

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.  Continue Reading..

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...  Continue Reading..