Uncovering Value in Wastewater Treatment

What are the key drivers for improving effluent treatment processes? In this blog, Brian Jones, Business Development Manager, explains the importance of wastewater treatment for our customers and the environment. He outlines the key drivers for improving effluent treatment processes and emphasises how poor treatment can lead to fines, higher charges, and environmental damage.

Navigating the intricate world of wastewater treatment can often feel like deciphering a complex code of chemicals, formulas, and scientific jargon. However, understanding the key drivers for wastewater treatment can simplify this process significantly. We can put the drivers for wastewater treatment into the following categories:

These drivers, which influence changes and improvements in effluent treatment processes, can be categorised into these main areas: Cost, Consent, Cure, and Water Quality.

Cost
The cost implications of wastewater treatment are not only financial but also environmental. Inadequate effluent treatment can result in fines, increased charges, and potential environmental damage. The repercussions of poor environmental control can also tarnish a business's ethical reputation.

Consent
The two factors of Cost and Consent are the two sides of the same sword. If you are struggling to maintain consent on site then usually the cost involved is higher than it should be due to MOGDEN charges and potential fines.

Cure
The ultimate goal is to transition from a costly and challenging operational position to a stable one,    where both operational and financial controls are effectively managed.

Water Quality

Assessing wastewater treatment performance can be subjective for the process operator, who often lacks a reliable method to determine if the water quality meets the required standards and typically relies on visual cues to judge if the water is 'clean enough'.

Water clarity or turbidity can directly (though not always) impact the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). The mistier the water (indicating higher COD in the treated water), the higher the MOGDEN charge.

As one example, many food and beverage facilities rely on monthly external testing from the monitoring utility company. This approach can lead to variable COD content in the wastewater, depending on the operator on duty that day.

By understanding these key drivers, businesses can better navigate the complexities of wastewater treatment, ensuring both cost-effectiveness and environmental responsibility.

You may think that ‘we are always in consent, we are not getting regular visits for samples’ so everything is OK! This is not always the case.

This is a common and potentially costly mistake that senior managers of wastewater plants make.  

The rule of 10%

I believe there are several factors that are not always obvious to the process operator. I call it my rule of 10%. This means that the following factors in combination can have a huge impact on a wastewater treatment process but in an almost unnoticeable way.

• Chemistry: Poor chemistry can make a huge difference in effective COD reduction and coagulation of suspended solids. 
• Equipment: The second most important part of the wastewater process next to the chemistry is the equipment. Reduced sludge formation due to poor white water in the DAF unit or chemical dosing pumps that are poorly maintained are only two examples that keep recurring in my experience.
• Sampling: Effective autosamplers that are clean and well-maintained have a direct impact on the sample quality being analysed by your water company. 
• Internal sampling: Carrying out internal analysis can provide valuable information on treated discharge quality, giving confidence on expected MOGDEN charges and billing purposes. We offer simple test kits are available along with product training to ensure correct use.
• Training: Confident empowered staff are happy to make changes to the process and flag up issues to senior management. On the other hand, poorly trained staff will not be as proactive and effective in keeping costs in control.
• pH control: Linked to training, and equipment issues. pH control has a huge impact on effective wastewater chemistry. Operator knowledge is key to monitoring this too. 
• Balancing: A poorly balanced effluent feed will give peaks and troughs in your wastewater feed quality and chemistry control will be erratic and ineffective.
• Support: Ongoing support from Veolia Water Technologies will provide a solid foundation to refer back to when you think your MOGDEN charges are rising or chemical usage has gone up, or any of the above occurs.
  
  

Each of the above points can contribute singularly to raised MOGDEN charges or poor effluent treatment control. Effective treatment is a combination of many facets and I have included what I believe to be the main ones. Our goal is to identify and improve each facet to achieve the best for our effluent customers. 

Cost and Consent

During one of our site wastewater audits, we ask a range of questions that cover many aspects of the entire wastewater treatment process and are designed to uncover where we can add value to the customer. In doing so, we can reduce operational costs and improve discharge consent levels. The above 10% questions can uncover the value that the potential customer is not aware of.

What Next?

In fully understanding the customer wastewater profile by asking questions about the whole process we can visualise the full picture and see where all of the 10% improvements can be made. The total sum of improvements can add to a considerable step change in process optimisation.

Any trials involving our chemistry will be carried out after small-scale jar testing has been completed and a report provided along with the cost and operational benefits.

A full-scale trial will then be carried out supported by our wastewater experts to ensure the chemistry matches the original jar test and that the treatment process is in compliance.

The trial would optimise the treatment equipment, educate and improve the understanding of the operators and ultimately aim to make the plant cost-effective.

The final part of our journey is the ‘Cure’ and this is where we see a process operating effectively with reliable chemistry, equipment and staff who are able to manage the process with confidence.    

We want to learn from you and see how we can help you resolve your site issues.

How we can help you

• We can carry out an initial site survey and propose a solution. 
• Any trial work would be supported with the correct RAMS and jar testing to our own very high standards.
• The full-scale trial would be set up by VWT Business Development Manager and Effluent Chemist.  
  
  

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