WET News

JULY 2016 WET NEWS 21 The water sector should think again where investment would be better placed. I am not arguing that the water industry needs to find more money to invest in wastewater services; well- managed Trade Effluent Consents (TECs) and charging by Modgen formula provide the tools to both control industrial discharges and provide a pricing strategy that generates revenue for investment. I am more suggesting that the water sector thinks again about where that money would be best placed, and adopts more of a catchment-based approach – investing closer to the industrial base. For instance, our team at Siltbuster Process Solutions has undertaken a number of projects with food and drinks companies that are proactively seeking to improve their discharge compliance performance and / or to reduce their trade effluent charges. While focused on helping these industrial customers, the work we have done with them, installing Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) technology has actually indirectly benefited water companies too. This is because it has reduced the strain on existing conveyance and treatment infrastructure. In essence our work on food and drink company sites has given water companies less to have to treat at the works, and minimised the FOG going through pump stations en-route to the works too. Such DAF technology is not complicated to adopt and remove for FOG treatment. OŠen the systems can be installed as relatively simple retrofits. What is more, some have even the potential to provide a revenue income, e.g. feedstock for anaerobic digestion plants. But importantly for the water industry DAF technology has proven time and again to be a cost-effective and robust process for reducing organic load into the sewerage system at source; particularly in relation to FOG applications. Reduced demand For instance, we installed a DAF system complete with packaged chemical pre-treatment facility to treat wastewater from a ready meals producer. This typically achieved an 87% reduction in Facing a blower breakdown? Relax. We can have a value-added replacement on its way in 36 hours. Cut your energy bills by up to 50%. Reduce your plant's noise emissions. And best of all the turbocompressor HST will not wear mechanically. So it will provide trouble-free operation for years to come. Order now and you can have a replacement compressor on its way in 36 hours; start saving up to 50% energy. Visit sulzer.com/36hours. * Applicable for selected versions of turbocompressor type ABS HST20 and HST 2500, which are ready to be dispatched from our factory in less than 36 hours (on weekdays). A blower or compressor breakdown puts your wastewater treatment plant's operation at risk. Now, with our fast-track pro- cess, when you order today we can ship you a turbocompres- sor to replace your failed unit within 36 hours*. Available in sizes suitable for most treatment plants, the turbo- compressor HST will save your process, and save you signifi- cant amounts of energy. But why wait for your blower or compressor to fail? Replace your old machine with a brand new turbocompressor HST and start reaping benefits today. A solution: Industrial effluent catchment-based thinking TSS, and a 70% reduction in of COD. Furthermore, since this packaged treatment system has been installed it has treated ~120,000m 3 , with a gross saving of circa £50,000 in Mogden charges since October 2014. However, more importantly, for the water company, this has significantly reduced the demand on the existing conveyance and treatment infrastructure At present it is the proactiveness of industrial customers in managing their operation and expenditure that is driving this approach. However, rather than waiting for (and relying on) industrial companies to be proactive in this way, water companies should perhaps be looking to see how some of their assets could be focused on treating at source – i.e. on the sites of their major industrial customers. The potential reduction in both the load and the associated stresses on infrastructure, would make such a change in approach well worthwhile. Of course there may be scenarios where the traditional end of pipe solution is the right one. We also acknowledge that the catchment approach to industrial water treatment requires a significant shiŠ in the water sector's investment model, operational philosophy and responsibility. AŠer all, we are suggesting it actively looks to develop and invest in treatment solutions on third party land. However, we feel significant commercial benefits really would follow such a shiŠ. Furthermore, from a practical point of view, with engineering, construction and space constraints increasingly inhibiting the sustainable development of wastewater treatment sites, we really believe higher rate, smaller footprint, intensive treatment processes, working where the problem originates present a real answer. Now really could be the perfect moment for the sector to adopt a catchment-based approach to industrial wastewater treatment. n Rich Matthews is general manager at Siltbuster Process Solutions focused and efficient management of operational activities, a purely centralised approach, where the problem is purely dealt with at the treatment works, can put an enormous and oŠen risky strain on the system en-route to the works, in terms of the flows and types of effluents to be catered for. For example, significant trade discharges can have high loads - especially fats, oils and greases (FOG) – that can affect pump stations and other sewerage infrastructure, leading to a greater risk of pollution events.

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