Operational Problems in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Operating a wastewater treatment facility comes with its share of challenges. These plants are large, complicated and costly, but having a knowledgeable team can make all the difference. 

Even though it may seem like some issues are too large or too many to handle, there are steps you can take to reduce some of the pressure. Read on for six of the most common operational problems in wastewater treatment plants and what you can do to alleviate them. 

At O&M Solutions, we know how difficult it can be to keep up with wastewater facility operations and maintenance – that’s why we do the work for you. If you want to learn more about how O&M Solutions can serve your needs, visit our website: www.oandmsolutions.com

Energy Consumption

According to the US Department of Energy, municipal wastewater treatment plants spend up to $2 billion in electricity a year. This equates to about 25% to 40% of the facility’s budget. Aerobic biological treatment uses the most energy in a plant due to the aeration system. This system essentially adds oxygen to the water so that oxygen-feeding bacteria can stay alive to continue treating the water. 

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy usage in wastewater treatment plants is to clean the diffuser in the aeration system so that the bubbles become smaller. This increases efficiency and lowers energy consumption.

For this same reason, it’s important to keep the mechanics of the plant as clean as possible. Just like the aeration system, a more efficient plant will result in less energy usage and lower overall costs. 

Limited Staff

Businesses everywhere are experiencing staff shortages. But, what a wastewater treatment facility really needs is trained staff. This is even harder to find. If you can’t seem to locate reliable, adequately trained staff, outsourcing might be the best option for you.

If you have never outsourced wastewater facility maintenance and operation before, you may have some questions. Take a look at our blog to get all of these questions answered: What is Wastewater Service? When you hire professional wastewater plant service, like O&M Solutions, you can feel at ease and focus your time on other important tasks. 

Sludge Control

The reuse and disposal of sludge is both costly and strictly regulated. The best way to minimize problems associated with managing sludge is to reduce the total amount of sludge. There are a few different techniques used to control sludge:

• Hydrothermal oxidation

• Microbial predation

• Cell lysis

Once you have reduced the total sludge in your wastewater plant, you can reduce costs associated with the reuse or disposal of the matter. If you’re not sure how to reduce sludge or you want to contact an expert, be sure to call the wastewater service professionals at O&M Solutions.

Physical Footprint

Wastewater treatment plants take up a lot of space. This often means these plants have to encroach into rural communities and in some cases, older buildings have to be demolished to make room for new plants. Typically, what makes wastewater treatment facilities so large is the activated sludge system.

According to Water World, there are new technologies being implemented that can replace the activated sludge process in a much more compact system. This technology is called an advanced bio-filtration system. It works by using both aerobic and anaerobic breakdown of waste materials, while also feeding aggressive bacteria that works to quickly consume solids. 

This is not the only solution to finding more compact alternatives to the alternative sludge process. Contact your local wastewater facilities operation and maintenance team to see how else you can reduce the physical footprint of your plant. 

Monitoring

One of the biggest issues that can come from having a medium to large staff at a wastewater treatment plant is miscommunication. These facilities require frequent maintenance and testing. But, if staff are not communicating what is being done around the plant, then mistakes can be made. 

Fortunately, there is a variety of software that can be used to ensure that staff are communicating properly and documenting their tests, monitoring and maintenance. When this software is implemented, staff can provide updates and input data to make day-to-day operations go by a little smoother. Additionally, over time, you can aggregate this data to look at larger trends within the plant. 

Tri-State Area Wastewater Treatment Maintenance

Sometimes the best way to mitigate wastewater treatment plant operation problems is by finding someone else to fix the problems for you. At O&M Solutions, we have years of experience working in both the private and public sector to assist in the operation and maintenance of plants.

Whether you want to reduce your energy usage or simply need a team to maintain your wastewater system, we have got your back. Choose the experts at O&M Solutions to solve all of your wastewater treatment plant problems. 

Give us a call at (732) 965-5764 or contact us online.

Wastewater Activated Sludge Problems

The activated sludge process can be complicated and requires many components and a sharp eye. Add troubleshooting, maintenance, and repairs on top of that and you end up with an often frustrating process. 

To make the troubleshooting process a little easier, we’ve compiled four common wastewater activated sludge problems and their solutions. Read on to learn more. 

When you choose O&M Solutions, you can feel confident that you are receiving high quality maintenance and repair from professionals you can trust. To learn more about our services, visit our website: www.oandmsolutions.com 

Excess Foam

Sometimes, excess foam is not an issue. To determine if it is a problem, take a closer look at the color and texture of the foam. Excess and discolored foam can be caused by the following:

• Poor solids capture

• Nutrient deficiencies

• Overload of the system

• Growth of unwanted bacteria

• Too low or high mean cell residence time (MCRT)

It is not always easy to nail down the issue that is causing excess foam. If you cannot seem to find the cause of discolored excess foam after completing testing, be sure to call a wastewater treatment maintenance and repair company. 

Sludge Bulking

There are a few different kinds of bulking, each with its own causes and effects. Non-filamentous sludge bulking happens when sludge does not settle well in the clarifier. It can be caused by the presence of fats and oils, low oxygen and nutrient deficiencies among other things. 

Filamentous bulking, on the other hand, is caused by bacteria, also called filaments, that override floc-forming bacteria. You can identify the amount of filaments through testing. If there are more than 15 filaments per floc, then filamentous bulking will occur. 

Sludge bulking can be controlled in a few different ways including changing the rate of flow, adding chemicals or by increasing the rate of re-aeration. 

Equipment Problems

Issues in the activated sludge process don’t always come down to the water itself, sometimes it has more to do with the equipment. Here are some activated sludge equipment problems you may encounter:

• Aeration system piping leaks

• Air coming from diffuser-heading pipe

• Insufficient oxygen transfer

The repairs for these issues are fairly simple. For example, a leak in the aeration system piping can be fixed by tightening the flange bolts. However, sometimes an issue with one piece of equipment can snowball into a system failure.

Receiving timely maintenance and scheduling repairs when necessary can help combat this issue. Take a look at our blog What is Wastewater Service to find out more about how O&M Solutions can help.

Hydraulic Overload

Hydraulic overload is a very common issue in wastewater treatment facilities. In fact, a study published in Water Science and Technology found 27 hydraulic overload events over 31 months. 

Sludge that has settled in the clarifier and returned to the aeration tank is called returned activated sludge (RAS). Changing the RAS rate can have a positive effect by controlling the organisms present in the aeration tank. However, if the RAS rate is increased too much, it can cause a hydraulic overload. 

What this means is that the incoming flow rate has exceeded what the system can handle. You may be able to simply lower the RAS rate to reverse the issue. However, if the damage has been done, the system may require a repair. 

O&M Solutions: Your Partner in Wastewater Maintenance

Troubleshooting activated sludge facilities can be time consuming enough, but also trying to repair and maintain these facilities yourself is just one extra task on your to-do list. Turn to O&M Solutions for commercial wastewater treatment maintenance and repair in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. 

Our knowledgeable professionals are ready to help keep your activated sludge facility in excellent shape. From repairs to maintenance, we have got your back. Give us a call at (732) 965-5764 or contact us online. 

What Laws Govern Water and Wastewater in New Jersey?

State governments always provide regulatory frameworks around water and wastewater treatment systems and operations in a given state. These frameworks dictate how water and wastewater systems must be set up, how they must be regulated and operated, who can operate water or wastewater facilities, and additional standards.

Read on to get a basic understanding of the laws that govern water and wastewater in New Jersey.

At O & M Solutions, we are leading providers of water and wastewater services in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and parts of New York. For information or to learn more about what we offer, call (732) 965-5764.

Water and Wastewater Systems in New Jersey

Statewide rules around water and wastewater systems, including sewer and septic rules, exist to preserve or improve water quality and safeguard environmentally sensitive areas. The types of systems and facilities there are regulations around include the following:

• Drinking water systems: public water distribution and treatment

• Wells

• Water allocation systems

• Wastewater collection

• Wastewater treatment

Different standards apply to these different types of systems.

Drinking Water Systems

There are federal laws around water treatment that are relevant to any state, which include the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA) and Clean Water Act (CWA). The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is actively involved in water treatment in this region, which is composed of about twenty Watershed Management Areas (WMAs).

The New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act Rules, last amended in 2017, enacted a variety of regulations, including recordkeeping and reporting guidelines, reporting of changes to plants/emergency protocols, bans on over-extended or inadequate systems, and standards around the managerial and technical competence of water systems. 

There are very specific standards in numerous areas of drinking water systems, such as the following:

• Physical connections and cross connection control by containment/construction standards

• Construction standards for public community water systems

• Construction standards for nonpublic water systems

• Standards for technical, managerial, and financial capacity of public community and non-community water systems

Any system or facility operating outside of these stated standards will be subject to fines.

Wastewater Systems

Wastewater collection and treatment in New Jersey is also subject to strict state-wide mandates. These extend to the numerous processes commonly used to treat wastewater, such as activated sludge/aerated lagoon, trickling filter/rotating biological contractor, methane collection/beneficial reuse, and more.

NJPDES programs ensure the proper treatment and discharge of wastewater, residuals, and stormwater by issuing permits that limit the concentration of pollutants that may be discharged into ground water or nearby water systems. There are standards around construction, capacity assurance, and ongoing monitoring.

Operating a Water and Wastewater System in New Jersey

To legally operate a water system or wastewater system in New Jersey, you must be licensed by the state. This will ensure that you fully understand the law of the land and can operate in a way that complies with all administrative codes.

Water and Wastewater Licensed Operators in New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a division of Water Supply and Geoscience, provides six license types for water and wastewater system operators. These relate to the type of wastewater or water system the operator will be working in:

• Industrial Wastewater Treatment System (N License)

• Public Wastewater Treatment System (S License)

• Public Wastewater Collection System (C License)

• Public Water Treatment System (T License)

• Public Water Distribution System (W License)

• Very Small Water System (VSWS License)

To earn a license, New Jersey standards include experience, education, and passing an exam. To maintain the license, operators must complete continuing education every three years and pass a retest. 

O & M Solutions of New Jersey

O & M Solutions is a team of highly experienced water and wastewater facility management professionals. We provide an array of services to support new construction and existing facilities, including emergency assistance. For more information about what we can provide to support your company’s compliance with the laws governing water and wastewater in New Jersey, contact us today.

What is Wastewater Service?

Wastewater services typically refer to the tasks that support operations in a wastewater treatment facility. The right provider will offer assistance in everything you need to manage water quality in your facility or campus. This includes maintenance and operations for all types of wastewater systems, wastewater treatment plants, lift stations, pipes, and any other wastewater system assets. 

Wastewater services should comply with the regulations of the area in which a facility is located, and provide environmentally sound solutions for organizations and municipalities.

At O & M Solutions, we provide expert wastewater services in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, and have more than three decades of experience reinforcing these essential operations. 

Read on to learn more about what wastewater services entail, what you may not have considered, and the types of services that exist to ensure safe, year-round operations.

Wastewater Service

Raw sewage must be treated, and wastewater treatment plants exist to perform that task. The typical sequence of events to treat raw sewage includes screening, activated sludge treatment, settling, disinfection, and rearation. Effluent water may then be discharged into the water system without risk of contamination.

Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment has to align with local and state standards around collection, treatment, and release of wastewater. This includes filtration, operating activated sludge systems, and leveraging new, environmentally friendly technologies to disinfect wastewater.

There are typically two types of arrangements for wastewater treatment facility ownership: public and private.

Public Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Municipalities all over the country operate public wastewater treatment facilities to provide this essential service to citizens. Public water systems may be nonprofit entities that are managed by state or local governments. Some regions may work together, forming Regional Water Councils or other consortiums to strengthen purchasing power and operational efficiencies. 

Often, officials will outsource operations, management, and maintenance of a public wastewater treatment facility to third parties, like O & M Solutions. This can reduce costs as well as ensuring that specialized professionals are overseeing these precise processes.

Private Wastewater Treatment Facilities

In contrast to the public sector, private wastewater treatment facilities are often for-profit systems which are managed by a board, with rates sometimes monitored or regulated by a state commission. These facilities may also be operated and maintained by a third party provider.

A third option is a public-private partnership, which is represented in some contexts and used as a way to reduce or share costs.

Benefits of Hiring an Expert Wastewater Treatment Facility Services Provider

Wastewater services are essential, and however they are held (public, private, or through partnership), good management is key to optimizing efficiencies and mitigating risk.

Some of the benefits of hiring an expert for wastewater treatment services include the following:

Asset care — Wastewater treatment facilities are immense and include specialized and valuable machinery to process wastewater. Downtime or deterioration is not only costly but a compliance risk. For facilities to maintain optimal uptime and ensure they are meeting all regulatory standards, an expert eye may be required.

Expert guidance — New technology is always evolving to improve water and wastewater treatment processes. Experts in this field will have a sophisticated understanding of the latest approaches, methodologies, and equipment to use.

Emergency response — The aforementioned risk of downtime is real, and well-trained, knowledgeable wastewater treatment services providers are equipped to offer on-demand assistance and emergency response.

Outsourced operations — Highly specialized skills come at a price, and the challenges of hiring, vetting, and retaining top talent can be a barrier to efficiency. By outsourcing wastewater facility operations and management, businesses of all kinds can find cost savings and maximize return.

O & M: an Excellent Wastewater Service Provider

O & M Solutions has spent decades in the tristate area serving clients of all kinds, and working in wastewater facilities of all sizes. This has given us an immense advantage, equipping us to capably oversee, manage, maintain, and respond proactively to the needs of wastewater facilities owners. To learn more about how we might be of service to you, contact us at (732) 965-5764 today.