Sectorization of non-conforming discharges upstream a Wasterwater Treatment Plant

WASTEWATER SEWAGE SYSTEMS MONITORING &
DISCHARGE CONFORMITY

Context 

A municipality’s Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) suffers several organic load’s shocks at its inlet. These abrupt changes of load impact the efficiency of the process and lead to non-conformity with local regulations. As a consequence of these dysfunctions, the municipality is under formal notice by local authorities and forced to reduce pollution at the source to avoid financial penalties.  On the sewage network, different areas and industries are suspected of being the source of non-conforming discharges. With the client’s agreement, HYDREKA deployed four NODE Solutions & Services in different sewage network branches in order to identify and localize potential sources of pollution. 

Solutions & Results

NODE Solutions & Services is a multiparametric approach which includes real time and online measurement of physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, organic load, temperature and redox potential). This approach allowed to map the different branches of the sewage network, to identify the source of pollution and to correlate the impact of non-conforming discharges from two industrial facilities.

 

The organic load shocks are highlighted by the biosensor’s behaviour (left graphic) which detect pollution upstream and, earlier at the inlet of the WWTP. In this case, conductivity also acts as a possible tracer (right graphic).

Feedback & Perspectives

Thanks to this study, the municipality has been able to fix all non-conformity with local authorities and to identify the origin of pollution. This project also allowed discussion and negotiation with industries to encourage them on their environmental management compliancy.

 

The cost of the study (30K€) was completely covered by the capacity of answering to the legal requirement and by breaking-off the risk of financial penalties (up to 5K€ per day of non-conformity).

Hydreka is more commited than ever into the Halma challenge

Hydreka is very proud to be part of Halma plc‘s challenge by using its expertise in metrology, softwares & services to provide safe and clean water for some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.

Growing a Safer, Cleaner, Healthier future for everyone, every day, is now more important than ever as the COVID-19 crisis has shown a spotlight on the importance of clean water for controlling transmission of the virus.

Halma joins forces with WaterAid to help tackle the global issue of water accessibility and quality

15 October 2020

Halma plc, the global group of life-saving technology companies, is partnering with WaterAid, the international water charity, to help tackle the global issue of water accessibility and quality.

Water is the most critical resource on the planet, yet millions worldwide still don’t have access to clean water close to home. Through a two-year campaign the partnership will highlight the global issue of access to safe water by providing 8,000 people in India with clean drinking water. 

Access to safe drinking water is a significant global problem, and the pandemic has only served to reinforce its vital importance in protecting our most vulnerable communities. One in ten people worldwide do not have access to clean water close to home. Lack of access to clean water and decent sanitation causes diarrhoeal diseases, which claim the lives of 800 under-fives every single day.

The Halma-WaterAid partnership will focus on two areas in north east India: Bhagalpur and Buxar, where only 15% and 3% of the population respectively have access to piped water supply in the community, and just 1% of people in both districts have piped water in their homes. 97% of those in Buxar have access to water that is drawn through arsenic-affected shallow pumps.

As part of the partnership, Halma – which has several world-leading water companies as part of its global group – will donate a minimum of £200,000 of funds, as well as its own water quality treatment technology, that will ensure:

  • 5,000 people gain access to a safe water supply through the installation of water quality treatment systems;
  • 10 villages have community management of operations and maintenance and water quality monitoring – with Halma also training community volunteers to maintain and operate the systems; and
  • 3,000 people have the resources to safely harvest water.  

Halma has six world-leading water analysis, treatment and monitoring companies in its group: PalintestSensorexHWMHydrekaMiniCam and UV Group.

Palintest, a Halma company which specialises in water analysis, will contribute water quality testing kits, with WaterAid working alongside local NGOs to mobilise people and build local institutional capacity. Palintest supports humanitarian efforts around the world where laboratory infrastructure is limited, or safe water testing and monitoring is challenging. Palintest’s range of portable test kits have been designed for field testing, making water testing accessible for all.

Halma will also galvanise its 45+ companies to conserve their own water usage and wastewater emissions to help reduce our climate impact as a global business.

Both Halma and WaterAid share the common purpose to provide a safer and healthier future for everyone. With just ten years to go to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 and ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, Halma is using its technology and expertise to reach those who are most vulnerable or who have been left furthest behind.

Constance Baroudel, Divisional Chief Executive of the Medical & Environmental Sector for Halma plc, said: “Our purpose is to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day by making innovative technologies that help solve global challenges. Having access to clean, safe drinking water and basic sanitation is central to living a healthier life, and the current global pandemic has only served to demonstrate its importance. We look forward to drawing on our technological expertise, as well as the passion of our employees, in supporting WaterAid to provide the communities of Bhagalpur and Buxar with a clean water supply, which is a  basic and essential everyday requirement for children to grow up healthy and families to earn a living.” 

WaterAid Director of Communications & Fundraising Marcus Missen said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of clean water, yet 98 million people in India are facing the crisis without clean water to help protect themselves against the spread of disease. Ensuring everyone has a reliable source of clean water is the vital first line of defence against this global pandemic. WaterAid is proud to be partnering with Halma plc – one of the UK’s most successful technology groups. We have a strong alignment with the company’s clean water and sustainability initiatives. Their timely support will help protect the lives of communities in India and across the globe.”

Detect, Anticipate and Manage toxic effluents in an industrial Wasterwater Treatment Plant (WWTP)

PROCESS EVALUATION & OPTIMIZATION

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Context

On an industrial site, the efficient treatment of effluents generated by any production is a real challenge for operators because of significant fluctuations in loads, pH or conductivity. In addition to these constraints, the risk of toxic compounds which could affect the biomass activity is another issue and a major risk for the sustainability of the wastewater treatment plant.

Managing such crises and, at the same time, maintaining the industrial production is a huge challenge, particularly when the treated effluent needs to comply with local regulations. 

On a chemical platform, a wastewater treatment plant operator wishes to identify the effluents responsible for toxic shocks leading to shutdown of the operations (> 50K€ per day), non-conformity and fines (> 5K€). In order to answer the question, three multiparametric NODE Solutions & Services systems (NODE microbial biosensors working with STEI biomass, pH, conductivity, redox potential)  were installed on the plant.

Solutions & Results

A three-month study identified the effluents responsible for toxic shocks. Even if the pH of the effluents from site 1 strongly fluctuate (4-11), they did not impact the biomass activity. On the contrary, the variation of the effluent from site 2 impacted directly the biomass activity leading to a direct decrease in the biosensor signal. Although resilient, the biomass recovers its initial activity level after only a few hours. 

Feedback & Perspectives

The study provided an understanding of the interactions between the effluents from both sites and the impact on the ability of the STEI to cope with these toxicity episodes. Despite a significant dilution effect generated by the flows, it was possible to detect and anticipate toxic shocks. In fact, the operator was able to discuss with manufacturers to alert them on the need to adapt their effluent pre-treatment before release to the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

Protection of Wastewater treatment plants by Detecting & Anticipating toxic events

WASTEWATER SEWAGE SYSTEMS MONITORING &
DISCHARGE CONFORMITY

Context

Detection and characterization of toxic events is a key challenge in the management of wastewater treatment plants. Without any real-time information, operators are unable to anticipate this type of event and become aware of the incident when the toxic shock has already impacted the biomass. This situation leads to non-conforming discharges and significant fines (penalties up to 5K€ per day for non-conformity).

This uncontrolled impact can also lead to expensive curative treatments (OPEX) and in some cases a total reseeding of the treatment units (> 50 K€).

HYDREKA was contacted by an operator in order to measure, continuously and in real time, the quality of the effluents at the inlet of the station as the performances of its plant were often impacted. 

Solutions & Results

The NODE Solutions & Services system allows for a continuous and real time measurement of the organic load as well as the toxicity of the effluents at the inlet of the plant, where it was installed. The user is warned as soon as a toxic event is detected (SMS, email…).

The study highlighted three major toxic events including the date, the relative impact on the biomass activity, the duration and resilience of the biomass.

 

In addition to the NODE biosensor, the multiparametric approach includes a measure of pH, redox potential and conductivity which are useful to qualify the causes of toxicity.

Feedback & Perspectives

A one month study (cost < 5K€) allowed the detection of toxicity events which affected the biomass activity in the aeration tank.

Thanks to these results, the operator, his client and local authorities were able to discuss a strategy to identify the origin of the pollution and cancel the fines of 5K€ per day of non-conformity.

 

To this end, it is planned to install NODE Solutions & Services biosensors in the sewage network in order to identify sectors and potentially, industries, responsible for effluent discharges impacting the treatment plant performance. 

Find out more about the NODE Solutions & Services biosensor by clicking HERE

Real-time monitoring of organic load discharged (BOD5) during combined sewer overflows (CSO)​

Déversoir

Context

While combined sewer systems carry wastewater and stormwater to treatment plants, they can be overloaded during heavy rainfall events. A combined sewer overflow (CSO) diverts excess, yet untreated, water into the environment, potentially causing adverse human health and environmental impacts.

Limits of the current strategies for BOD5 measurement for CSO monitoring:

·Strategy based on a flow-controlled sampler.
·Need power supply on worksite.
·Sample reproducibility & representativeness biases due to average measurement.
·Sample conservation (weekends, public holiday).

Monitoring CSOs with NODE Solutions & Services biosensor enables network operators to understand the hydraulics of the sewer system, allowing teams to respond in real time to identify and control pollution discharges into the environment.

Solutions & Results

·Permanent and real time analysis of BOD5.
·Installation in difficult to access sites/areas.
·Easy and fast installation.
·No additional work costs.
·Online data management.
·Energetically sufficient and communicant.
·Limited maintenance.
·Use of indigenous micro-organisms coming from the sewage system or WWTP.
·No consumable nor reagent.
·Coupled with a flow measurement, the solution meets the requirements of local regulations (pollutant flux discharged in the environment).

Feedback & Perspectives

Applied to CSO monitoring, NODE Solutions & services allows the assessment of the pollution discharged into the Environnement during rainfalls, or storm events. Depending on the local regulations, we are able to convert the pollutant concentration into daily flux (BOD5 kg/day). Compared to spot sampling and lab analysis, the online monitoring solution proposed by the NODE Solution & Services generates an accurate measurement and cost savings.