Iron Related Bacteria (IRB) is a non-disease producing bacteria that can occur in a water supply when water carries bacteria from the well into treatment systems. While IRB contamination isn’t harmful, it can be nuisance. Iron bacteria are small living organisms that naturally occur in soil, groundwater, and surface waters. Iron bacteria is often found in close proximity to the well screen. The [...]
Do you ever lay awake at night and wonder how your paint is looking in the interior of your vessels? Doubtful. Should you be inspecting your interior paint in your vessels? Absolutely. What should you be looking for? Corrosion and bubbling paint, paying special attention to check near the welds. So, why is this important? Paint issues can lead to leaks, eliminating the ability for the tanks to hold water, leading [...]
A bubbler panel controls the liquid level within a filter vessel. A problem that can occur with bubbler panels is “valve hunting,” when there are large swings in water levels of six inches or more. When this happens there are two areas that need to be checked, the bubbler dip tube located within the filter cell and the reversing relay located inside the panel. When [...]
Managing an On-Site Legionella Event Building owners are often faced with a decision to test the building potable and utility water for Legionella bacteria. The decision to test, how many locations to test, and how often to test, are best structured in a Water Management Plan (WMP) and are specific to each building. The WMP should be developed in accordance with the requirements of the ASHRAE 188-2018 [...]
The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is the heart of any treatment system, and a few simple precautionary measures can dramatically extend the life of your control system. One of the most important components to check and replace is the battery used for program backup in the processor. Manufacturers recommend that PLC batteries be replaced on a yearly basis. Plants can experience shutdown after a power [...]
Wastewater treatment can be overwhelming, and brewery wastewater treatment is no exception. Regulations and permits often require breweries to treat residual wastewater leftover from the brewing process, and failure to treat this water can result in fines and penalties and the effluent from your facility may negatively impact your community. Wastewater treatment comes in various forms, from primary treatment [...]
Can you recommend a product or treatment to assist in the breakdown of a heavy scum layer? Front end screening can aid in the removal of gross solids, followed by mixing which will keep the scum layer homogenized. Once homogenized a dissolved air flotation (DAF) or clarifier can be used to remove the solids prior to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) treatment if needed. If there is at least a day of [...]
The Great Lakes – Upper Mississippi River Board (GLUMRB) of State and Provincial Public Health and Environmental Managers have completed the 2018 Edition of the Recommended Standards for Water Works, commonly referred to as the 10 States Standards. Participating State and Provincial agencies meet on an annual basis to establish design guidelines for the waterworks industry. These policies act as guidelines [...]
Internal filter inspection is an essential part of any scheduled maintenance routine. The external view of your filters is not always an accurate representation of what is happening within. Consistent internal inspections will keep your plant running optimally and provide early detection of issues, that when resolved quickly can prevent the need for larger, more expensive repairs. Below you will find a list of [...]
Industrial consumers have more access to data than ever before, but what to do with it? Can advancements in technology really make us better tomorrow than today? This thought-provoking article will introduce a concept to building context into data to ultimately achieve intelligent actions or recommendations from computing systems. While our example will hit home for water treaters, the concept behind this process and [...]
Design build projects are not a new concept in the construction industry but is new to the water treatment industry. In recent years, an inflation of design build work has emerged within the marketplace and it’s expected to continue to gain momentum. So, what is a design build project? Design build projects often require bidding into a design build proposal rather than bidding directly to a contractor. This [...]
When operating cooling towers, solids build up in the recirculated water. Cooling towers effectively scrub large volumes of air, which adds solids consisting of dust, microbiological organisms, and various airborne debris. Tower water can also have suspended solids from the make-up water source (e.g., turbidity), chemical treatment products, microbiological growth, and even wood fibers from the tower itself. As they [...]