Wastewater treatment plants are no different from superheroes.
They save millions of people every year from water-borne diseases and pollution by ensuring that all impurities from the water are removed. As the stories of superheroes tell us, fighting off villains and saving lives has its costs.
The hero is surrounded by enemies trying to bring him down.
Wastewater treatment plants must stand out in the open, braving the heat, rain, and wind. But the force of nature is not the only enemy a wastewater treatment plant faces. There exist villains such as evil plants attracted to the water in the WWTP and even people who do not want the plant to function efficiently! -yes you read that right!
Here are the 3 major enemies of the sewage treatment plant.
Cybersecurity threats
In February 2021, an employee in a municipal water treatment plant in Florida noticed his mouse cursor moving erratically on the computer screen. When he tried to investigate the matter, he found that the system had been hacked. What’s worse, the hackers boosted the level of sodium hydroxide in the water supply to 100 times higher than normal.
Generally, it is the superhero who hides his/her identity when operating, but in this case, it is the villains that are hidden and dangerous! Today, many wastewater treatment plants are cyber-physical in nature. This means physical water-treatment equipment is being operated using computers connected to the Internet. Components such as sensors and many automated parts of the wastewater treatment plant. Such systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Hackers could easily take control of the waste treatment plant. They can disturb the proportions of chemical dosages, disrupt filtration processes and cause financial as well as environmental harm along with damage to business reputation. In some cases, hackers put ransomware inside the systems to shut them down before asking for a ransom to remove the damaging program.
A number of simple measures could help prevent cyberattacks
Updating your physical and cyber systems
Spreading awareness among employees about cybersecurity
Building a robust security policy and a backup plan
Explore how cyber attacks originate and spread through systems.
Leaks
Coming back to superheroes, secrecy is the key to the hero’s success. The information regarding their weakness should not be leaked, their identity should not be leaked. If it does, it threatens the lives of those around them! Akin to a superhero, leaks are a formidable enemy of a wastewater treatment plant!
Wastewater treatment plants must stand out in the open, braving the elements of nature. With time, components such as pipes and tanks might age, crack, and begin leaking. A small amount of water leaking continuously from a faulty pipe could cause significant water discharge over time. Similarly, rainwater might leak into effluent streams disturbing the quality and consistency of process water. There could be instances where the flow of process water is routed inefficiently or connections such as valves are poorly sealed. Such cases increase the water consumption of the facility.
Identify any points where rainwater or groundwater or water from broken pipes might be leaking into your effluent stream and seal these gaps. A thorough water audit could be conducted to assess the water usage of the facility and take measures to reduce the water leakage.
Inovar works to help business facilities save and recycle water. We provide the complete set of water management services under one roof, including consultancy, as well as design, manufacturing and installation of efficient water treatment solutions.
Algae growth
Since wastewater treatment plants are always dealing with water, algae could grow on various sensitive components of the plants. For instance, algae can grow on the V-noched weir attached to a launder makes up a typical effluent system in sewage water treatment plants. It is vital to prevent the growth of algae on the weir and the launder. Generally, the two components are cleaned with brushes and chlorine. Such spring brushes are attached to the rotating devices in the clarifier for fast and efficient cleaning. Launders painted with epoxy paint are easier to clean. In some cases, opaque covers are installed on the launders to shield them from the light which promotes the growth of algae.
Ensure your wastewater treatment plant triumphs over these enemies!
A superhero might be surrounded by enemies all the time, but there’s no denying that he/she is strong and capable of triumphing against great odds. Similarly, wastewater treatment plants might be facing threats, but the key to triumphing over these threats lies in two key factors:
The right design of the plant to fit the application needs
Reliable and durable build quality for long-term operations
Inovar works to deliver wastewater treatment plants that deliver on these two key criteria. With 5+ years of experience, Inovar is focused on developing water treatment plants with advanced water filtration technology and a low footprint. In addition, all Inovar water treatment solutions come with annual maintenance contracts ensuring that your wastewater treatment plants stay safe from enemies and keep performing consistently over decades.