An investment in drinking water and wastewater systems is undertaken to protect public health and the environment. However, given the recent economic climate and its near halting effects on the water and wastewater treatment industry, the decision to move ahead on a capital project is one that should not be taken lightly. Whether you are designing a new facility or upgrading an older site, any capital investment, particularly one connected to the procurement of treatment equipment, should include the implementation of measures to protect that capital investment. The most effective way to protect an equipment purchase is to follow manufacturer-recommended maintenance and service procedures and schedules. Doing so not only optimally maintains the equipment, it also helps to ensure adherence to warranty requirements. Additionally, utilities with limited support staff should consider maintenance contracts offered by a manufacturer or recommended service providers.
Similarly featured competitive water and wastewater treatment equipment is not all alike, and the largest differentiator can often be manufacturers’ after-sale service. An equipment purchase is effectively the start of a long relationship between the purchasing company and manufacturer, going well beyond the installation, start-up and commissioning of a system. As a result, it’s important to focus on the service and maintenance a manufacturer offers throughout the life of the equipment. A simple review of the following service offerings will help ensure a partnership with a manufacturer that understands what is required to effectively support their system:
- Availability of service locations, regionally and locally
- 24/7 access for routine or emergency contact
- Ease of obtaining spare parts
- Availability of spare parts agreements and full-service maintenance agreements
- Availability of service documentation and ease of obtaining copies for purchaser records
Water and wastewater system operators, too, play an important role in ensuring reliable water and wastewater equipment performance. Proper operation and maintenance of water and wastewater treatment equipment depends largely on the qualifications of the operators and the training they’ve received to support the equipment. Equipment-specific training from a manufacturer at start-up and routinely throughout the life of the equipment is important, especially given the high turnover rate of trained and experienced operators at water and wastewater treatment facilities.
From an operation and maintenance perspective, some of the common deficiencies affecting the ability to follow manufacturer-recommended procedures and schedules include:
- Lack of adequate treatment equipment
- Lack of maintenance equipment
- Poor record keeping
- Absence of O&M manuals
- Lack of regular maintenance
- The absence of replacement parts/supplies
On-site sodium hypochlorite generation system - maintenance profile
For more than ten years, on-site sodium hypochlorite generation has gained increasing acceptance as an alternative form of disinfection treatment in water and wastewater applications. Severn Trent Services’ ClorTec® systems easily generate a 0.8 percent sodium hypochlorite solution on demand by combining salt, water and electricity to provide a stable source of disinfection. While ClorTec systems are easy to maintain, they do require daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly maintenance to ensure operation at optimum levels.
An efficiency test is done at the start-up of any ClorTec system. This testing confirms the performance levels (operating temperature, sodium hypochlorite solution addition, etc.) required for the constant production of a 0.8 percent sodium hypochlorite solution using set salt and power consumption levels. Following the manufacturer-recommended maintenance and service schedules after start-up will help to maintain the same efficiency levels, ensure compliance with warranty requirements and provide economic benefits to the end user.
When properly maintained, the equipment can be used for the full intended life, and unnecessary replacements and repairs can be avoided, leading to cost savings. Well maintained systems will experience less unplanned downtime, lessening the need to purchase a back-up method of disinfection (such as commercial bulk) and reducing the requirement of manpower to attend to unplanned maintenance. When systems operate as expected, the morale of plant personnel increases, since they are not engaging in reactionary measures to treat the system.
Maintaining a consistent solution strength also is key to the overall performance – not only of a ClorTec system, but of ancillary equipment used with the ClorTec system as well. For example, an inconsistent solution strength places strain on chemical feed pumps when additional disinfectant (residual) is required. As a result, the pumps incur unnecessary wear and tear and increased manpower to address any problems that arise.
Two final ways to ensure the highest level of performance of any water or wastewater equipment are to consider manufacturers’ parts or maintenance contracts and to use only manufacturer-recommended spare parts. Parts and maintenance programs help ensure that necessary work is done without burdening purchaser staffs, which frequently are quite lean to begin with. As an example, Severn Trent Services offers quarterly and annual maintenance contracts that are proven to optimize equipment performance and ensure longer life. And, manufacturer-provided refresher training can quickly bring new employees up to speed on proper equipment operation and maintenance.
Properly replacing worn out parts is important because equipment warranties may be voided through the purchase of non-authorized parts. In addition, such parts may not function as effectively as manufacturer-recommended parts, jeopardizing system performance. Of course, frequently used spare parts should be kept on site at the facility, and most manufacturers offer recommendations as to the spare parts that should be kept on hand.
Water and wastewater equipment is no different than any other major capital investment. Following manufacturer recommendations and proper maintenance are the best ways to ensure a long and productive life.
For more information, e-mail info@severntrentservices.com.
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