6 Ways California Water Treatment Plants Can Improve Efficiency in 2022
The water treatment plants in California need to improve their efficiency to meet the demands of the growing population and limited water supply. When these plants function suboptimally, they increase the financial demands on the municipalities and deliver less water to the people who need it. That doesn’t mean the well has to dry up, however. Here are six ways California water treatment plants can improve their efficiency and keep the stream flowing in 2022.
Leverage SCADA systems
With cloud-based SCADA systems from providers like Telstar Instruments, water treatment plants can track their toxin and chemical levels from anywhere they can access Wi-Fi. Managers and operators can see what is happening in real-time at their water plants, even if they aren’t directly on site. These systems are a boon for productivity because they enable easy automation and remote monitoring and access.
By tracking toxins and chemicals remotely, employees can analyze and share the information to better care for the plants and the water that comes from them.
Water treatment plants use pumps to move water through the filters. The pumps can have variable flow rates depending on needs. Audits are necessary for plant managers to assess how well the pumps function.
Auditors should look for energy use, flow rates, and the age of the pump. Some of the larger pumps might look like they are doing the most work, but they might not be as efficient as newer, lightweight pumps.
Invest in renewable energy with wastewater converters and digesters
The most efficient water treatment plants use wastewater as a renewable energy source. With converters and digesters, methane from wastewater can be turned into an energy source that can power the treatment plant and more. As California is leading the way in renewable energy, this recycling is one more way to show the rest of the world how to stop relying on fossil fuels.
The most efficient water treatment plants use smart metering and monitors to evaluate their infrastructure in real-time. These monitors gather information and analyze the efficiency to make immediate performance changes.
Watch the vital signs
Employees can see signs of something wrong by watching the effluents, noticing increased operational costs, and paying attention to chemical expenses. When any of these increase significantly, something requires repairs in the treatment plant.
Set benchmarks and performance targets
To better evaluate how the plant is performing, managers can create performance targets and benchmarks to reach them. Managers can begin with the Water Resource Foundation self-assessment, then make decisions based on the outcome.
Wrap up
To improve the efficiency of water treatment plants, managers can set benchmarks, audit pumps, and pay attention to expenses and effluents. Managers can also add smart monitors and SCADA systems to receive real-time pictures of what is happening and what needs fixing. California’s water treatment plants keep millions of Golden Coast residents hydrated year-round, so it’s vital to ensure that these plants advance with technology.
