Wastewater treatment plants are critical for the safe recycling and return of used water to the environment. In fact, nearly 34 billion gallons of wastewater is processed in wastewater treatment facilities in the US every day. The treatment process protects humans and ecosystems, eliminating the health risks untreated water can pose to the public. However, there are many challenges in the operation of wastewater treatment facilities.
Challenges for Wastewater Treatment Plants
The operation of wastewater treatment plants can be energetically and financially costly. In fact, in countries like the US, the wastewater plant processes can use up to 15% of the nation’s electricity each year.
Equipment maintenance and staffing can be major challenges in the operation waste treatment plants. Often, it is hard to find qualified plant operators and technicians, and operational management can sometimes eat 30% of operating costs. In situations where treatment plants are remote and hard to access, the use of resources to send staff to physically evaluate or monitor treatment systems, pumps, and tank levels can be costly.
The environmental footprint is also a concern in the water treatment process. Recent advances in technology have improved the process of water treatment and waste disposal, however, equipment malfunctions and spills can still create hazardous conditions.
Benefits of Remote Wastewater Treatment Plant Monitoring
Fortunately, there are options for combatting the difficulties facing wastewater treatment operations. Remote monitoring is one such solution that can make a big impact on plant operations.
1.  Remote monitoring can help reduce operating costs
Remote monitoring helps to save resources allocated to deploying staff to physically monitor and evaluate conditions at the facility. This makes a big difference, especially when the facility’s location is difficult to access. Remote monitors work for you 24/7, providing constant access to information about your pumps, air release valves, tank levels, and more.
Additionally, remote monitoring systems provide real-time alerts for pump or valve issues and tank levels, and some technologies even provide automated or remote controls to shut off pumps or close valves in the event of a spill or pump failure. This allows operators to make more efficient responses to emergent situations and be more prepared for maintenance needs when arriving on-site, saving valuable time and money.
2.  Remote Monitoring can Optimize Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations
When operators have constant knowledge of facility and equipment conditions, more informed decisions can be made regarding budgets and maintenance plans. Real-time data provided by remote monitoring systems can give a deeper insight into the health of a wastewater treatment plant, the life-expectancy of pumps and other equipment, and can notify when something is beginning to malfunction.
Being able to stay proactive in strategizing maintenance plans helps to enhance operations and equipment performance, and reduce instances of low system performance and costly system downtime. It also allows resources to be used in ways that can maximize the budget, and further optimize operations.
3.  Remote monitoring can protect environmental and public health
The protection of environmental and public health is of the utmost importance, and it is a part of why wastewater treatment plants are so critical. Remote monitors and controls aid in preventing environmental damages by allowing swift action to be taken in the case of an emergency situation, and create a safer working environment for operators and technicians when they arrive on site.
What Kind of remote monitoring is available for wastewater treatment plants?
Many kinds of remote monitoring technologies and automated controls have been designed for use in wastewater treatment plants. These include sensors that can monitor flow rates, pressure, equipment conditions/performance, water levels, and temperature, as well as controls that can help prevent spills and by shutting off pumps. It is important to find the technology right for your system that is affordable and meets your specific needs.
How can Reign RMC help
Reign RMC is a company that designs and builds remote monitoring technologies for wastewater treatment plant applications. They offer reliable and affordable smart solutions for water and wastewater management, as well as for oil & gas companies looking for smart tanking monitoring and off-site pump control solutions.
