Wastewater treatment methods, while important to countless people around the world, are no strangers to facing issues. In fact, it’s estimated that upwards of $180 billion will be needed to repair or replace U.S. storm water and wastewater management plants. But infrastructure isn’t the only issue facing these facilities. Let’s take a look at three of the biggest issues facing wastewater treatment plants and their possible solutions.
Energy Consumption
The Problem:
One of the largest issues facing wastewater management facilities is energy consumption. Sifting through wastewater and storm water consumes almost 3% of a developed nation’s electrical power annually. That means it’s one of the largest expenses in the entire wastewater industry! It might not seem like a lot, but truly the number is exceedingly large.
The Solution:
Fortunately, organizations like Organica are focused on finding cleaner, greener ways to treat wastewater. These include developing new biological membrane technology and enhancing the filtering processes that are already in place.
Staffing
The Problem:
When it comes to wastewater treatment, it’s important to have highly skilled individuals who have the necessary training and education to get the job done right. These individuals are responsible for everything from pipe leaks to electrical malfunctions. And unfortunately, there aren’t enough of them.
The Solution:
Unfortunately, there will always be a high demand for skilled individuals in the wastewater management industry. But there is good news! Thanks to better technology and automation, management duties can be better spread among team members, placing less stress on individuals.
Environmental Footprint
The Problem:
Wastewater management facilities produce sludge; it’s the product of pulling all of the waste out of our water supply. Unfortunately, producing this sludge also means cleaning it up, which means there’s a huge footprint left on the environment.
The Solution:
Again, advanced technology is saving the day. Thanks to technological applications that can effectively reduce the size of the footprint wastewater treatment processes are leaving on the planet. In the future, technology may even allow for a completely green sludge management program.
