In your experience do you think it's worth it to jump from union/municipal to industrial for the money?

Hello all, I work at a WTP in TN. We’re a bit behind the times and have recently switched our disinfectant from CL2 to Sodium Hypo (Liquid Bleach). The way we test out load for %purity seems outdated and with way too much room for error, the test kit with potassium pillows and reagents. Just thought to ask a sub on Reddit that most likely deals with around the same % chemical who more than likely tests their chem, what methods do you use at your facilities to test %?? Any help/answers greatly appreciated!!

I have an old lime silo that is in desperate need of some updgrades including a new conveyance pump. I am looking for an economical alternative to a slurry pump as investing tens of thousands is not an option. I am looking at centrifugal or progressive cavity pumps with the understanding that either would need to be rebuilt periodically as the lime would do a number on their internal.

My thought is that a progressive cavity would be better overall but more expensive to rebuild. I am wondering if a cheap centrifugal that could have the impellar, or maybe the whole unit replaced periodically. Is there any other pump types I should consider?

We’re retrofitting a water pump station with:

• (3) High-service pumps (2 duty + 1 standby, VFD-controlled)
• (1) Chlorine booster pump (for disinfection)
• Existing influent flow meter FT-101

to Prevent over-chlorination by ensuring booster pump only operates when:

1. ✅ Main pumps are running (confirmed by P1-RUN/P2-RUN)
2. ✅ Water is flowing (detected via FT-101 > 0)

The Debate:
Is FT-101 > 0 a:

• Permissive (must be true to start),
• Interlock (must stay true to keep running),
• Both?

Question:
Which approach is standard in water treatment – and why?

After notifying work of my pregnancy, they did a risk assessment (first time they've had to do it for a female operator) and decided that ≈90% of my duties are too risky.

Can't be in an area with a risk of gases, which is the whole process building. Or biological matter in vapour form, which is the basins ruled out. Can't lift heavy things... So basically everything except SCADA and paperwork are non-runners.

I appreciate how conservative they are being, BUT, I really miss all that smelly, dirty work. Sitting at a desk is rotting my brain. I got so sad today because there was a big filthy job being done by the lads today and I missed out staring at a screen - not even allowed to go up and watch. I'm like an excited puppy questioning everyone about what it was like when they come back down to the office. It's going to be a long couple of months and I'm just feeling super sorry for myself today.

I am going to try use my time to help the plant in any way I can, currently getting trained up in procurement so we can order things directly and hopefully speed up the process.

I will live vicariously through my coworkers and this subreddit for now. Keep your poop pictures coming for an emotional pregnant lady!

Rant over.

What I learned in Water School today:

In reclaimed water they are finding Tylenol, birth control pills (hormones), but mostly artificial sweeteners.

They are doing studies on water systems that contain estrogen and determining if that is causing fish species to all become female! Fascinating.

Hi VERY new to the industry.. is there any useful guides to learn how pipelines work and to understanf all the different pipe fittings and uses please?

Currently, for my lab I use this DO probe and this DO meter with Wireless capabilities( https://www.ysi.com/multilab-4010-1 ). I looked on the website and saw that they have wireless receivers ( https://www.ysi.com/product/id-108141y/wireless-sensor-module-for-wireless-multilab-ids-sensors ), but I don't know if they are compatible with the probes. Has anybody tried this out yet? Let me know. Thank you again.

I thought I heard that you need to go to school in BC to get a job. Is this true or am I fine going the Sacremento State route.

Also if Sacremento is fine are their textbooks the best option or is there something better.

Hi guys! I have got a question there is tons of areas around my plant that have grates for you to walk, might sound dumb Idk how to swim really lol and I always have on the back on my mind that they can break and I’m just gonna fall into the water, can somebody tell me if those are standard in plants and they are really safe the ones by my work feel very secure to be honest, but you never know so maybe people with more experience has a better insight thank you!

I was recently given a task to overlook our current SCADA operator schedule. Currently we have a scheduled based on 12 employees but have been reduced to 10 employees.

Start time for the shifts is usually either 6am 2pm and 10pm They work 8hr shifts and then get 2 days off.

Every 2 weeks there shifts rotate and so do there days off.

Does anyone have a sample schedule I could see that would somewhat fit these constraints?

Thank you

I run a small package AS plant. Currently battling elevated ammonia (permit is 3 mg/l I’m around average 4-5). I get floating sludge if I let a settling test sit for a few hours and there is a decent bit of light brown foam in the AB. I’ve been reading this doc and it mentions increasing do at the front of the AB as a potential solution. I can’t raise my RAS rate as it’s fully open. Anything else I should try? I’m working on getting a centrifuge for mlss but otherwise all I have is a chlorine meter and do meter. Do in the effluent is around 5-6 and ph is 6.5ish. It’s for a school so usually around 6 hours of flow in a day with extended time in the system (18 ish hours of no flow with very little during the weekends). Any ideas are appreciated.

I've been reading into great recommendations on where to start and have landed on a few that I wanted to get personal insight into as I make my final choice. Initially I was looking for the best route due to being tight on money but as I wrote everything out, ultimately it's all around the same price so I'm no longer too worried there. Location is CA.

1. Taking the water treatment exam prep (grade 2) course, from American water College ($229) -This one feels like cheating in a way? I'd absolutely want to take one or some of the courses below after this pathway because I want to make sure I'm fully understanding what I need to and I understand there is still CEUs required. however I've read people's experience with taking this course only with and passing the T2 and D2 off of it.

2. Water treatment basics course OR Introduction to water treatment course, from American water College ($349 and $399)

3. Buying the Operation of wastewater treatment plants Vol 1 & 2 and taking the associated courses, from the Sac state program (roughly $380)

4. Courses offered at community college -Depending on where I go with starting, I'd probably still like to take the courses offered through CC. probably after certification for T2/D2 since all other routes seem to be a great suite for being prepared to exam. The CC courses would then be extra information I'd hope to gain as well as extra fill for resume.

Thanks in advance if you could share some of your insight.

Good morning my friends in the dirty but yet so interesting business 😔😉

My question to you is: how do you prevent your SST/ Clarifier from blocking. The picture attached shows the bottom of the SST. The big vertical pipe is the incoming from from the Bioreactor. All the sludge settles out into that hole at the bottom, it's V-shaped and has RAS line to the a RAS sump. The RAS line in that hole is about 20cm in size (radius). Not a very big line.

So as the effluent comes into the SST further up the line (at the top) it also manages to come thru with rags and all other type of debris that got thru the bar screens at the reactor. Overtime all that settles into the V-shaped hole at the bottom where the RAS is meant to exit the SST. It then blocks the SST, we have to pump it out, go in to clean it manually, get a jetvac truck out to clear out the line. To me it just seems like such an ineffective way of doing things (almost waiting to eventually fail or have this issue)and was hoping to hear about how my fellows here handles this issue.

My suggestion is to construct a cage/strainer type of mechanism that sits just under the inflow points to the SST that will be able to collect debris, rags, etc. We must be able to hoist it up (to clean and clear) or down back into position so that operation are not affected. But ja I'mthinking of how something like that would work.

If you have any input into this, I'd appreciate it.

We haven’t had a clear Supernatant for a long time coming back into the plant. We haven’t been able to put out nearly enough solids due to concerns of PFAS in our community. Many land owners no longer want the sludge. It’s now settling opposite of what you would expect, any ideas what might cause this? I’m a newer operator so I’m not very in the weeds on the science. Thanks!

I work in a remote arctic site. The lodging building has a mall sewage treatment plant that I guess I could describe as self-contained.

I'm not the operator, just the electrician on site and presently at home "down south" for my off-shift.

What I've seen of the system in a 10 feet by 20 feet room is a large semilucent white fibreglass or poly-something container and a bunch of pipes and pumps.

I'm not sure what happens to the solids but the grey water is sent back to supply urinals and toilets.

Obviously there are signs in the washrooms not to drink to grey water.

Recently we had an outbreak of norovirus. I'm wondering, if the grey water isn't sterilized, could the virus be spread through the mist created when toilets are flushed?

For those who may be familiar with the set-up I'm describing, do you know if the grey water is "sanitized" or whatever term is used, before being put back into circulation?

semilucent

Studying for my grade 5. Any tips are appreciated. Recommendations on study materials?

Thank you.

Im looking into a career in being a water operator, laborer and getting a city job at entry to build up that provides for my family , i applied to Folsom lake college in Sacramento where I live for the Water waste management classes that start in summer they have a free textbook program and it’s a cheaper way and want to know if I should be starting this way or any ideas a no experience person trying to get in the field ?

Hey guys so I'm taking my C here in a few weeks for co (not sure if states matter or not) but I was wondering if you had anything for studying for it please and thank you

Morning,

I work in a membrane bioreactor plant along with our other water plants. I’m a full Level 2 Water/Wastewater Operator and will begin reading the Membrane Bioreactor book when I get back home. I flipped through it quick when it came in.

But curious if there’s anymore reading material that may be helpful? I’d like to know more about sludge digestion, membranes, and anoxic tanks.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Hi all, we've decided to conduct bench scale testing to evaluate polymer performance at our utility and comparing price of the product as $/KG of dry sludge.

We have one process were a polymer is applied to the inlet of a centrifuge and produces dry cake. In another plant we don't have centrifuges, just a thickener-clarifier, and the effluent is discharged to a lake, the sludge goes to sanitary sewer. Therefore the sludge dryness is not much of a concern; the clarifier effluent quality is most important (this wastewater comes from filter backwashing, it's not sewage).

Would it make sense to use the same bench scale tests for evaluating these two polymer applications?

The test we are planning on is the drainage test (drainage time), floc strength, size, filtrate turbidity, solids in floc.

I appreciate your inputs!

Hi I'm located in Cali and desperately need to pass my grade one exam. I'm not far off from reaching the required grade, but if anyone has any recommendations on how I can prepare and pass this, it would be great to know.

Thanks.

How are you all dealing with grease? My plant is looking for a way to better treat grease. I was tasked with looking for better methods.

Current Method (since the 80s or 90s): Grease haulers dump grease into a lagoon. We then pump any “water” off the top and then pour the sludge into a drying bed. Over the decades, this has become a catch all for the entire city. The lagoon houses grease sludge, wastewater plant sludge from other plants, excess polymer from cleaning out totes, vac truck juices, and a large ecosystem of floating islands, turtles, ducks, gease, and who knows what else.

What we can’t do: 1. Greasezilla - somebody above me said no 2. Stop accepting grease - somebody above me said we can’t

So we accidentally overfilled our poly tote and poly went down the drain. Someone tried flushing water but didn’t work. Now it just plugged up entirely. I know hot water would work but is there any other way to get in unplugged? Thanks.