Understanding Water Service Entries
Water Engineering & Management
May 2003
Don Renner
This series of articles will describe each of the separate functions or components of the entry line as individual items and will detail how each can be used or placed. Additional information within each article will describe the operating characteristics of each device as well as some tips on maintenance and service. The articles will not cover water shutoff valves or devices.
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Flow Monitoring Springboards City to System-wide Sewer Management Solution
Water & Wastes Digest
April 2003
The forward-looking Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSDGC) saw a dynamic model of most of Cincinnati's collection system as the tool that would support improved sewer system management, including sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) and combined sewer overflow (CSO) control, planning, and operations.
Hydrostatic Level Gauging System Requires Little Maintenance
Water & Wastes Digest
April 2003
The new WELL WATCHER (TM) hydrostatic level gauging system from AMETEK Drexelbrook was developed to be an easy-to-use, high-accuracy liquid level measurement system designed for a wide range of applications from basic well level measurement to sophisticated process tank level control.
Waveguide Solves Digester Level Monitoring Dilemma
Water & Wastes Digest
March 2003
The level in an anaerobic digester is a critical measurement. If the top foam level gets too high, it can enter the gas collection pipeline and lead to costly maintenance. The city of Orillia, located north of Toronto, Canada, has found a reliable level measurement system for the two anaerobic digesters at its wastewater treatment center.
Reverse Osmosis - Anion-Filtration Water Plant Run by a Single Automation Platform with Fieldbus Communications
Water Engineering & Management
January 2003
Robert Oreskovich, John Contestable, Ken Flatt, Ian C. Watson, P.E., and John Rifleman
A new 3.0 mgd water treatment plant on North Carolina's Cape Hatteras is believed to be the first in the United States to apply Foundation fieldbus for device-level control communications. The plant, built by the Dare County Water Department near the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, has been operating without a problem since startup more than two years ago. Fieldbus has been widely applied in all process industries including electric power generation, an industry also cautious to adapt new technology.
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Odor Control System
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2003
Brent Howe
Odor complaints have become an all too familiar subject to WWTP managers. They are not only expected to manage their plants effectively and efficiently, meeting both regulatory specs and budget requirements – they are also expected to be good neighbors and keep odor under control. This article describes the successful odor control efforts of the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District located in Lawrenceburg, Ind.
New Analyzer Takes Readings During the Treatment Process
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2003
A unique ammonia/phosphate analyzer designed to take readings directly in the wastewater, in other words, precisely where the nutrient concentration needs to be measured, also delivers real-time, online information about nutrient concentration in the process.
Wireless Automation Opens Door to New Monitoring Options
Water & Wastes Digest
November 2002
Donala Water and Sanitation serves a large community of upscale homes in suburban Colorado Springs. In 1995, Donala turned to GMS Engineering of Colorado Springs to create a Request for Proposal for a comprehensive radio-based telemetry network that would grow with the rapidly expanding district. From the RFP, a Motorola MOSCAD wireless telemetry system was selected. Once it was installed, the district began to realize benefits from the new technology.
Sludge Measurement System Thrives in Extreme Temperatures
Water & Wastes Digest
September 2002
Solartron Mobrey's MSL600 system recently was tested as part of an evaluation process conducted by Toronto, Canada's Highland Creek sewage treatment plant managers. After careful analysis of the results, they determined the MSL600 sludge level monitoring system installed on trial at the plant performed without problem even at temperatures as low as -28°C.
Automated Treatment, Monitoring System Keeps An Eye On Operations
Water & Wastes Digest
September 2002
To make the most of its resources, including operator time and energy, Warrington Township Water and Sewer Department--located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania--installed a compact sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system when the facility was built four years ago. And an equally hardworking Hach OptiQuant SST Analyzer, installed two years ago, keeps a vigilant eye on the final product.
Controllers: Caribbean Plants Enlist Remote System to Control Operations
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2002
Through experience and in-depth knowledge of its own geographic region, P.A.S. Technologies (PAS) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been able to identify and recommend affordable control solutions such as the implementation of the Sensaphone SCADA 3000, a product of Phonetics, Inc. of Aston, Pa. For PAS, the Sensaphone unit has achieved more than just customer satisfaction, it has also help the company grow increasingly active in the control solutions industry in the Caribbean.
Midwest City Saves Money By Controlling Dissolved Oxygen In Aeration Basin
Water & Wastes Digest
May 2002
Maintaining the proper concentration of dissolved oxygen in an aeration basin is necessary to keep microorganisms alive for breakdown of the organic waste. When the dissolved oxygen content becomes too high, costly energy is wasted, and expensive aeration equipment endures unneeded wear. A small Midwestern city is a case in point, illustrating the benefits of continuous dissolved oxygen monitoring and control.
Automated Chlorine Control Brings Precision to Water Reclamation Operation
Water Engineering & Management
May 2002
By Steve Kobler
Using reclaimed water for non-potable purposes as a means of conserving potable water supplies is the most prevalent method of water reuse in the United States today. One of the significant challenges for water reclamation facilities is to keep up with the demands for safe, compliant chlorine (Cl2) treatment. One utility that is effectively meeting this challenge is Southern California’s Otay Water District.
Avoiding Possible Problems in Submersible Motors
Water Engineering & Management
January 2002
Tom Sgritta
Typical agricultural, domestic and municipal systems are excellent applications for these motors. Unfortunately, these motors often are used in applications that unknowingly exceed the design criteria of the motors.
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Pumping System Helps Town Bring New Development Up to Code
Water Engineering & Management
November 2001
When a Leicester, Mass., developer planned a subdivision of 16 houses at the same elevation as the town’s water tower, he was faced with the problem of how to provide minimum water pressure mandated by the state. He had read about the use of a Goulds Aquavar pump control system in high-rise commercial buildings, and the idea of a variable-speed system appealed to him. He thought a pressure-demand system might do the job cost effectively.
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High-Tech Products: Instrumentation
Water & Wastes Digest
October 2001
Sensors and Analyzers Prove Instrumental in Preserving Civil War Sub: Recovered Submarine Requires Chloride Removal to Prevent Rust and Corrosion
High-tech: Samplers
Water & Wastes Digest
September 2001
Hach Company
New Analyzer Offers Continuous Measurement, Dual Stream Sample
High-tech Products: Controllers
Water & Wastes Digest
August 2001
Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation recently has introduced the SP600 AC drive -- featuring a unique icon-based operator interface module that offers either Sensorless Vector Control (SVC) or V/Hz operation.
New Water Meter Thrives in Harsh Environment
Water & Wastes Digest
July 2001
The Nevada desert: grit, dust, blazing hot sun by day and ground frosts by night. Just the place to stake out a water meter in an open pit and see how long it can last. That is what happened to a new SmartMeter -- with some revealing results.
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SCADA Keeps City in Fresh Water
Water Engineering & Management
May 2001
The City of Blackfoot is a small town of 10,000 located in southeastern Idaho. Like many communities in the region, Blackfoot relies on a collection of wells for its drinking water.
New Cartridge-type D.O. Sensor Saves Time, Money
Water & Wastes Digest
April 2001
By Jim Klauer
To address the inherent measurement problems of electrode contamination, electrolyte depletion, and membrane coating, GLI International, Inc. has introduced a dissolved oxygen sensor featuring a replaceable membrane cartridge.
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Ammonia, Nitrate and Phosphate: Not Just for Effluent Monitoring
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2001
Many wastewater facilities have limits on the levels of ammonia, nitrate, and/or phosphate allowed in their discharges. These limits are getting more stringent at more facilities every year. As these limits are lowered, periodic sampling may not be sufficient to determine that the plant is truly in compliance, or operating as intended.
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At Work on Flow Measuring Devices
Water Engineering & Management
January 2001
In the past, a pitot tube meter was used to profile the pipe and measure the flow at the two points. The valuable time required by divers to accomplish flow profiling on the gulf sea floor and less than satisfactory results led to a search for a better flowmeter.
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Products At Work: Company Lowers Operating Costs with Predictive Maintenance
Water Engineering & Management
January 2001
When you have to ensure service to 4,000,000 customers, predictive maintenance is a must," said Michel Mercier, technical director of Syndicat des Eaux de I’Ile de France (SEDIF), the water treatment and distribution company serving major portions of Paris and suburbs.
Remote Water Treatment Process System Benefits
Water Engineering & Management
January 2001
Andy Harris
Conventional water treatment control systems often lack the ability to communicate all process parameters from a centralized location to the point of operation. Thus, standardized control of all the facilities within a water district is difficult. Process adjustments performed onsite may not conform to federal, state or municipal regulations for water quality control.
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Compound Costs of Instrument Inaccuracies
Water Engineering & Management
October 2000
Tony Palmer
Inaccurate chemical analyzers can cost facilities much more in chemical waste per year than the cost of the analyzer itself.
Hydrogen Sulfide Control in Wastewater Collection Systems
Water Engineering & Management
August 2000
Tony Palmer, Paul Lagasse and Maureen Ross
When most environmental professionals think about hydrogen sulfide control in their wastewater collection systems, they are concerned with odor and corrosion. Instrumentation is now available to measure sulfides online, providing the opportunity to optimize the chemical dosage and monitor sulfide control.
New Actuator Offers Safe, Automatic Control of Cylinder Valves
Water & Wastes Digest
March 2000
Gary Slaydon
Continued efforts to eliminate the use of chlorine gas for disinfection of water and wastewater make all participants aware of the hazards of using and not using chlorine. Increasing demands by environmentalists — combined with concerns by chlorine manufacturers, distributors, and end users — have been responsible for the creation of many information and regulatory agencies.
Making the Right Choices for Your Wireless SCADA System
Water & Wastes Digest
February 2000
Ernest J. Zingleman
When considering a wireless data system design, everyone has a checklist of elements to consider. Some are obviously important and others tend to get overlooked. The following elements tend to fall into the latter category but have a far from insignificant impact on the long-term success and performance of your system.
Open Channel Flow Reporting Improved and Streamlined
Water Engineering & Management
January 2000
FlowReporter programs can be adapted to operate with other microprocessor-based flowmeters provided the necessary technical specifications are supplied to accommodate such adaptations or program developments.
Company Eases the Work Flow with a Process Calibrator
Water Engineering & Management
January 2000
Eight years ago, Dan Dickerson, who owns Control & Instrument Services in Worthington, Ohio, decided it was time to break from his job at a civil engineering firm, strike out on his own and start his own business. It paid off. Today, Dickerson's firm is one of Ohio's paramount field testing companies.
Ultrasonic Flowmeters Provide Cost-effective Measurements
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2000
If your wastewater plant is like most others, you are probably using several flowmeters to monitor the system. But as the cost of water rises, so does the cost of measurement. A comprehensive line of flowmeters is available from Panametrics in Waltham, Mass., to accurately and reliably measure many liquids.
Multi-year Project Wraps Up With Installation of Permanent Flowmeters throughout Dallas
Water & Wastes Digest
January 2000
The City of Dallas recently awarded a $1.3 million contract to Byrd/Forbes Associates, Inc., which will employ American Sigma 950 Portable Area Velocity Flow Meters to perform temporary and permanent flow monitoring. The overall project includes GPS (x, y, and z) of each manhole for use in updating system maps and construction of a dynamic hydraulic model.
Retrofitting Valve Actuators
Water & Wastes Digest
March 1999
This article contains just some of the information available in a new, 24-page booklet from Rotork Controls, Inc.
Lead-Based Paint Removal Presents Challenges
Water Engineering & Management
February 1998
Blake Elliott, Peter Zanoni, Ed Ralle and Brad Fuller
Shrouded power tool technology efficiently removes paint without the health concerns and high disposal cost of abrasive blasting.
Oil in Water Monitoring: The Continuous On-line Advantage
Water & Wastes Digest
January 1998
Mark D. Uhrich
The goal for effectively implementing monitoring programs is achieving favorable economics, meeting regulatory discharge limits, and limiting operational and maintenance routines.
The Impact of Windows, Handheld Technology on Data Logging
Water & Wastes Digest
November 1997
Sian Currie
The huge impact of Microsoft Windows is not confined to applications running on the desktop PC. Today, Windows is also having a major impact on the world of instrumentation, transforming many devices from simple and inflexible monitoring tools into much more versatile reconfigurable products.
Velocity Flowmeter Aids Sanitary Wastewater Sewer System Evaluation Survey
Water Engineering & Management
May 1997
The end of the sewer line for unincorporated Sedgwick County is the Kansas Coliseum. Home to two professional sports teams, the 10,000-seat events arena hosts concerts, exhibitions and livestock shows. A 25,000-seat outdoor amphitheater expansion is now being considered. In addition, a proposal is in effect for a nearby residential development.
Verifying Open Channel Flowmeter Performance
Water & Wastes Digest
May 1997
Larry Marsh
Literally billions of dollars in infrastructure decisions are based on the results from I & I studies using velocity area flowmeters. When thoroughly tested, most commercial flowmeters are shown to be inadequate for most wastewater flow measurement needs.
The Seven Basic Types of Temperature Sensors
Water & Wastes Digest
April 1997
A sensor device normally operates along with another instrument that either measures or monitors a process, records it, or provides control of the temperature.
SCADA Optimizes Plant Performance
Water Engineering & Management
February 1997
SCADA gives plant operators the tools they need to develop new process strategies and implement new controls, lowering operating costs while improving effluent quality. Overall, SCADA makes it easier to optimize the plant's performance.
Don't Let Instrumentation Break Your Budget
Water & Wastes Digest
January 1997
Marc Cartier
You can avoid budget overruns, schedule delays and painfully lingering problems with good instrument system architecture and vendor support.
Optimizing Metering Pump Applications Accessories
Water & Wastes Digest
October 1996
Dave Walker
During these times of economic constraints and increasingly stringent environmental and occupational health and safety regulations, it becomes imperative that applications requiring the dispensing and metering of expensive and hazardous chemicals be accomplished with the utmost accuracy, care and control.
SCADA System Uses Packet Radios to Lower Telemetry Costs
Water Engineering & Management
August 1996
David P. Clement
Having a long history of remote monitoring, the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati had a good idea of what they were looking for when integrating a SCADA system.
Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Control
Water & Wastes Digest
May 1996
Jim Dartez
Historically, the parameters of the secondary clarifier mass balance rate have been monitored manually by trained operators and laboratory technicians. They continually have taken grab samples and run laboratory analyses of various samples of suspended solids, flow calculations, and the determination of sludge blanket level in the secondary clarifier.
Buying an Automatic Sampler: Key Considerations
Water & Wastes Digest
April 1996
Denise Shaffer
Buying sampling equipment requires careful assessment of your needs and options. And with regulatory requirements calling for a keener focus on water sampling, analyzing and monitoring, the more input you get regarding the subject the better.
Choosing the Right Transducer for the Application
Water & Wastes Digest
April 1996
Pressure transducers have numerous applications in water and wastewater treatment. This article describes some of the more common transducer technologies and discusses some of the key factors to consider when specifying transducers for water/wastewater applications.
SCADA System in Action
Water & Wastes Digest
February 1996
In 1992, the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) completed a major $8 million rehabilitation project including the installation of dial-up alarm monitoring and file transfer SCADA system.
Smart Control System Design|
Water Engineering & Management
October 1995
Keith R. Lenart
The final article in a series on instrumentation and computers discusses control system design.
Keep Your SCADA System Working
Water Engineering & Management
September 1995
William Biehl
Fourth article in a series looks at maintaining computerized control systems for water and wastewater facilities
What is a Fieldbus and Why Should I Care?
Water Engineering & Management
July 1995
Herb D. Fiddick
The second article in a series on instrumentation addresses the fieldbus concept and its impact on utilities.
Matching Coupling Style to Application Correctly
Water Engineering & Management
June 1995
Mark McCullough
Simply replacing a worn coupling with a new one may not be the wisest decision. This how-to article discusses methods for choosing the best type of coupling based on the application
Finding the Right Instrumentation
Water Engineering & Management
March 1995
Mark D. Weiss
Municipalities, consulting firms and regulatory agencies join forces to test and evaluate common types of industry instrumentation.
Multi-stage Control System Supports German Region's Water Needs
Water Engineering & Management
March 1995
Dr. Joachim Schillgalies and Gerhard Kreiling
A water utility serving 500,000 people in 31 jurisdictions installed a complex monitoring and control system for its supply, treatment and distribution facilities.
Monitoring Processes Using Wireless Data Acquisition
Water Engineering & Management
October 1994
Steve Cheek and Richard Wilkes
Treatment plant designs are including wirelss data loggers and other communication systems to aid in monitoring key process and managment functions.
Where On-Line Sensors are Headed
Water Engineering & Management
August 1994
Stephen A. Wortendyke
Sensor technology has advanced considerably in the last decade, and accurate, reliable on-line sensors will keep water/wastewater treatment processes under increasingly better control.
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