At a meeting for water and waste- water professionals, I attended a presentation in which proto-typical water and wastewater equipment was discussed. The presentation examined how technology is shifting in regards to the treatment, storage and transportation of water, specifically addressing technology currently in research and development.
Wireless monitoring, disposable membrane treatment systems, nanotechnology and more economical desalination methods were a few of the technologies explored. It is easy to see that current incorporated tech- nology is being replaced by tech- nology that is smaller, faster, more effective and ultimately cheaper. While some tangible infrastructure equipment such as pumps and valves may only see nominal changes, other equipment such as membrane-related treatment methods are expected to change dramatically with the incorporation of new technology.
How can you begin to prepare your plant for the future of water and wastewater treatment equipment?
One long-term solution is to track the editorial content published in Water & Wastes Digest to compare and contrast new technology and applications that are similar to your treatment system.
Another option is networking with your peers, whether at a local trade show or a national event such as AWWA ACE or WEFTEC in order to find out what new technologies they may be using in their systems.
In the short term, you should review the Water & Wastes Digest 2008 Buyer’s Guide. A wide variety of advanced products and services and the related manufacturer of each is included in our Buyer’s Guide.
As for the future of water and wastewater equipment, Water & Wastes Digest is currently examining new product and service categories to reflect the technological evolution taking place in the water and wastewater industries.
