The evolving priorities of young engineers in the wastewater industry
Do younger engineers in the wastewater industry care more about the environment than their senior counterparts?
Surely not! I’ve met countless Site Superintendents (who will admit to being over 50….), for whom protecting their local watercourses and beyond is something they consider of paramount importance.
“I’m not going to dare insult the older engineers who I look up to”, said Ryan Riddle from pump and mixer manufacturer, Landia, in North Carolina. “But I guess that the environment is more on the news agenda than ever before, and due to increasing energy prices, everyone wants to reduce their costs. Compared to my parents or grandparents, people my age talk more about renewable energy, house insulation and electric/fuel-efficient cars, which yes, I know, isn’t terribly rock and roll.”
Riddle, as it happens, on drums, guitars and vocals, is always one to look forward to at WEFTEC’s annual Jammin’4Water event, but away from his love of music, he reports a very healthy uptake of late in pump and mixer inquiries that demand much more in the way of just how long equipment will last.
“Longevity striking a chord with engineers is very encouraging for us,” Riddle said, “because at Landia, we’re all about the long-term. Seeing our pumps and mixers still out in the field working away just fine after 20 years-plus, isn’t rare."
Riddle stated that more and more companies want to plan and avoid open-ended expenditure. Products that offer an advanced service plan allows customers to have complete peace of mind with pumps and mixers that aren’t going to need replacing anytime soon. "A customer can put us on that hook for those longevity forecasts, so we have to be very confident in the performance of our equipment," he said.
Riddle also noted that for all the many environmental concerns, a conversation with a customer has of course to adhere with what is fiscally workable, but energy costs are now very much part of that dialogue. With every project, it is a total no brainer for them not to be included.
“Maybe this is driven more by dollar signs, rather than everyone suddenly caring about Planet Earth, but it’s all part of the discussion now, whereas maybe 20 or more years ago, it was barely on the agenda," Riddle said. "Like with solar panels and wind turbines, which weren’t a big thing at all then. Just as younger people can look open-mouthed, for example, as to how older cars used to guzzle gas, younger engineers in our industry often do a double-take when they discover larger, older style blowers that can account for up to 70 percent of the energy required for an entire treatment process."
While pumps have their duty points and can be quantified, Riddle says that with mixers (even though they are harder to calculate results from), are slowly beginning to be valued as far more important assets. In an ideal world, he firmly believes that we should all be buying goods that last, and that aren’t doomed to fail as some type of disposable commodity, especially in the wastewater industry.
Being in the water and wastewater industry gives us a great opportunity to make a difference.
- Ryan Riddle
Mixer performance is often taken for granted, and any inefficiences may go unnoticed until it is time to drain down a tank only to find a huge pile of sediment and a broken mixer. Tracking small discrepancies in treatment numbers can be an early indicator that all is not well with a mixing regime.
"It might not only be underperforming but using up way too much valuable energy at the same time. Not all mixers are the same," Riddle said.
With 24-hour news and the advent of addictive smartphones, Riddle says it’s hard not to feel sometimes that for younger people, the world can look nothing other than totally apocalyptic, and that part of that is the possibility or inevitably of people/countries fighting over water. “The future might seem uncertain and scary, but I think that’s always the case," he said.
Every generation faces an uncertain future with lots of challenges, from wars to economic turmoils.
"The answer for me isn’t putting life on hold, like questioning starting a family, but just to be one of the many doing a small part to overcome the challenges as they come," Riddle said. "Being in the water and wastewater industry gives us a great opportunity to make a difference.”
Riddle emphasized that this is all the more reason for young engineers to join an ever evolving industry. "We need to constantly find solutions and figure it all out," he said. "It’s a complicated business, especially as legislation becomes ever tighter, but it’s always interesting. Trying to problem-solve, and in the real world, stay within budget, is not easy."
Riddle sees the demand for biogas becoming another strong area that is arguably of more interest to younger engineers, perhaps keener or simply more aware of wanting to know where waste goes and the fact that it is a valuable resource, and not a waste at all.
“The municipal side seems slow compared to the enquiries we’re seeing for our equipment in agricultural and food waste biogas plants," Riddcle concluded, "but those who embrace all the joined-up thinking of a circular economy are very keen to embrace the possibilities of how we can expand this side of the industry to help with sustainability.”
About the Author
Chris French
Chris French is a freelance writer on water, environment and renewable energy issues. French can be reached at [email protected].