Tips for Water & Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Aeration Systems

  • Monitor for even air delivery to aeration tanks and the distribution within the tank.  Repair systems immediately if needed.
  • Review your aeration tanks to assess if one can be idled.
  • Install variable speed drives to operate the blower at an appropriate speed.  
  • Consider upgrading to a high-speed turbo blower for maximum efficiency.
  • Check the sheave sizes on the motor and blower to identify the speed of the unit to identify if the speed can be reduced.
  • Check discharge pressure of your blower to assess if the diffusers are dirty or a valve is partially closed.

Pumping

  • Check if any valves are closed or throttled on the discharge.  Obtain kW readings and flow measurements on pump motor to identify its efficiency.
  • Obtain power bills to check if there have been any noticeable changes.
  • Note if any pumps are exhibiting excessive vibration during operation.
  • Identify the pump you have had the most problems with and assess if a change in pump selection would resolve the problem, generally most pumps are oversized for their application.
  • Review the load factor and length of time a pump is operating to assess if a smaller pump would help or a variable speed drive.
  • Check that all appurtenances in the force main are properly working (such as a pressure release valve is functioning and not air binding the pump).

Lighting

  • Turn lights off when you leave an area and use natural lighting whenever possible.  
  • Use timers and occupancy sensors and keep them properly set (e.g.  no outside lights during the day).
  • Replace existing lights with newer, more energy-efficient LEDs, CFLs or T-8 lamps.
  • Utilize day lighting in building renovations.
  • Shade windows that are receiving direct sun.  

Cooling

  • Make sure all exterior walls, ceilings and wall cavities are properly insulated.  
  • Keep doors and windows closed when running your air conditioning system.
  • Consider applying ENERGY STAR® “cool roof” material to your roof.
  • Install an Energy Management System (EMS) to control cooling systems.  
  • Choose ENERGY STAR® equipment when replacing cooling systems.