Understanding The Most Common Problems In Water Treatment

Posted by Xylem on July 7th, 2021

When it comes to water treatment systems in Australia, there are a lot of challenges involved. The list of potential challenges encountered by wastewater and water treatment managers is endless. Read on as we examine some of the most common issues in water treatment.

Training

A lot of water treatment plants are very small sectors in large working systems such as RO systems supplying clean water to a facility with 16 stages. There are large teams and the process is technological. Managing the involved systems requires extensive and ongoing training at every level within team members. Without the right training, employees and teams are at a high risk of misunderstanding the complex aspects involved in their sector. With ongoing training, you can avoid this. You can help your employees across your facility to flourish as experts with updated knowledge. Every member of the team in a treatment plant should have the necessary knowledge on the appropriate matter, regardless of the position or job role. This includes identifying every piece of water treatment equipment, understanding the maintenance procedures to reduce risks of difficulties and knowing the necessary parameters to monitor and how problems can be identified.

More advanced knowledge means that one should be able to troubleshoot issues before they happen. The most common issues in the treatment of water that employees can encounter include bacteria, scaling, mechanical failure, membrane fouling and instrument failure. Even the best water treatment systems face challenges and the personnel needs to be equipped with advanced knowledge to help them fill in the gaps of knowledge.

Bacterial control

The growth of bacteria is the most extensive when there are no bacterial control solutions, a low flow rate, warm temperature and the presence of food for the bacteria. Most micro-organisms feed on carbon-containing organic compounds. The ideal temperature for breeding ranges from 30 degrees to 40 degrees. Bacteria grow fast when there is a constant supply of food and at a low flow rate. Increasing the flow rate of the water reduces this issue due to the sheer force created by moving water.

In some cases, biocides can be used. These are chemicals used to kill micro-organisms. Back then, oxidizing agents such as chlorine were used. However, since the introduction of stricter safety and health laws, UV disinfectants are the most common method for controlling bacteria. However, some microorganisms cannot be killed with UV. Most reverse osmosis membranes and nanofiltration membranes have a limited tolerance to oxidizing agents.

This means that the best practice is to get rid of oxidizing agents from the upstream feed water from the membrane unit. This can be done by passing the water through a water softener or an activated carbon bed. Failure to remove the oxidizing agents can result in the growth of bacteria which causes membrane fouling. This can cause a reduction in the flow and worsen the issue. Depending on the water treatment systems, engineers need to do thorough investigations and research to find the best bacterial control methods.