Quivering at an audit is nothing out of the ordinary, but whether it be a tax audit or a facility audit, the importance cannot be understated. Water treatment falls under the audit umbrella, but these audits often go by the wayside. However, annual account audits can provide benefits in terms of mechanical improvements, water savings, and chemical savings, to name a few.
What is a water treatment audit?
As an extension of a water treatment program’s regular services, it is crucial to continually revisit the success of the program. In place of a typical service visit with pinks & blues being run, a member of the organization’s leadership team joins the rep to assist in the thorough review. The team will begin with the pretreatment equipment, moving throughout the system covering each piece of equipment that the water treatment affects.
Pretreatment
Often times, the pretreatment equipment is “set it and forget it.” A properly programmed softener system with consistent makeup water should continue to successfully soften water, but issues can still arise. An audit will go through softener sizing, checking that the amount of resin and size of the tanks is sufficient for the application. Brining rates will be checked to confirm there is not an overuse of salt. The system may be stepped through its regeneration process to verify timing and proper resin regeneration, crucial for the softening process. Regarding reverse osmosis systems, the team will check carbon filters/chemical feed rates for larger systems, temperatures, flows, and pressures across the system. Common findings include, but are not limited to:
- Improperly sized softeners
- Spent resin
- Presence of potential channeling
- Improper regeneration cycle times
- High pressure drop
- Low flow
Boiler Systems
Due to the complexity of many boiler systems, many steps must be taken to ensure a thorough and successful system audit. Starting at the feedwater/deaerator system, the chemical injections points will be checked along with operating temperature and pressure, meter readings/condensate return amounts, and proper chemical dosages/mass balances. With the feedwater tank being the last part of the system prior to boiler feed, it is pertinent that this part of the system is operating with maximum efficiency. As we move to the boiler, the team will again verify proper dosage rates, verify steaming rates/boiler loading, cycles of concentration, water usage, fuel usage/cost, lead/lag cycling, amongst other things. Common findings:
- Incorrect DA injection points
- Improper feedwater steam sparging
- Incorrect dosage rates
- Cycle of concentration adjustments (blowdown setpoint)
- Lead/lag program optimization
- Failed sensors
Lastly, the condensate system will be reviewed. Here, the team will again check proper dosage rates, verify that we are not seeing any condensate contamination and test specific heat exchangers, amongst other things.
Cooling Systems
A cooling system audit takes time, as bacteria testing needs time to culture. However, while on site, the team will begin again by checking chemical feed rates, water usage numbers, calculate mass balances, and verify correct cycles of concentration in an effort to help save water and chemical. The technology will be reviewed for potential benefits for improvement with recent advances in sensor technology. Chiller supply and return temperature will be noted over time to help verify the inhibitor program is preventing scaling on the heat transfer surfaces in the chiller. Biocide programs will be reviewed for the seasonality, system sizing to determine dosages, and on-site testing will be done to determine instantaneous bacteria levels. In cooling systems, common findings include:
- Improper cycles of concentration
- Bacteria overgrowth
- Improper Ryznar Stability Index/Langelier Saturation Index
- Large chiller approach temperature differential
Wastewater Systems
Conducting an audit on a wastewater treatment application by a water treatment company offers numerous compelling advantages. Firstly, it ensures compliance with environmental regulations, safeguarding against potential fines and legal issues. Secondly, these audits streamline operations, identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements and cost savings, thus enhancing overall performance. Additionally, by reducing pollutants discharged into water bodies, audits demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility, benefiting ecosystems and public health. Ultimately, the audit promotes sustainability by conserving water resources and fostering a culture of responsible corporate citizenship, yielding benefits for both the company and the larger community.
Schedule an Account Audit
Account audits can provide many benefits from mechanical improvements, to water savings and chemical savings. Reach out to your water treatment provider to schedule an audit so you know that you are getting the most from each part of your system and treatment program.
Jake Russell | Territory Manager
Jake has been with Watertech of America for 6 years providing industrial water treatment solutions for boiler, cooling and wastewater applications. Jake frequently leads educational training events and seminars to promote better water management and improve safety. He holds a BS in Engineering from UW-Madison. Reach out to Jake via
LinkedIn.