Many things contribute to treating your water systems, making it challenging to guarantee predictable results. However, there are some things you can do build a strong program that produces reliable outcomes. Think of your water treatment program as a three-legged stool. If one of the legs is compromised, you lose stability. A water treatment program is very similar, relying on three components to be successful.   

 

 

If the water treatment partner is taking care of their set of responsibilities, the customer is doing their part, and an automation and remote monitoring system is in place, this sets the program up to achieve the most predictable and positive outcomes.  

 

Your water treatment partner should work continuously to ensure the program is working as expected through on-site visits and on time chemical delivery. A complete systems knowledge and approach is key to a successful water treatment program. This includes a preventative maintenance program to maintain all pretreatment equipment including softeners, reverse osmosis systems, dealkalizers, and media filters. Having pretreatment equipment that is properly maintained and providing the best feedwater maximizes the efficiency of your water treatment program. In addition, providing lab support to help troubleshoot  difficult issues is a must, even if the issue is not directly related to the water treatment program itself. 

 

Making sure that chemical is delivered on time and is managed safely is also key to getting predictable results. Watertech offers a drumless chemical delivery program called FreedomPlus Delivery. This service relies on trained specialists to safely deliver and fill double-walled, heavy-duty, safety tanks and remove empty containers for a safer and easier way to manage water treatment chemicals. 

 

 

Your partner has the responsibility of properly training your plant personnel so you are able to carry out your “Customer Responsibilities.” This includes specific onsite training so the operators understand the purpose and function of the water treatment program. Then the operator must understand their specific role in monitoring the program and what corrective actions they can apply to keep the system in range. Offsite trainings are another great opportunity for operators to improve their overall knowledge of water treatment. Check out the Watertech University site for some great training opportunities suitable for all operators – you don’t even have to be a customer! 

 

The second component that sets a program up for success is the customer’s investment in the program. The customer needs to take ownership to keep things running smoothly which means regular testing and providing information to the water treatment partner. Working closely with your partner is critical. YOU are the eyes and ears of the program. It is common for good operators to walk into a mechanical room and hear that something is not running as it should. Daily checks can help improve efficiency if corrected right away. Noticing a loose belt on a cooling tower fan, an uncontrolled water loss, or an improperly burning boiler flame are perfect examples. Accurate, regular testing on all parts of the system along with documenting is important for troubleshooting and trending to ensure efficiency is at its highest. There are great online services for documenting your results and system information. Watertech relies on WTeService, a 24/7 online water management tool for recording, tracking, trending, and reporting all automated data from our smart water treatment systems as well as manual data collected. Having this visibility into a system is a great way to achieve predictable results. 

 

The third component to help create a stable program is the automation and remote monitoring system. This includes many things for all to monitor and trend on site and remotely. The chemical feed and controls are crucial parts along with sensors for monitoring critical system parameters. Trending the plant water usage is very important for water, energy, and chemcial savings and assuring proper plant operations. These critical points can have an alarm notification to let operators, plant managers and your water treatment partner know of any issues in the plant. Collecting, managing, and analyzing this data will improve results and increase system efficiency in the plant. 

 

 

These equipment control and data acquisition tools are the main backbone in any facility that is looking to increase water, energy, and chemical efficiency. remote monitoring and control is critical in the era of doing more with less and working to achieve reliable outcomes.

 

 

Missing any three of the critical components will reduce your chance of realizing the full potential of your water treatment program. Making sure that all three parts of your program are in place to assure success! If you feel like any part of your program could benefit from a little reinforcement, reach out to Watertech of America for a free site survey. Don’t Risk the Instability! 

 

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Dennis Kwasny Territory Manager – Northern WI  Dennis has worked in the water treatment industry for over 30 years and has experience in boiler, cooling and wastewater chemical treatment programs. Dennis leads educational training events and seminars to promote better water management and improve safety. He is a Certified Water Technologist (CWT). Contact him directly at 715-409-0129, dennis@watertechusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.