The impacts of climate change are intensifying, and energy prices are rising. Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are feeling the pressure to adapt and must prioritise sustainable and energy-efficient practices to meet new targets. They know they need to reduce their overall environmental impact but require solutions that address all the factors that play into this complex issue.
A multifaceted approach is the only way forward for WWTPs. It would be naïve to think that one solution, one change or one piece of technology, could solve everything. But we do know that digital technologies will be vital in ensuring the greatest success. Urban sustainability is a priority, an urgent reality, and digital solutions have an important role to play in supporting both energy efficiency and climate resilience.
One company that is working to support WWTPs in addressing these issues is Xylem. I spoke with Xylem Senior Business Development Manager, Zuzana Kalinčíková. We discussed the advantages WWTPs would see by incorporating their digital solutions into their plant, how their technology can help ensure compliance with the EU Directives and looked at some of their past projects.
Xylem Vue: Digital Solutions
Xylem offers digital tools to help transform water management and drive energy efficiency and climate action. Their solutions combine smart technologies, and their approach centres around three key areas: predictive maintenance, energy management and water conservation.
They offer a full range of digital solutions, from individual water machines such as pumps and blowers to process optimisation controls and the digitalisation of the entire water infrastructure. They incorporate smart sensors and real-time monitoring tools to provide WWTPs with valuable data to address inefficiencies.
“With our solutions, we cover all processes in the management of water companies: production, monitoring and distribution of drinking water, collection and treatment of wastewater and all associated activities from accident reporting, infrastructure reconstruction, through laboratory determinations to invoicing.”
Xylem delivers digital solutions based on data science and a deep knowledge of water process engineering. Every project is handled by a wastewater process engineer who understands the science of individual biological-chemical processes, but also has knowledge of process online measurements, blowers, pumps and other machines. This valuable asset of the company is essential as they host such a range of solutions and a true understanding of the science is essential in order to see the greatest outcomes.
Empowering Utilities
“The system we offer for WWTPs is a plant optimisation system. This means that using our digital solution we try to keep the WWTP running optimally whenever possible. In practice, this means that we primarily check the achievement of the effluent limits from the WWTP because this is the main function of the WWTP. If we know that the limits are safely achievable, we look for a setting through our software that saves operating costs in the form of electricity and chemical consumption. Our current digital systems allow us to recalculate 100s of WWTP settings in relation to effluent limits and cost savings in just one minute, which means enormous overview, support and options for the plant operator.”
It is all about balance. Digital solutions allow utilities to optimise energy use while also reducing harmful greenhouse gases. The focus has to be split and you cannot address one without the other.
On the cost side, precise calculations contribute to significant savings. The digital systems can achieve 10-30% savings in electricity consumption for key processes like aeration, supporting energy neutrality and resource conservation.
EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
Xylem’s solutions help WWTPs comply with EU Directives by constantly monitoring and adjusting to incoming pollution loads. Thus ensures water is treated to the required quality even during high load periods. This continuous monitoring allows the system to recognise and respond to standard and non-standard events, warning the plant of potential compliance issues.
“For many treatment plants, our solution is an ideal way to meet the new European Directive’s conflicting demands for higher treatment levels and energy neutrality. Improvements in WWTP efficiency now come from optimising existing technologies with advanced digital solutions, rather than enlarging tanks. Digital solutions help ensure compliance with the new, stricter criteria of the directive and at the same time help to solve problems with the shortage of experts and qualified engineers in the field of water technology in the future.”
Digital Solutions in Action: Trier WWTP
Xylem´s digital platform, Xylem Vue powered by GoAigua, has already demonstrated success in projects worldwide. One great example is their work in Trier, Germany. Germany’s oldest city was in need of an innovative system to optimise their energy efficiency, increase operational safety and improve chemical use at its main WWTP.
The solution involved implementing a real-time assistance system for the WWTP. The aim was to support the operator in complying with the monitoring values and to reduce the energy required for the biological treatment stage. The optimisation system made suggestions for the selection of variables that allowed compliance with effluent values while consuming minimal power. The system received all the data in real-time, and the required aeration intensity and chemical levels were optimally controlled depending on the current and expected load of the WWTP.
The results showed great success for the Trier WWTP. Since implementing the Xylem Vue application they have been able to reduce the aeration system’s energy consumption by more than 20%, which corresponds to a savings of 4000 kWh/year.
No Time Like The Present: Implementing Sustainable Visions
Making WWTPs energy-efficient is crucial to building sustainable urban environments and reducing their environmental footprints. Energy-efficient WWTPs lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce operating costs and improve treatment reliability. Technologies, such as the ones offered by Xylem, make it possible for WWTPs to become more sustainable and meet stringent targets. Investing in energy efficiency will protect and preserve one of our most precious resources: water.
