In more than 35 years working with industrial water systems in Brazil and Latin America, what I've seen time and again is the normalization of inadequate water treatment plant operation. Teams that no longer notice the problem, because "it's always been this way."
The first line of defense for industrial and potable water systems is the water treatment plant. Have you stopped to assess the economic impact when it operates below its potential?
1. Lack of Continuous Monitoring
Surface waters undergo continuous quality variations, and the plant needs to be adjusted to these conditions. Parameters such as pH, alkalinity, hardness, and turbidity have a direct impact on clarification. Others, such as BOD, free chlorine, and ORP, matter for tracking microbiological control.
The Jar Test is an essential procedure that helps determine the ideal dosage of coagulants and flocculants. Failures in continuous monitoring lead the plant to operate with fixed parameters, resulting in a drop in treated water quality.
2. Inadequate Sizing
In many cases, the plant's water consumption grew with production, while the treatment plant stayed the same size. The result is an inability to treat the required water volume, with significant losses. On the other hand, there are cases where capacity ends up oversized, wasting resources.
3. Inadequate Maintenance
The plant needs regular maintenance to run efficiently. Failing to follow preventive maintenance procedures — filter cleaning, parts replacement, sensor calibration — can lead to premature equipment wear and system failures.
4. Overdosing of Chemicals
Overdosing leads to charge reversal in the case of coagulants, failing to solve the problem of suspended solids removal, while also raising chemical costs and increasing water conductivity — with knock-on effects on corrosion and on demineralization or reverse osmosis processes.
5. Lack of Training
Operating a water treatment plant requires technical knowledge and the ability to handle complex equipment and environmental variables. A lack of proper training for operators can lead to operational mistakes and plant failures.
6. Economic Impact
Water with suspended solids out of spec has a negative impact at multiple points in the process:
- In ion exchange systems, suspended solids foul and poison the resins;
- In reverse osmosis systems, SDI rises, membranes foul faster, and operating and replacement costs go up;
- In boilers and heat exchangers, solids act as nucleation sites for mineral scaling. A 0.8 mm layer containing iron and silica can raise fuel consumption by up to 7% (U.S. Department of Energy, Steam Tip Sheet #7, 2006).
Biofilm makes this scenario even worse: studies indicate it is four times more resistant to heat transfer than an equivalent hardness scale deposit (DuBois Chemicals / Eldon Water Inc., 2021).
Conclusion
The water treatment plant is a dynamic system, not a static one. It's not just a line item on a utilities checklist. Failing to recognize its importance is a decision that carries a cost, even when that cost doesn't show up directly in the plant's maintenance budget.
Operating the water treatment plant well is the cheapest way to preserve thermal efficiency, asset availability, and downstream treatment budget.