It is well known that combined sewer overflow events (CSO-events) have a negative impact on the water quality of their receiving waters. Recent evaluations on the implementation of the EU’s UWWTD and WFD point to the need to improve data collection for CSO-events to identify the scale of the issue1. Furthermore, an increased attention to the environmental impact of emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), pesticides and, more recently, microplastics, will mean that WWTP operators – in addition to focusing on their WWTP - will now need to consider the sewer network and receiving waters in more detail than before. This is because advance treatment costs are much more closely connected to the treated volume and load. A reduction in the CSO overflow load, or stated another way, the redirection of highly polluted effluent to the WWTP with highly diluted effluent going to the overflow during a rain event can considerably increase the treatment efficiency of the WWTP.
A fully autonomous and predictive sewer network optimization software could help WWTP operators achieve the ultimate goal of a much higher quality receiving water.
Benefits During the Network Design Phase
RTC4Water has worked closely with the Administration de la gestion de l’eau (The Luxembourg National Water Agency, or AGE) to study how real-time control (sometimes referred to as dynamic management) software systems can help reduce the construction costs of a sewer system. Smaller overflow basins, with pumps and valves dimensioned for dynamic management, can result in reduced costs without incurring a reduction in performance. if your organization is planning an expansion of an existing sewer network, RTC4Water can now create a model of your network which incorporates the benefits of predictive, real-time optimization.
Benefits During Day-to-Day Operations
In 2012 RTC4Water’s founders implemented the first real-time control software system for CSO overflow reduction in Luxembourg. Our team has developed a stable, mature software specifically designed to reduce the volume of CSO events by up to 30%. If your sewer network is “IT connected”, or if you are soon planning to digitally connect your infrastructure, our team can create a small, inexpensive modelling project which will demonstrate the value of using a dynamic management software.
Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like a copy of a scientific study our team completed on this topic.
Sources: https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/evaluation-eu-water-legislation-concludes-it-broadly-fit-purpose-implementation-needs-speed-2019-dec-12_en
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-urbanwaste/evaluation/index_en.htm