Field Services Case Study

One of our clients is a council in far north Queensland. This case study takes a look at the ways we have successfully helped them operate and maintain their water treatment plant.

What are the specifications of the treatment plant?

The water plant features four bores in an eastern field which runs to an aerator to remove iron bacteria and control pH. After being dosed with Sodium Hypochlorite, the balance tank is pumped to a reservoir where it is dosed with Sodium Hypochlorite again at the inlet and again at the outlet of the reservoir into the gravity main system. There are backup bores, as well as three town bores which receive no treatment.

What was the situation?

The S&B field services team was approached by the local Council to provide a plant operate and maintain service for the water treatment plant. When our operator arrived, he inspected the plant and got a good look at the data. Right away, he identified a series of problems:

• The data that was available wasn’t being interpreted/used for the benefit of the plant.
• The work program lacked structure.
• A maintenance program was needed.
• Water leaks in the mains.
• The dosing and turbidity levels were very inconsistent.
• Chemical dosing pumps had issues with programming and the chemical pipes had leaks.

How did our operator solve the problems?

• Located and repaired all the leaks.
• Designed daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual work and maintenance tick and flick sheets.
• Ran workshops on getting the most out of available data.
• Ran workshops on testing.
• Replaced and reprogrammed dosing pumps .
• Cleaned out Sodium Hypochlorite tanks and filled with fresh Sodium Hypohlorite (as opposed to just topping the drum up).
• Conducted a turbidity drain out and cleaned the reservoir tanks.
• Changed the levels in the reservoir tanks so the pumps ran for 2 days and stopped for 3 days, instead of pumping every second day.
• Replaced some RTUs (Remote Telemetry Units) and components in the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)  system so it runs on auto.

What were the outcomes?

• Data now being analysed and used, rather than gathering dust in a file or drawer.
• Repaired leaks which reduced wastage of water equivalent to 200 litres per person.
• Reduced chlorine consumption.
• Residual chlorine levels are now consistently in the range at 0.20- 0.5 mg/litre across the system, with turbidity ranging between 1.0/1.5 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) .

Want to know how S&B’s trained operators can help to improve your plant? Contact us today.