Forty-five small system rapid sand filter surface water treatment plants (WTP) were reviewed
from March to November 2001. Each of these WTPs within the State of Washington were
assessed during a two-day comprehensive filter plant performance evaluation (FPPE). These
evaluations were based on a format adapted from the EPA Comprehensive Performance
Evaluation (CPE) program and provided assistance to operators in optimizing their WTPs.
Several performance limiting factors were found to be common to many of the WTPs. These
factors were present in: design, operation, administration, and maintenance. The following performance limiting factors common to several of the plants are as follows:
under design limitations, potential cross-connections were observed and backwash
sequence and rates were inadequate resulting in poorly cleaned filters;
under operational limitations, plants routinely lacked defined performance
optimization goals, jar testing was limited, operational manuals were not
available, and on occasion some of the operational staff were incapable of making
process control changes;
under administration limitations, administrators were found, in some cases, to be indifferent about
the activities of the WTP, operators were not always available or had too many
other tasks to adequately operate the plant, and funds were not available to obtain
necessary equipment or additional staff; and, under
maintenance limitations, preventive maintenance was not regularly performed
and rarely tracked, predictive maintenance was not performed, and in many cases,
adequate tools or workspace was not available.
By identifying limitations common to the 45 small system WTPs utilizing rapid sand filters
in the State of Washington, other systems may quickly and efficiently determine if they have
similar limitations. This study demonstrates to administrators, operators, and engineers the benefits of
performance self-evaluations in optimizing their plants. Includes table, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 360 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 13 |
| Published : | 06/16/2002 |
