SEWAGE AND WATER TREATMENT

Problem Solving

Sewage & Water Treatment

The following examples illustrate some of our contributions to this business sector:

• A steel plant experienced a problem with their wastewater treatment system. The zinc concentration in the waste treatment effluent had been exceeding the maximum daily limit when tested at their quality control lab. However, tests at an independent lab showed acceptable zinc levels. After SEM/EDS analysis, TRL found that a chemical waste product was being introduced into the wastewater treatment system causing an interference with the color-complex method used in the determination for zinc by the plant. TRL recommended using an interim digestion procedure as described in the Field Test Procedure for Zinc.
• Touchstone has worked on a number of problems related to microbiologically induced corrosion of steel pipe. For example, recent work involved a case where bacteria attacked steel, brine-well pipe after surface water was washed into the pipe system. During periods of inactivity a brine well pipe must be back-filled with fresh water to prevent closure by crystallization of the saturated brine. Surface water contains many bacteria and their attack during shutdown periods reduced wall thickness of the pipe severely. Investigation recommended a change in practice to eliminate washing contaminated water into the well, and to periodically pump a small amount of brine into the pipe to kill bacteria that might be present.
• A sample of sludge from a steel company, waste treatment plant was sent to Touchstone for an examination because the treatment plant was producing more sludge than normal. TRL concluded that a change in product mix to the processing of only cold-rolled steel coils had increased the volume of sludge generated by the paint line pre-treatment processes.
• Touchstone has performed a wide variety of standard and non-standard microbiological testing for the water treatment and sewage treatment industries.

The above examples are only a sample of our work in this area. We would be pleased to provide any additional information you may require. We also invite you to review examples on our website of work that we have performed in support of other business sectors.