"Consumer Reports" for Treatment Plants

Originally formed by water & wastewater treatment facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada to cooperatively conduct objective testing of environmental instrumentation, its goals include improved reliability and performance of instrumentation and automation systems. ITA's mission includes advancing the theory and practice of instrumentation and automation through the understanding, selection, improvement and cost-effective use of instrumentation and automation applications for monitoring and controlling water, wastewater and industrial systems. Although ITA's membership has broadened to include instrument suppliers and other related firms, the leadership roles (board of governors) are restricted to end-user members.A representative ITA field test report (released in 2001) concerned online ammonia analyzers for water & wastewater treatment applications. Conducted at the City of Houston's Beltway Wastewater Treatment Plant over a three-month period, the report rates nine online ammonia analyzers using three different analytical technologies (ion-selective electrodes, colorimetric, and UV absorbance). The test bed consisted of a wastewater secondary activated sludge aeration basin, mixed liquor suspended solids environment. The Beltway facility handles an average flow of 5 million gallons/day. Average throughput characteristic included:                                BOD                                                 500-1,500 mg/L                                Total Suspended Solids                      3,220 mg/L                                Total Dissolved Solids                        340 mg/L                                Dissolved Oxygen                              2.1 mg/L                                pH                                                    6.7                                Ammonia (NH₃-N)                              2.1 mg/L
                                Nitrate (NO₃-N)                                  3.2 mg/L                                Seasonal Temperature                        50-75? FThe report provides an overview of the performance evaluation procedures (test protocol) as well as detailed ammonia analyzer specification and cost information. It, of course, presents the performance evaluation data and associated analysis results. These analyses allow member firms to gauge lifetime ownership costs as well as to identify preferred suppliers.Other recent ITA evaluation reports cover :Area/velocity flowmeters for water & wastewater treatment applicationsFlowmeters for system applicationsResidual chlorine analyzers for water & wastewater treatmentTotal and free chlorine analyzers,?maintenance benchmarkingInstrumentation, control, and automation staffing,?maintenance benchmarkingpH analyzers,?maintenance benchmarkingDissolved oxygen analyzers for water & wastewater treatment
                An evaluation of interface/sludge blanket level analyzers is currently under way at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority). Suppliers of both ultrasonic and light dispersion technologies are participating in this test protocol. To encourage greater supplier participation, some projects will only accept bids with instrumentation that has been evaluated.Prior to joining ITA five years ago, Tony Palmer ([email protected]), was employed by the Sacramento Regional Sanitation District (Elk Grove facility). In 18 years with the district, he reached the rank of Control Systems Supervisor.Steve Gluck, technical leader for environmental analytical services at Dow,?Texas Div. and a longtime ITA booster, says: "Installing the most accurate and reliable instruments helps us to narrow supplier choices and provide the lowest cost of ownership. ITA offers a valuable leveraged capability to offset continuing cutbacks in technical staffing and training."Terrence K. McMahon McMahon Technology Associates135 Fort Lee RoadLeonia, NJ 07605Tel: 201-585-2050Fax: 201-585-1968[email protected]