Wastewater management is a critical aspect of modern society. Point blank.
Not only does it ensure the safe disposal of sewage, but it also greatly aids in efforts to better protect our environment. As populations rise, urbanization grows, and our environment continues to experience climate change at accelerating rates, the demands on wastewater treatment systems multiply, ultimately requiring significant investments in their infrastructures.
Wastewater Capital Efficiency Plans (CEPs) provide a comprehensive technique designed to optimize these investments and provide utilities with tools to better manage their assets. To navigate this intricate and complex process, utilities and participating communities need to understand the ABCs of CEPs.
A: Asset Management
Asset management serves as the foundation of any wastewater CEP as it involves the methodic approach to acquiring, operating, maintaining, and upgrading assets such as treatment plants, pipelines, pumping stations, and other infrastructure.
An effective asset management operation maximizes the lifespan of these critical assets and reduces the need for expensive repairs and/or replacements. This will then minimize service disruptions and provide utilities the power to make educated and strategic decisions regarding their capital investments. Additionally, wastewater CEPs allow systems to make the best use of resources and guide them down the path to meeting regulatory requirements and service goals.
B: Benefits
Wastewater CEPs offer a multitude of benefits that extend far beyond just cost savings (even though that’s a substantial perk!)
- Comprehensive Reporting: A wastewater CEP combines the concepts of hydraulic modeling, system criticality, and asset management into a single report that is carefully tailored to each participant and their collection system. The report contains Geographic Information System (GIS) representation, cost estimates for repair and replacement, and more.
- Cost-Saving: By identifying areas requiring repair or replacement and prioritizing investments, wastewater CEPs can significantly reduce the overall cost of wastewater infrastructure over time. Wastewater CEPs provide utilities the chance to make the most use out of their (already) limited infrastructure budgets.
- Long-Term Sustainability: Participating in wastewater CEPs helps a community’s wastewater system remain viable and efficient for the long run to accommodate population growth, urbanization, and changing environmental conditions.
- Risk Prevention: Wastewater CEPs provide utilities the opportunity to foresee risks and disasters, enhancing the system’s resilience and providing continued service during adverse conditions.
C: Compliance
Compliance is a pivotal aspect of multiple domains, whether it be environmental regulations, financial management, ethical standards, and more.
Wastewater CEPs are no different.
In all areas of wastewater infrastructure, from construction to operation and maintenance, aligning with local, state, and federal regulations is essential. By being proactive in adhering to upcoming industry and environmental compliance regulations, utilities can not only avoid expensive fines and legal penalties but also protect the environment and the health of their communities by ensuring that wastewater discharges meet the necessary quality and safety standards.
Wastewater management is a critical component of urban infrastructure, warranting the safe disposal of wastewater while protecting public health and the environment.
Case Study: Capital Improvements and Asset Management Plan for Gardner, MA
Tata & Howard was commissioned to develop a Capital Improvements and Asset Management Plan (CIP) for the city of Gardner, MA using T&H’s proprietary wastewater CEP methodology.
The CIP was separated into three main sections: water, wastewater, and stormwater. Our assessment included both underground and aboveground infrastructures, drainage pipelines, structures, and included a field inspection of every outfall (otherwise known as a point where collected stormwater runoff is discharged). Then, an inventory of the water and wastewater above ground infrastructures was conducted, including all of the supply, treatment, pumping, and storage elements of their systems.
What the City of Gardner received after their CIP was a prioritized list of the city’s assets and a detailed schedule for all repairs and replacement pertaining to the three main sections mentioned above. Our CIP allowed the Gardner, MA Department of Public Works (DPW) to now have a comprehensive database that can be updated with new information and reviewed during capital project selection and has the power to enhance the efficiency of funds by addressing water, wastewater, and stormwater needs together.
Conclusion
Simply put, wastewater capital efficiency plans are the fundamental tools in managing the complex and necessary tasks of wastewater treatment and management. By taking a holistic approach, considering current and future needs, and optimizing capital investments, these plans enable sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible wastewater infrastructures.
A T&H Capital Efficiency Plan, whether for water, wastewater, or stormwater, provides participating utilities the confidence that their annual budgets are allocated to the most critical projects and that they are well positioned for the future. You can find more detailed information on our unique wastewater CEPs here.
The Tata & Howard Capital Efficiency Plan (CEP) helps you do just that. Our CEP method is an accelerated and progressive approach to asset management. Our program allows municipalities, with the assistance and guidance of expert field staff and project managers, to do the following: (1) identify areas of their water, stormwater, and wastewater systems that are in need of repair, replacement, and/or rehabilitation; and (2) create a prioritized plan of action that is easily justified. In addition, the entire plan is conducted and completed in a way that makes the most bang out of municipalities’ limited infrastructure bucks.
Once the plan is completed, systems receive their CEP report, complete with Geographic Information System (GIS) representation for each pipe segment within their individual underground piping system, along with a database. Each report will detail what issues are critical and should be prioritized, and includes estimated costs for the repairs, replacements, or rehabilitations that need to be made, so critical and less-critical projects alike can be part of the conversation when preparing annual budgets.
It has been no secret that federal and state funding has been on a steady decline for several decades now, starting in the mid-1970s. With already limited funding, state and local governments are unable to meet full capital expenditures and to prioritize projects, and are frankly falling behind, leaving their residents to bear the burden of crumbling infrastructure.
Asset management planning is absolutely critical to the current and future health and maintenance of our water supplies. This highly structured, three-circle approach to capital planning is one of the most effective ways for systems to conclusively prioritize those that are in most need of repair, replacement, or rehabilitation. Each CEP approach is specifically tailored to each project, as each system and project have varying needs.
Jared Hamilton, an A.P. Scholar, graduated from Ellsworth High School with high honors and is a recent graduate of the University of Maine, B.S. in Civil Engineering, with a dual concentration in water resources and structural design. Jared recently passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exams (F.E.). He is a member of the Maine Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a past member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
