In wastewater treatment facilities, screening is an integral part of the process, particularly for sludge handling. It removes grit, plastics, and other debris before the sludge moves downstream for disposal. When screening is poor, the consequences can be highly disruptive to the process and even financially costly. Poor screening will lead to operational issues and deficiencies in wastewater treatment sludge screening.

What Does Poor Screening Mean?

Poor screening occurs when screening is defective or improperly designed, resulting in a range of issues in wastewater treatment operations. Poor screening can result from a variety of different things, including:

• Inadequate screening openings

• Screens that aren’t designed to handle fluctuating flows or the specific debris loads

• Undersized or incorrect screens for the job

• Damaged or poorly maintained screening equipment

Although some of these inefficiencies might seem minuscule, they can cause significant issues that propagate throughout the system. This can lead to costly problems and operational issues that could negatively impact your wastewater treatment facility.

The Cost of Poor Screening in Sludge Handling Systems

When assessing the cost of poor screening in sludge-handling systems, several factors must be considered. Poor screening affects multiple areas of your wastewater treatment operations, taking a heavy toll on the facility as a whole and resulting in costly outcomes. Here is a breakdown of why poor screening in sludge handling systems can be so expensive:

Equipment Wear and Tear

Unscreened debris can travel downstream and damage pumps, impellers, conveyors, valves, piping, and dewatering equipment. This ultimately will increase the damage and wear and tear to your equipment, causing increased maintenance or replacements as a result.

Maintenance and Labor Cost Increase

Facilities with poor screening can experience a range of issues that negatively affect the entire facility. It can cause more clogs, more emergency callouts, increased manual cleaning, high labor hours, and more emergency maintenance instead of planned maintenance, stunting operations. Labor, overtime, and maintenance costs add up quickly, especially when they are frequent.

Reduces Operational Efficiency

Debris in the sludge can cause inefficiency in downstream processes, resulting in increased energy usage, high polymer consumption, and lower solids capture rates. For operations, efficiency is essential, and these issues will result in lower efficiency and a higher cost per ton of sludge.

Increased Disposal

Poorly screened sludge contains more water and contaminants, which can lead to higher loads, more hauling, and higher landfill or disposal fees. Even a slight increase in sludge volume can significantly impact your disposal and annual budgets.

Health and Safety Risks

Poor screening leads to more manual removal, which is dangerous and can pose health risks to workers. This can expose workers to pathogens and cause them to slip, trip, or fall during manual removal. Avoid these health and safety risks by investing in proper screening to avoid manual removal at all costs.

Regulatory or Compliance Risks

In wastewater treatment facilities, a variety of compliance requirements must be met, and without proper screening, risks include permit violations, odor issues, equipment failures, and even environmental incidents. Non-compliance with these regulations due to inadequate screening can result in penalties, audits, and even legal action.

The Long-Term Financial Impact of Poor Screening

We’ve outlined several reasons why poor screening can be costly, but it’s important to note that these costs aren’t one-time. Many of these factors can have long-term financial impacts on the entire facility. At times, it might seem more convenient to forgo investing in adequate screening equipment to save money, but the consequences could be detrimental to your business. It is much more effective to invest in your sludge-handling screening ahead of time to avoid frequent maintenance, compliance, and emergency repair costs. Modern screening solutions can enable proactive investment rather than reactive spending. Think about proper screening as financial risk management that isn’t just an operational choice, but can set your finances up for success throughout the future of your facility’s lifespan.

How to Choose the Right Screen for Sludge Handling

There are a few steps you can take to help choose the proper screen for your wastewater treatment facility, ensuring you are selecting the right option for your facility.

Step 1: Match the screen type to the sludge characteristics.

Sludge characteristics vary by location, so selecting the appropriate screen type for your area will maximize efficiency.

Step 2: Ensure the screen size and placement are ideal for your facility.

For sludge-handling systems, a range of sizes and placements must be considered to ensure the screen performs its intended function.

Step 3: Implement routine inspections and maintenance to ensure that your screen is always properly checked.

This helps stay on top of maintenance and potential issues to keep the screen working effectively.

Step 4: Consider automation for monitoring to improve performance and even predictive maintenance.

This can reduce labor in that area and maintain efficiency.

Investing in Proper Screening for Your Wastewater Facility

Proper screening is essential for wastewater facilities, and it’s crucial to maintain screening to avoid costly issues. Having proper screening will help protect your downstream equipment, improve system reliability, and enhance safety and compliance, among other benefits. With poor screening, a variety of issues we’ve outlined above can become costly in the long run. To stay compliant and avoid ecologically risky situations in your facility, investing in adequate screening for Sludge-handling systems is essential. Visit our website at Lakeside Equipment to learn more about what we offer, and contact us to schedule a consultation on screening options that are right for your specific wastewater treatment facility.

Biological treatment systems are a crucial component of modern wastewater treatment facilities and typically rely on natural microorganisms to degrade organic pollutants in the water. Because these are naturally occurring microorganisms, they can be affected by temperature changes, which will, in turn, affect their performance. This is an overlooked aspect of wastewater treatment, and it should be considered by more people, especially during seasonal changes and extreme temperature fluctuations, such as sudden rises or drops. We will examine how temperature shifts affect biological treatment efficiency and why this is important to understand for wastewater treatment facilities.

What Are Biological Treatment Systems?

Biological treatment systems use natural microorganisms to break down pollutants in water, such as bacteria, and convert them into less harmful byproducts. They are more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable than other alternatives. Examples of biological systems include activated sludge systems, trickling filters, moving-bed biofilm reactors, and anaerobic digesters. Wastewater enters the system, and the microorganisms are exposed to the waste, and the bacteria metabolize the organic compounds. Solids are then settled or filtered out, and the clarified water proceeds to the disinfection stage.

Role of Temperature in Biological Treatment

Temperature plays a significant role in the performance of biological treatment systems because they rely on the natural production of microorganisms to break down organic matter. When it comes to temperature shifts, even small shifts can make a significant difference in treatment efficiency, reliability, and regulatory compliance. Warmer temperatures typically increase microbial activity, leading to faster treatment rates and greater efficiency, whereas colder temperatures slow microbial metabolism, reducing treatment efficiency.

Bacteria in Biological Treatment

Mesophilic bacteria are the most common type that uses biological treatments and thrive between 68 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Psychrophilic bacteria are cold-adapted and thrive at temperatures below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas thermophilic bacteria thrive at temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. If bacteria are at temperatures below their ideal temperature, this can result in reduced microbial activity, longer treatment times, poor nitrification, and increased sludge production. If bacteria are exposed to temperatures above the optimal temperature, this can lead to oxygen depletion, microbial stress, and odor problems.

Temperature Shifts

Rapid temperature changes can pose a greater risk, making it essential to pay attention to intense fluctuations rather than gradual shifts, as we usually see with seasonal changes. These intense fluctuations will induce biological shock, making it impossible for microbial populations to adjust to temperature shifts and causing further damage. This can result in loss of treatment efficiency, sludge bulking or washout, and odor complaints.

Why is Temperature Control Essential for Efficiency?

Temperature control plays a crucial role in biological treatments; without temperature control, numerous adverse effects on the system can affect its long-term efficiency. It’s vital to maintain stable microbial populations to ensure proper performance and consistent treatment outcomes. Monitoring temperature changes can extend equipment lifespan by maintaining efficiency and preventing adverse effects from temperature fluctuations. Ultimately, temperature control will also keep your facility in compliance, since the bacteria will still perform to standard. Without the bacteria performing at full efficiency, your biologic treatment facility will not be able to operate effectively, will drop its standards, and will become noncompliant, facing violations.

How to Manage Temperatures in Biological Aeration Systems

If you have a biological treatment system, it is essential to understand how to manage temperatures and monitor fluctuations that may adversely affect your treatment facilities. It can be pretty simple to maintain the temperature and stay on top of these changes as long as you have the right resources to do so.

• Maintain insulation on tanks and piping at all times, and be sure to check frequently that they are up to standard

• Use flow equalization to reduce temperature swings

• Adjust retention times during the colder months to ensure that your treatment facility is staying efficient

• It implements supplemental heating in anaerobic systems to keep them working efficiently during temperature shifts

• Implement equipment that is specifically designed for temperature resilience li, like specialized aeration

Work With Lakeside Equipment to Stay Efficient During Temperature Changes

At Lakeside Equipment, we work with wastewater treatment facilities to implement the most efficient equipment for their particular needs. We have experience with wastewater treatment facilities and fully understand the importance of temperature control in biological treatment systems. Temperature can heavily affect the biological treatment system and the effectiveness of the system as a whole, which is why fluctuations should be paid attention to and ultimately taken into consideration, especially in intense climates. We have a variety of equipment used for different systems that will help you monitor temperature changes and keep things more in line with the temperature your particular bacteria need to be at to do their job correctly. If you’re looking to stay on top of temperature fluctuations amid seasonal changes, contact us, and we will recommend equipment that’s best for your particular facility needs.

Grit accumulation in wastewater treatment systems can cause wear and tear, impacting industrial and municipal systems heavily. This can cause operational inefficiencies, higher long-term maintenance costs, and difficult-to-manage equipment wear and tear. Grit refers to a variety of sources, such as sand, coffee grounds, silt, or minerals in the water. If grit accumulation isn’t managed, it can cause issues such as pump failure, mechanical part abrasion, and clogged channels that reduce flow. Modern grit collectors are crucial for improving equipment longevity and reducing overall maintenance costs. We’re going to look into the precise effects grit collectors have on equipment and why they are essential in your facility. 

What is Grit and How Does it Affect System Performance?

We touched on what grit is, which includes a variety of materials such as sand, silt, and minerals. Grit is typically abrasive and dense, which makes it easily capable of damaging machinery compared to organic solids, making it essential to have something in place to combat it in wastewater. Grit can cause significant damage over time if it is not filtered from the water, degrading the system and leading to failure. Because of the unique makeup of grit, compared to organic materials, including the fact that it can vary in size, it’s pretty dense, and it can have a rough edge, all of which will contribute to the potential adverse effects on the machinery. 

Overview of Modern Grit Collectors 

There are many types of modern grit collectors, each using different methods to remove grit. Modern advancements have significantly increased their effectiveness at grit removal, due to increased grit from urbanization and higher levels of inorganic solids. We’re going to give a brief overview of a few of the most common types of modern grit collectors so you can get an idea of what they do. 

Aerated Grit Chambers 

This is one of the most popular modern grit collectors used in municipal wastewater treatment facilities, and they include controlled airflow that creates a spiral motion that keeps organic matter at the top and drops the grit to the bottom. 

Vortex Grit Chambers

This kind of grit collector uses circular motion in a cylindrical tank, creating a vortex that forces the grit particles toward the center or the outer edges. There are two versions of this: a forced vortex, which uses mechanical paddles, and a free vortex, which uses a hydraulic design. 

Multi-Tray Grit Collectors 

This grit collector uses stacked trays where the influent water flows down. As it cascades, the velocity and direction change, causing the grit to settle. This particular system will also typically remove fine and ultra-fine grit that other systems might miss. 

Hydrocyclonic Grit Collectors 

This system uses high-velocity rotation inside a conical chamber to create a force that pulls the grit apart. This particular grit collector has a high grit-removal efficiency and no moving internal parts. 

How Modern Grit Collectors Improve Equipment Longevity 

These modern grit collectors provide mechanical and operational benefits that help to improve equipment longevity. It will reduce abrasion on pumps, valves, and pipelines, thereby causing less damage to the machinery’s internal workings. They also prevent grit accumulation in channels, basins, and aeration tanks, thereby preventing damage to the system’s internal workings. With reduced grit infiltration, there is improved sludge quality, reduced digester volume, and lower mechanical component wear. All of this significantly extends the lifespan of most facility machines. 

How Modern Grit Collectors Reduce Maintenance Costs

Due to improvements in equipment longevity, maintenance costs are also reduced. Your machines will experience less wear and tear, resulting in the system lasting longer without maintenance, since there are fewer issues with the machinery. Equipment replacement, emergency shutdowns, repairs, and rebuilds are all reduced by the grit-removal process. As a result, budgets will reflect stabilization, and the budget will be easier to predict without the addition of extra maintenance and replacements to the machinery. 

What to Consider When Upgrading to a Modern Grit Collector

If you are contemplating upgrading to a modern grit collector, it’s best to consider everything so that you are best prepared for what to expect and how to prepare your team for the change. Here’s a list of things you should consider when upgrading to a modern grit collector: 

• Lifecycle cost analysis and up-front cost evaluation of the upgrade
• Selection of a system that is efficient for your particular facility 
• Pilot test for your unique wastewater characteristics to ensure your choice is efficient
• Assess your hydraulic profile and plant layout to take into consideration 
• Look into your peak and minimum flow rates before choosing a system 

Invest in Long-Term Wastewater Treatment Facility Health

Upgrading to a modern grit collector can benefit your business, especially by extending the longevity of your equipment and reducing maintenance costs. Maintenance and equipment lifespan are two of the most crucial factors for your equipment and the bottlenecks your facility will face. There are many different grit collectors to choose from, but we recommend making your decision after you’ve considered all the factors in our previous section. Knowing what is efficient for your facility and choosing a grit collector that’ll make the most significant difference is key to an effective upgrade. If you are looking for a reliable company to supply you with a modern grit collector that’s right for your facility, contact us at Lakeside Equipment for a consultation. 

A closed loop reactor system is a recirculating process that is designed specifically for efficiency, reducing effluent variability, and optimizing reactions. This type of system is becoming an industry standard due to tightening discharge regulations and the need for energy-efficient treatment facilities. We are going to take a look at the end-to-end implementation of a closed loop reactor system for organizations that want to switch to a more efficient and sustainable option. With this step-by-step guide you and your team will understand the ins and outs of implementing a closed loop reactor system, how to prepare, and what options are available to your facility. 

Step 1: Feasibility and Development 

The first step is the development phase, which involves determining whether this type of system is feasible for your particular facility. You’ll look into what the treatment objectives would be for the system, including whether it will be used for nitrification, anaerobic digestion, oxidation, or biological nutrient removal. It’s important to look at wastewater flow patterns, nutrient composition, toxic compounds, and inflow considerations. Look into the financial commitment and its relationship to tanks, pumps, mixers, and SCADA upgrades. Lastly, it’s crucial to review permits, local discharge limits, biosolids-handling standards, and odor-control regulations to ensure this system meets regulatory requirements. 

Step 2: Design and System Specification 

This step focuses on engineering the system to produce a buildable system. You’ll want to start with a wastewater-specific PFD that includes screening, treatment interfaces, sludge return lines, decanters, and aeration systems. P&IDs (piping and instrumentation diagrams) are essential for understanding how the system will work together. Consider oxygen sensors, sludge blanket detectors, gas flow meters, and flow control valves. Choose a corrosion-resistant material suitable for wastewater environments, as well as equipment that will handle solids, grit, and pH variation. Consider how the implementation will look for SCADA and advanced process control loops for recirculation, aeration, and nutrient monitoring. 

Step 3: Safety, Environmental and Risk Considerations 

There are multiple safety, risk, and environmental considerations that might affect the system and its setup. Ensure you assess risks such as gas buildup, sludge bulking, clogging, and contamination of effluent pathways. It’s also essential to consider safety management integration, such as emergency bypass activation, odor control, and chemical handling protocols. Environmental impact is a huge factor that organizations are considering in almost every aspect they are implementing, including closed loop systems. Consider the environmental impact, including potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, improvements in effluent quality, and overall ecological footprint. 

Step 4: Fabrication and Quality Control 

Select vendors at this stage with experience in the wastewater industry, and be sure to evaluate their warranties, compatibility, and availability before choosing. Consider fabrication needs and factory acceptance testing, including the accuracy of analyzers and the performance of their variable-frequency drives. 

Step 5: Integration and Installation 

In this phase, you will prepare your site and coordinate your layout to address any space constraints or structural upgrades needed. Look into mechanical and electrical integration, including aeration blowers, RAS systems, and backup power systems. You will also have to complete site acceptance testing during this stage to validate system functionality in a low-risk environment. 

Step 6: Start Up Wastewater Operations 

You’ll start this phase by conditioning the reactor with initial seeding of biomass and stabilizing DO and pH. You’ll also conduct flow testing, leak checks, recirculation verification, and sensor performance testing to ensure everything is ready to go and working properly. It’s critical to ensure your staff is properly trained on the new system, including SOPs for cleaning, monitoring, and maintenance. 

Step 7: Long-Term Performance Management

Once your system is up and running efficiently, it’s important to ensure that your long-term performance is efficient and stable. Look into your system’s KPIs, including nitrate removal efficiency, DO energy consumption, phosphorus levels, oxygen transfer efficiency, and sludge age. To optimize your system long-term, you’ll want to use real-time monitoring and predictive analysis to reduce energy consumption. It’s essential to stay on top of your performance management to ensure your systems are as efficient as possible and free of setbacks. 

Lakeside Equipment’s Closed Loop Reactor Systems 

At Lakeside Equipment, we offer a closed loop reactor system process that offers support from the initial concept to the full execution of the system. Our process prioritizes low life-cycle costs, energy-saving designs, multiple operational modes, an adaptable configuration, and nitrogen and phosphorus removal capabilities. Our process is conventional and made specifically for organizations that are in need of a reliable and energy-efficient CLR system that can keep up with their needs, but provide a range of flexible features for your wastewater treatment facility. At Lakeside Equipment, our CLR systems also come in a variety of shapes, which is convenient when determining how much construction and cost you’d like to incorporate into building this system. 

Implementing a Close Reactor Loop 

As a wastewater treatment facility, it’s crucial to ensure that you have the best options for all of your systems, including a closed reactor system. These systems can take many shapes, sizes, and configurations, ensuring you have options to create an efficient system for your needs, budget, and space. This step-by-step guide walks you through every aspect of integrating this system and can help prepare you and your team for what to expect during the process. Closed loop reactors are essential to your system, but knowing how to implement them and what it takes will make all the difference when choosing a system and getting your property prepared for it. Contact us at Lakeside Equipment if you feel that a closed loop reactor system is the best choice for your wastewater treatment facility, and we will gladly walk you through our options to find the best fit for your facility.

Screening and grit removal are essential in wastewater treatment processes. They are the two main processes in the wastewater treatment facilities that help to keep the plant running efficiently and reduce maintenance costs. When it comes to looking at screening and grit removal, though, there are many different options to choose from. We’re going to take a look at the different screening and grit removal technologies to see what might be the best option for your wastewater treatment processes. 

What is Screening and Grit Removal? 

As we stated before, screening and grit removal are an important part of wastewater management. Here is a look at what screening and grit removal are when it comes to wastewater management. 

Screening: Screening is a physical process that uses screens to catch larger, coarse solids. It typically removes items like plastic wrappers, rags, toys, and other trash that ultimately shouldn’t be flushed. The water will flow through the screen and the collected debris is washed and dewatered before it’s removed. 

Grit Removal: Grit removal is the process of removing smaller, heavier inorganic materials that pass through the initial screening process. Sand, gravel, coffee grounds, and bone fragments are all a part of the debris that would be removed in this process. The water goes through a grit chamber, which causes heavy grit particles to settle to the bottom, where the debris is then collected and mechanically removed. 

With both of these processes, it’s important to do the grit and screening removal properly in order to get an efficient result. If you are not doing this removal properly, then it can cause inefficiency and leave leftover debris in the water, which can cause many other issues within the process and for those using the water. 

Screening Technology Methods 

There are many different screening technology methods that you can choose from, and they all have their own pros and cons. We are going to take a look at each of these technologies to help you decide which is the best option for you. 

Bar Screens

Bar screens are simple, reliable, and cost-effective, making them a great option for so many companies looking for a reliable but budget-friendly option. Another pro to opting for this screening technology is that it has the ability to handle high flow rates. With this said, some of the cons associated with this technology are the need for manual cleaning, which may be labor-intensive and not something that some wastewater management facilities may be able to do. Not only this, but there is a limitation to the removal of small debris, meaning that some of the minuscule debris could potentially be missed and may need to be followed up with another method. 

Drum Screens

Drum screens offer a continuous operation with automated cleaning, which means there is little need for manual intervention. It’s also very effective at removing smaller solids that might be missed with other technologies. However, the initial cost is higher than some might want to pay, and it can also clog if it’s not properly maintained, so frequent maintenance is important. 

Step Screens

Step screens have a compact footprint, and they can handle high debris loads very efficiently. On the other hand, moving parts in this technology require regular maintenance, which keeps it running effectively. From a sustainability standpoint, this technology has higher energy consumption than other options, which can cause higher bills and a greater environmental impact. 

Fine Screens

Fine screens are known for their ability to remove very small particles. They also protect sensitive downstream equipment, which is essential for wastewater management companies that are looking for protection of their other equipment. Some of the cons to this option are that it’s prone to clogging, so it requires more maintenance and cleaning than other options. 

Grit Removal Technologies 

Now, we are going to take a look at the different grit removal technologies and compare them with their pros and cons. This will help you to decide which option might be best for your wastewater management business. 

Grit Chambers/Detention Basins 

Grit chambers or detention basins are known for their low-energy and simple design. It’s also great for larger grit particles and works efficiently to remove them. However, this technology requires more space and is less effective for finer grit, meaning that there may be a need to have another technology to go behind it. 

Aerated Grit Chambers

Aerated grit chambers use continuous operation and good grit separation to keep up with effectively doing their job. It also reduces odor and sludge buildup, which can be an issue for other technologies. Some of the cons associated with this option are higher operational costs due to the aeration. There is also a more complex design and maintenance, which may require more manpower to maintain.

Vortex Grit Removal Systems

One of the best pros of getting a vortex grit removal system is the compact footprint, and it’s also best for removing both fine and coarse grit, making it quite universal for different needs. Overall, there are cons that come with this particular system as well, though. For example, there is a higher initial cost with this system, and it is also sensitive to flow variations, which means that it may require adjustments. 

Hydroclones/Centrifugal Systems 

Hydroclones and centrifugal systems are both great at fine-grit separation. It also has a small footprint with low energy consumption, making it a great option for sustainability. One of the drawbacks of these systems is the limited capacity, which means that for larger facilities, there could be a need to have multiple systems per facility. 

What Should You Consider When Choosing a Technology? 

When it comes to choosing a technology system that is best for you, it’s important to look at all of the factors. Here is a list of some of the top things you should consider when you are deciding on what system to use for your facility:

• Flow rate and the peak flow variations 
• Integration with existing treatment processes
• Space and footprint constraints
• Type and size of debris it’s best suited for removing 
• Maintenance requirements and operational costs 

Choosing Your Screening and Grit Technology 

If you’re in the market to choose a screening and grit technology, be sure to refer to this article on the different options that are available. Ultimately, it’s important to look into all of the considerations to ensure you are choosing the best option for your facility. With that being said, at Lakeside Equipment, we have a variety of options for wastewater removal facilities if you are looking to implement any of them. Contact us today or visit our website to take a look at what we have to offer and which option might be best for you.

Organic debris falling into wastewater is a common problem, but with autumn rolling around, this debris will increase. As the weather cools, leaves fall from trees, and we can often find more twigs, leaves, and other organic material in wastewater, which can make keeping wastewater clean more difficult. We’re going to take a look at why autumn brings more organic debris and how your wastewater facility can prepare for and combat this common issue this season.

Why Does Autumn Bring More Organic Debris?

Organic debris is classified as anything that occurs naturally and can fall or make its way into the wastewater system. In autumn, temperatures cool and leaves begin to fall, which increases the amount of leaves entering wastewater. On top of this, there is an increase in weather-related activity, such as storms, heavy winds, and rain, which can bring in even more debris from trees, like limbs and twigs.

Wastewater Treatment Facility Challenges During Autumn

Specific wastewater treatment challenges arise in the autumn season, but knowing these challenges can help you prepare and manage them more efficiently. Let’s look at some of the challenges commonly seen during this season.

Higher Risk of Clogging: You may experience an increased risk of clogging in pumps, screens, and other equipment due to the larger amount of debris entering the wastewater.

Increased Strain on Equipment: With more debris, equipment like grit removal and screening systems works harder, increasing strain and potential wear.

Greater Potential for Upkeep Problems: Odors, blockages, and operational slowdowns may occur more frequently because of the increased debris and extra workload on your equipment. Addressing these problems quickly is essential to maintain efficiency.

How to Manage Increased Debris in the Autumn Season

Understanding these common challenges is the first step. Having a plan in place can help reduce downtime and maintain efficiency.

Pump Station Protection

Pumps can take a heavy hit from debris. You can protect your pump station by keeping leaves, rags, and other materials out to avoid damage. Use proper screening to minimize downtime and maintain efficiency.

Enhanced Screening and Grit Removal

Screening and grit removal are both important parts of wastewater treatment, especially in autumn. Regular inspection and maintenance ensure problems are identified and addressed promptly. Issues with screening or grit removal can cause downtime and inefficiency, which proper maintenance can prevent.

Preventative Maintenance

Don’t wait for issues to arise. Use preventative maintenance to identify and fix potential problems before they cause future issues. This can include inspections before autumn and adjusting cleaning schedules to account for the increase in debris.

Educate the Community

Inform the community about the potential issues caused by increased autumn debris. Encourage proper disposal of leaves and yard waste to reduce debris entering the system. This helps keep the community involved and supports wastewater management efforts.

Lakeside Equipment’s Advanced Equipment Solutions

At Lakeside Equipment, we offer solutions to help you prepare for increased debris in autumn and maintain efficient wastewater management. Our advanced grit removal, screening, and solids handling equipment can handle higher debris volumes. Low-maintenance systems improve workflow during peak debris periods, providing benefits such as reduced downtime, less maintenance, improved efficiency, and environmental advantages. Investing in advanced equipment now ensures your wastewater management systems remain reliable and efficient.

Getting Prepared for the Autumn Season

Wastewater treatment facilities can see a significant increase in workload during autumn. To stay ahead, inspect your systems before autumn is in full swing to ensure equipment is functioning properly. Consider upgrading to advanced equipment to handle the increased workload and avoid potential issues. Review your equipment readiness, and if you are looking to upgrade, contact us at Lakeside Equipment to install our top-of-the-line solutions before the autumn season, keeping your facility running smoothly.

Reliable and capable wastewater equipment is an essential component of safety and compliance in wastewater management. Failing equipment or equipment that’s not at its best can cause many problems when it comes to downtime, costly repairs, and penalties associated with regulations. Let’s discuss how to know when to replace or upgrade your wastewater equipment, so let’s break it down and talk about the signs that something needs to be done about your equipment.

Consider the Age and Wear of the Equipment

One thing to consider is how long the equipment has been in use. Pumps, aerators, and screens all have different lifetimes and must be replaced within a certain amount of time to avoid larger issues. There are also important signs of wear and tear that you should consider when looking at your equipment to see if you should replace or upgrade it. These signs include:

• Corrosion
• Rusty parts
• Leaking
• Unusual noises coming from the equipment
• Vibration

Ultimately, if you have found that your equipment hasn’t been replaced in a very long time, it is crucial to replace it as soon as possible. Older equipment has a much higher chance of having more issues associated with it, and it can cause issues throughout the different areas of the equipment.

Declining Performance and Efficiency

Keeping up with your equipment’s performance and efficiency is a great way to see if there is a need for any adjustments, replacements, or upgrades. Ultimately, your equipment will start showing signs of declining efficiency, and this could be a potential issue when looking at wastewater management. If you’ve noticed that equipment is struggling to meet the capacity or treatment standards, then it may be time to reassess the equipment. Increased energy consumption and operational costs can be a sign that your equipment is working much harder than it should to get the job done. Some other signs you should look out for are decreased throughput, slower processing times, and inconsistent treatment results. If you’ve noticed any of these, it is time to reassess your equipment and make any changes necessary.

Frequency of Breakdowns and Repairs

Over the lifetime of wastewater equipment, there will be breakdowns and repairs needed; however, there is a limit at which a replacement or upgrade of the equipment might be the smarter and better option. One thing to consider is the amount that you’re spending on maintenance and repairs over the course of a certain period of time. Repair costs add up significantly, and eventually it might make more sense monetarily to invest in an upgrade or replacement instead. Breakdowns and repairs also mean more downtime where your business isn’t operational, and this can mean missing deadlines and revenue. It’s crucial to weigh the options when it comes to relying on these temporary fixes or investing more in a long-term solution.

Regulatory Compliance and Safety Concerns

When it comes to wastewater management, there are regulatory requirements that must be met, and newer equipment could offer improved monitoring and automation to ensure that these requirements are met. Not only this, but upgrading equipment can meet environmental regulations that may be changing as well. It’s also important to look at potential safety concerns that may arise due to faulty equipment. Malfunctioning equipment or structural weakness could become a huge issue for those who are working in your facility.

Wastewater Specific Signs to Watch For

When it comes to wastewater equipment, there are a few different specific signs to watch out for. Overflows and backups are something to watch out for, which can indicate that there are issues with some of the equipment. Poor water quality readings can also be a sign that something is wrong with some of the equipment.

When Should You Repair vs Replace?

There are many factors that can go into whether you should repair or replace your equipment. One of the most important considerations is the cost of a long-term solution and the benefits of investing in it. It’s essential to consult with an equipment expert to determine the most suitable course of action for your specific situation. Experts can assess your situation and ultimately tell you if you should invest in a repair or a replacement. Knowing whether or not you should repair or replace your equipment depends on your personal situation, as every piece of equipment is different. When it comes to speaking with a professional, they will look into all of the details that we mentioned above, like the lifespan of the equipment, the problems you are experiencing, and what the options for you may be.

Working With Lakeside Equipment

Don’t worry if you are in the predicament where you are experiencing issues with your wastewater equipment, or if you think that the lifespan of your equipment might be ending. We have a full team of experts who have experience in wastewater equipment and are able to identify potential issues, with the best solutions for you in mind. We will come to you and do a proactive assessment to look at your current situation, then we will give you a comprehensive solution that includes your next steps to ensure that your equipment is working to full efficiency. If you’re interested in working with Lakeside Equipment, contact us and we can come assess your situation and get your equipment back up and running perfectly.

With the increase in scarcity and environmental regulations that are pushing for a more sustainable future, wastewater filtration methods are changing. Wastewater filtration technology is critical to public health, environmental protection, and water reuse, which makes innovation in this sector even more important. Many different innovations are shaping the way wastewater filtration is done, and we’re going to go into some of the newest innovations coming soon that will shape the way wastewater filtration is done.

What is Filtration in Wastewater Treatment?

Filtration is the most important part of wastewater treatment as it is the step that removes contaminants and pollutants from the water. It is responsible for allowing water reuse, reducing environmental impact, and improving water quality. There are different filtration types and methods, but overall, filtration is the one area that should be improved in order to change the way wastewater treatment is done and how effective it is.

There are three main types of filtration that are done to wastewater; let’s look at the differences between them to get a better idea of what wastewater filtration entails:

Physical Filtration

This is the process of using a physical barrier to filter out solids from the water. Some examples of these filters can be screens, sand filters, and sediment filters. This method works well for removing larger particles from the water that are easily caught by the filter.

Biological Filtration

Biological filtration takes it a step further than physical filtration by using beneficial microorganisms to break down contaminants. This type of filtration is best for contaminants that cannot be removed by a physical filtration barrier, such as nitrates and ammonia.

Advanced Filtration

Advanced filtration is the combination of advanced methods put together that can help to eliminate pollutants that are more difficult to get rid of. Typically, this method of filtration targets dissolved pollutants and microscopic organisms that cannot be filtered out with traditional methods. Some examples of this include membrane filtration, advanced oxidation processes, and electrodialysis reversal.

Wastewater Filtration Innovations in 2025

Now that we’ve gone over some of the different filtration methods, you can get an idea of what the current methods and ideas are for filtering wastewater. When we look at 2025 and beyond, there are new methods that are advanced ways of filtering wastewater and could very well become common practice in the next few years. Here’s a look at some of the newer innovations for wastewater filtration and what they entail.

Next-Generation Membrane Filtering

Membrane filtering is not a new concept, but there are many advancements being made for this type of filtration that could increase the effectiveness of membrane filtering. One of the changes we are seeing in this method is precision-engineered membranes with 3D printing and nanofabrication to improve flow. In addition, there are new coatings being used on these filters to avoid biofilm and work for self-cleaning. The materials used to make these membrane filters are changing as we see materials like graphene oxide being used to increase the durability of the filters.

Advanced Oxidation Processes

Advanced oxidation processes, or AOPs, are chemicals that treat the water to remove organic and inorganic materials. This chemical reaction takes place due to the AOPs generating highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. One of the biggest chemicals this process is targeting is PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which have become mainstream knowledge and are affecting people across the globe due to these chemicals being in many of our daily use products, including water.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology isn’t a new concept, but it’s being pushed to its limits as a new way to create precision filtration. It uses nanoparticles to remove contaminants all the way at the molecular level. This is typically used for contaminants like heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses. One of the most notable features of this type of technology is its scalability and customization, allowing many facilities with different contaminants to utilize it.

Artificial Intelligence

It’s no secret that artificial intelligence has become a huge part of technology, and it’s now being integrated with wastewater filtration. AI helps with improving management, filtration processes, and overall efficiency. One of the biggest things it’s helping with is predictive maintenance, which is crucial for lowering downtime and reducing manpower for inspections to keep wastewater treatment facilities up and running consistently. Other areas it helps with are fault detection and real-time optimization, allowing for a hands-off experience.

Self-Regenerating Biofilters

Biofilters are not new to the wastewater filtration sector, but self-regenerating ones are a huge jump into an area we’ve never seen before. Self-regenerating biofilters work by using a biological process to remove contaminants, and then the filter is cleaned by using backwashing and biodegradation.

Benefits of Wastewater Filtration Innovations

There are many benefits to innovations within wastewater filtration and wastewater treatment. Many of these benefits have to do with water reuse and sustainability, but let’s look at some of the expected benefits that come when adopting these methods in wastewater treatment facilities regarding filtration.

• Increased and improved water reuse potential
• Reduced chemical usage and sludge generation
• Reduced pollution at a molecular and microscopic level
• Reduced reliance on manpower and frequency of inspections
• Lower energy consumption and operational costs
• Longer equipment life and fewer repairs/replacements

What’s Next for Wastewater Filtration?

When we look at the future of wastewater filtration, there is a lot that we can expect to happen. With advancements in technology, the overall integration of artificial intelligence, and increased knowledge, there are a lot of improvements we can expect to see in the future. We can expect automation to continue to be prominent in this sector and create more of a hands-off approach, while also increasing the breakthroughs that will happen with bio-inspired filtration. Renewable energy systems are also on the horizon, and we can expect to see them integrated more into wastewater treatment facilities to lower environmental impact and reliance on the power grid. If you’re looking for advanced filtration options or options for implementing some of these futuristic ideas into your treatment facility, contact us at Lakeside Equipment today, and we can set you up with a consultation to see what equipment is best for your needs.

Environmental sustainability is on the horizon as one of the most important factors when it comes to many businesses. The rising interest and emphasis on this has pushed many industries to follow more strict sustainability measures to cut their own impact and pave the way for a cleaner and greener future. Wastewater treatment has the potential to be sustainable, and it plays a huge role in protecting water resources across the world, but we’re going to dive into whether or not the equipment used for wastewater treatment is truly sustainable. Let’s look more into this and see what exactly is sustainable if you’re a company that’s looking to be as sustainable as possible, including in your wastewater treatment efforts. 

What is Sustainability in Wastewater Treatment? 

Sustainability looks different across industries due to the capabilities of being sustainable and what exactly that entails. In this case, there are multiple avenues that contribute to making wastewater treatment sustainable, and understanding these can help you determine what’s truly sustainable and whether it’s the right choice for you. Here are some of the key aspects that are a part of sustainable wastewater treatment:

Energy Efficiency: This is one of the main areas where sustainability comes into play. Reducing the energy consumption of treatment processes can be done through design, energy recovery from wastewater, and energy from biogas. Wastewater treatment equipment can consume a significant amount of energy, so implementing energy-saving practices can have a substantial impact.

Minimizing Pollution: Pollution is a factor that we see talked about in the industrial area, but water treatment helps to reduce pollutants that are in the water, such as chemicals, pathogens, and excess unneeded nutrients. 

Resources: When it comes to resources, wastewater treatment plays a huge role in being able to reuse water that otherwise would have to be discarded. This also helps to create a circular economy where the wastewater is treated and reused to maximize resource utilization. 

Eco-Friendly Technologies and Innovations 

There are many different technologies these days that help with sustainability, energy efficiency, and innovation when it comes to wastewater treatment. Here are a few of the top technologies that can be used in wastewater treatment to help build a greener and more sustainable life. 

Biogas Recovery with Anaerobic Treatment 

Biogas is a renewable fuel that is composed mostly of methane that can be used to power heating and electricity, cutting energy usage from the grid. Anaerobic processes can also cut cluge production by about 50%, which means that the disposal cost and environmental burden of that can be cut as well. 

Efficient Aeration Systems 

Aeration is an important part of wastewater treatment; however, it can account for over 50% of a plant’s total energy consumption, meaning that there’s a huge opportunity for sustainability efforts here. Equipment like fine-bubble diffusers can help to lower blower run-times, or high-efficiency blowers can adjust airflow based on needs. These equipment changes can help to cut energy consumption and lower operational costs at the same time. 

Membrane Bioreactors

Membrane bioreactors, or MBRs, help to produce clean effluent using a combination of biological treatment and membrane filtration. It has a lower chemical use and helps to produce high-quality reuse water suitable for industrial reuse, irrigation, or potable reuse. 

Smart Monitoring

Smart monitoring is something that we are seeing more of as technology advances and wastewater treatments take on these advancements. IoT sensors help to monitor compliance while detecting issues in real-time. RT Process control allows for automated adjustments to be made to keep energy use at a minimum. Lastly, predictive maintenance forecasts equipment needs to prevent breakdowns and lower downtime. 

What Lakeside Equipment Offers for Sustainability 

At Lakeside Equipment, we have a full lineup of products that can help with wastewater treatment efficiency, and many of them are sustainable. When it comes to our products, we want them to be efficient for you, but also allow you to keep up with your sustainability plan and help contribute to a greener future. We offer a wide range of products, from aerators, special drums, biogas recovery setups, and automation features that can help you in your sustainability efforts. With a wide range of offers, we are able to give you a solution that allows you to cut energy consumption, improve efficiency, and bring on smart monitoring technologies to make manpower less needed. 

Benefits of Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

There are many benefits that come with sustainable wastewater treatment and they’re mostly broken up into three categories including environmental, social, and economic. These benefits are similar to other benefits that come with sustainability efforts in other areas as well, but here’s a look at the benefits that come with having sustainable wastewater treatment. 

Environmental Benefits 

• Reduced energy footprint from the treatment 
• Lower carbon emissions are emitted by the wastewater treatment 
• Improved water quality due to increased efforts 
• Less impact on energy consumption on the grid 

Social Benefits 

• Healthier communities are built when water treatment is effective and nonpolluting
• Enhanced reliability in the practices of the treatment facility 
• Sustainability efforts of wastewater treatment facilities offer a good social reputation in the sustainability sector 

Economic Benefits

• Lower energy consumption, meaning lower operational costs 
• Biogas creation, meaning less reliance on the energy grid power 

Be More Sustainable with Lakeside Equipment

Wastewater treatment is essential, and it is also a huge contributor to emissions from the plants, making it a huge opportunity for sustainability efforts. Overall, there are a lot of different ways sustainability can be achieved with wastewater treatment, and the benefits are prominent. Sustainability is something many industries are trying to achieve, as there is more knowledge around how our planet is being affected by increased emissions, energy usage, and other practices that are not sustainable. 

With Lakeside Equipment, we offer many different equipment options for sustainability within wastewater treatment, and we can help you meet those goals while dropping your operational costs. If you’re looking for wastewater treatment equipment that can help you meet your sustainability goals, then contact us today so we can get you set up with our top-of-the-line equipment that makes for a great impact on the earth, as well as your facility. 

Climate-stressed regions in general are in need of wastewater systems that need to be created to keep their specific climates in mind. When we talk about climate-stressed regions, we are talking about areas that experience extreme heat, drought, flooding, or severe weather. Wastewater infrastructure is especially important because they are vulnerable in these climate-stressed areas. Lakeside Equipment Corporation is an innovator in the wastewater systems industry, and we have decades of experience, especially in working in interesting climates such as Florida, where the climate is extremely hot and humid. 

Understanding the Challenges of Climate-Stressed Regions

Many specific climate situations can make for a climate-stressed region. Overall, these climates typically have different challenges, especially when it comes to wastewater systems, than you’d normally see in other regions that don’t have intense climates. When looking at climates that are stressed, we often see: 

• Extreme heat or heat waves 
• Drought or water scarcity 
• Flooding
• Wildfires 
• Extreme humidity 

With this in mind, many additional issues can arise simply due to these intense climates. Challenges within the climate can cause significant problems for agriculture, the people living in the region, health, safety, and wastewater systems. Here’s a look at some of the challenges experienced by those who live in climate-stressed areas:

• Water Scarcity and Quality: One of the biggest issues that can arise is water scarcity and quality due to the increase in heat, which can result in droughts, or an increase in storms and runoff, which can taint the water supply. 
• Agricultural Impacts: With drought, or even wastewater runoff, or extreme heat, which can deplete crops, there is an agricultural impact that can affect many of the food sources in an area. 
• Natural Disasters or Weather Events: Wildfires, flooding, and heatwaves are all weather events that could cause a lot of damage to infrastructure, water supply, housing, and people who live in areas where these events are common. 

Why You Need Flexible and Scalable System Designs 

When it comes to wastewater systems and climate-stressed areas, it is crucial to have a flexible and scalable system in place that can handle these changes. Your system should be able to keep up with changes in the water quality and volume in weather events, which is often seen in climate-stressed areas such as Florida. This is where modular systems come into play, as they are systems that can expand or scale down as needed. At Lakeside Equipment, we have modular packages that are created to have custom-engineered flexibility so no matter what climate you’re in or what is going on, your wastewater systems are handled with sufficiency. It’s the perfect solution for climate-stressed or fast-growing communities. 

The Need for Energy Efficiency and Optimization 

With hotter climates and more intense climate regions, there is a need for energy efficiency and optimization, as the wastewater systems will require more energy to keep up with these strenuous conditions. Low-energy pumps or fine bubble diffusers are examples of the type of components that should be implemented to keep up with the energy efficiency for these wastewater systems. 

Flood Resistant and Stormwater Infrastructure 

Systems need to be designed in order to be able to handle heavy rainfall, runoff, and surges. There’s also a need for corrosion-resistant materials and above-ground access points in order to keep the system accessible and available during heavy rainfall, flooding, or stormwater. Overflow routing strategies, detention tanks, and lift stations are all components that should be considered when implementing a wastewater system that can withstand flooding and heavy stormwater in areas that are prone to these weather events. 

Filtration and Disinfection

In areas where there is an increase in weather events and natural disasters, there is a need for more filtration and disinfection components that allow the system to filter out any potential pollution that these events could bring. This is important for keeping water clean and safe for many uses, even if there is runoff, increased stormwater, flooding, or extra pollution brought on by these events. 

Automation and Smart Management

It’s even more crucial for climate-stressed regions to have automation and smart management technology within their systems. This ensures that no matter what kind of conditions or disasters are going on, someone is able to control the system and utilize all of the functions. Some of the smart features that might be beneficial for these areas are sensors for flow or chemical levels and the ability for real-time adjustments. Predictive maintenance is an important part of these systems as well, because without it, there is a need for someone to constantly check and monitor the potential problems. Where the climate is so intense and natural disasters can be present, this can be more difficult. 

Building Resilient Wastewater Systems for Challenging Climates

There is a need for wastewater systems to be in full force and heavily integrated in areas in challenging climates. Like Florida and other areas with intense weather, wastewater systems have a huge need to be as smart and efficient as possible. We’ve gone over the intense climates and challenges that these areas face, but what’s most important to understand is the needs behind wastewater systems and why this is important in these areas.

At Lakeside, we truly understand that natural disasters or weather events are a huge need for wastewater systems that are truly meant for those areas. We offer these systems for climate-stressed regions that help to keep wastewater under control, no matter what the region is experiencing. Heat wave, flooding, humidity, or anything in between, we’ve got you covered at Lakeside Equipment. If you’re interested in a wastewater system that’s efficient, smart, and keeps up with even the worst conditions, contact us so we can get you in for a consult and see what system works best for your needs.