The top considerations when planning for a water treatment plant

Even before embarking on the design, it is important for us to ensure our customers, consultants and the working team are aligned when it comes to the design method. This includes the thought process behind the engineering design, defining the level of work required, and matching the level of manpower capability in the project specification. With this record, the project team can understand and manage changes in the long run and take additional considerations when the design has deviated from the original thought process.

When evaluating the engineering design, besides the usual key factors such as the water source quality, the treatment process to be applied, the codes and standards, the planned capacity and the possibility of future expansions, weatherproofing, the environmental impact and operational efficiencies, it is important to consider the following:

• Constructability and hazards

• Local conditions and situational assessment

• Stakeholder and community management

Many engineering organisations miss out on these less popular, but equally critical aspects of project development and execution, because these workstreams are championed by another set of people. As engineers, we must keep these factors in mind so that the design output will be robust and risks are mitigated.

While the selection may depend on the water source, type of contaminants, energy and maintenance requirements, and the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the technology over the long term, it is also important to consider whether the solution provider owns the technology, possesses operational data, and has the engineering capability to rightsize the design for your facility, as well as make the necessary adjustments for your operational requirements. The ability to fabricate the equipment in-house is another consideration, which is essential for the controlled, smooth and successful execution of the project.

The commissioning phase often does not receive enough attention in the construction timeline. It is the line item that we need to pay the most attention to. It is the time when the quality of the plant and its components are put to the test, a time to validate if the design and the plant will work well. We have a running joke in the commissioning industry: “The construction guy builds it; the commissioning guy breaks it.” – this refers to the testing of the plant against the design criteria.

Not many people are aware that the project does not end when the plant is physically completed. It is at the commissioning stage when the Certificate of Completion is conditionally or fully awarded.

Safety should be of the highest concern because parts of the plant will be in operation during the completion of installation. Equipment and systems may still be running in manual mode, and there can be unexpected delays if the risks are not well-managed. The Commissioning phase is often the most hazardous period in executing a process plant project.

During this phase, it is important to ensure that highly experienced engineers are performing the commissioning works. The commissioning engineer is required to generate and follow procedure, be creative and resourceful, be dynamic and goal-oriented – which often means working round the clock for continuous testing, just because most of the tests cannot be stopped at will.

The commission team takes care of every single detail under the guidance of a solid commissioning plan. It is important to be able to work with a team you can trust.