Standardized Procedures, Instructions and Forms for Water and Wastewater Plants
Service: Procedure Development
Industry: Government
Project Manager:
Ted Bailey
Contact: Ted@aursi.ca
Aureus was retained by a client with two complex drinking water and wastewater treatment plants to develop written and video operational and maintenance procedures. These procedures were to be easy to use and understand, help with standardization amongst operators, improve on-boarding processes for new operators, and help reduce risks during emergency situations during COVID (where access to a full complement of operators could be challenging).
Client Challenges:
While both treatment plants had existing engineering manuals, the documents did not provide clear guidance on proper operation and maintenance practices (not operator focussed)
Knowledge loss was a significant challenge due to recent retirements and staffing changes. This placed a heavy burden on a few staff to support the newer operators and increased the risks of potential issues
Bad practices, due to onboarding and training challenges, were creeping into the standard operational and maintenance activities
Equipment issues were increasing, and it was assumed that this was due to a lack of standardization of checks and maintenance.
Aureus’ Solution:
Aureus used the knowledge of best practices collected from over 250 different treatment systems, as well as the experience and knowledge of the local operators (using a collaborative approach) to develop the standardized operational and maintenance tools. We started by working with each operator to understand their activities, how they performed these activities (including safety steps), the issues they had experienced, how they resolved these issues, and the current challenges they face in the areas of design, operations, maintenance, and management. We then compared these findings amongst the operations group to identify variances, and collectively agree on a standardized approach. These practices were then translated into standardized written step-by-step procedures as well as a readily accessible video format. Finally, we worked with the client to help with implementation and follow-up.
The Outcome:
Following the implementation of the new standardized procedures, the client identified:
Improvement in effluent quality and consistency, significantly reducing the risk of non-compliance
Reduced alarms due to better understanding and recognition of the factors that were contributing to historical alarm conditions
Improved staff morale
Improved safety practices for many activities
Contact our team and learn more about Aureus’ operator network and water treatment support.
