Municipal Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants

Old thermal desalination can be replaced with energy-efficient reverse osmosis, and processes can be evaluated for cost-efficiency. Maintenance schedules should be followed closely to avoid costly repairs. And through Seven Seas’ efficient Water-as-a-Service® delivery mode, municipalities can often save on both CAPEX and OPEX now and in the future.

Climate change is expected to produce more damaging storms. Municipalities might consider decentralizing their water and wastewater services with an array of smaller, modular plants. The steel housings are wind resistant, and if only one plant in an array of smaller plants is damaged by a weather event, it presents a smaller problem than if a large, regional facility is knocked out.

Climate change, in tandem with surging populations, makes fresh water harder to come by. Water scarcity strongly pushes municipalities toward efficiency through reuse, as well as leak detection and repair.

Utilities can supply industrial sites or agriculture with highly treated recycled water for a lower cost, a win-win for the industry and the utility. Recycled water can also be delivered for municipal applications such as street cleaning, fleet washing, dust reduction, park irrigation, and topping up water features. Reuse is essentially a new stream of water in a more water-scarce world.

Treatment of emerging contaminants is a priority for regulatory bodies. For example, the EPA recently set limits for six PFAS with the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR). While approaches to address emerging contaminants like PFAS are a work in progress, some effective measures are being used to achieve compliance such as nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, granular activated carbon, and ion exchange. The complexity of addressing emerging contaminants is another great reason to keep Seven Seas experts involved.

Public-private partnerships (P3s) offer compelling benefits. New P3 infrastructure delivery modes can reduce or eliminate CAPEX and bundle long-term operations & maintenance for both a lower upfront cost and lower ongoing costs. But not all P3s are created equal. It’s imperative to look for a company with an established reputation and performance-based contracts, like Seven Seas.

One important treatment trend is the adoption of decentralized treatment systems that provide localized solutions, minimize pipeline infrastructure, and facilitate water reuse. There is also a strong focus on sustainability, with advanced technologies being used to recycle wastewater and recover resources like biogas and nutrients, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and aligning with global environmental goals. Additionally, there is increasing implementation of innovative treatment methods to address emerging contaminants, ensuring cleaner water and compliance with stricter environmental regulations.

Reclaimed wastewater can be used for irrigation in agriculture and landscaping, reducing the demand for sources of fresh water. It is also utilized for industrial processes, such as cooling water and boiler feed, and can be treated further to meet the standards for potable reuse. Additionally, reclaimed wastewater can support environmental conservation by replenishing groundwater supplies and maintaining wetlands. These uses demonstrate how wastewater can be transformed into a valuable resource.

Topping the list of best practices are water reuse, desalination where viable, application of smart water meters, decentralization of infrastructure assets, and modern infrastructure delivery modes, like those available through WaaS®. In a landscape where both water and capital can be hard to source and climate change is introducing more risk, the resilience provided by these measures is key.

Seven Seas should be your first call to plan your city’s water needs in the coming decades, offering unparalleled experience, ongoing service, top-quality equipment, decentralized strategies, and innovative financing.