Managing a city sewage treatment plant well is actually like running a big family - chatting with you about down-to-earth dry goods
1, First, treat the factory as your own kitchen and tidy it up: environmental management is not that mysterious
When they first took over the sewage treatment plant, many people were intimidated by the "professionalism" and felt like they had to stare at the dashboard and check data every day. Actually, the most basic thing is to first do a good job of "face" - the factory environment is like a person's face, and it is difficult to control good water quality in a messy factory.
1. Start from a place that is visible and tangible
-Don't turn the ground into a "mud and water pond": Sewage treatment plants are inevitably prone to leakage, especially around the dehydration workshop and aeration tank, where mud and sewage often flow everywhere. Don't think 'Anyway, we deal with sewage every day, so dirty spots are normal'. Over time, the ground slips, employees are prone to falling, and equipment is also prone to corrosion. I have seen smart factory managers who build small walls around vulnerable areas, dig diversion ditches, and directly direct the leaked water to the collection pool. The ground is regularly flushed with high-pressure water guns, which is refreshing and safe.
-The equipment is even brighter than my own car: regardless of whether it's the water pump, fan, or valve, arrange for someone to wipe the dust and rust every day, tighten the screws in a timely manner if they become loose, and lubricate the lubrication points regularly. Don't wait until the device is "lying down" to think of it, just like the refrigerator and air conditioner at home, regular maintenance is necessary to use it for a long time. There is an old master in our factory who treats every device as an "old buddy". He knows better than anyone which device likes to "cough" (make abnormal noises) and which valve likes to "sweat" (leak water). Early handling can save 80% of maintenance costs.
2. Odor management: Don't let the surrounding residents curse you
The most common complaint about sewage treatment plants is their foul odor. Don't think that 'odor is inevitable', as long as you are willing to put in effort, you can completely control it:
-Shut down the odor: Cover and seal the "severely affected areas" such as the grille, sedimentation tank, and sludge dewatering room, and then install activated carbon adsorption devices or biological deodorization boxes. Our factory has installed a negative pressure collection system in the dehydration workshop, which extracts and treats the odor as soon as it appears. The surrounding residents have gone from reporting it every day to now not being able to smell it when passing by.
-Plant "anti odor plants": Plant oleander, camphor tree, and privet around the factory area. These trees have their own "purification properties" and can provide shade in summer. Add some vertical greening, the walls are covered with ivy, which looks comfortable and can also absorb some odors.
2, The device is a 'foodie': don't wait until it breaks to fix it, you have to 'spoil' it
There are countless equipment in the sewage treatment plant, including water pumps, fans, aeration heads, membrane components... Any shutdown could potentially paralyze the entire plant. Remember one principle: preventive maintenance is always more cost-effective than emergency repairs.
1. Establish a "household registration book" for the device
Each device is labeled with a QR code, which can be scanned to see:
-Basic information: model, manufacturer, purchase time, warranty period;
-Maintenance records: When was the bearing replaced, when was the blockage cleared, who repaired it, and what parts were used;
-Maintenance plan: For example, changing the oil of a fan every 500 hours, checking the seals of a water pump every quarter, and receiving automatic reminders from the system when the time is up.
Our factory used to rely entirely on experienced technicians. If the equipment broke down, we could check the problem and now scan the code to access historical data. The cause of the malfunction is clear at a glance, and the repair time has been reduced by half.
2. Cultivate one's own "equipment doctor"
Don't rely too much on the manufacturer's after-sales service. Firstly, you can't afford to wait, and secondly, it's expensive. Find a few employees who are willing to study and send them out for training to learn how to repair pumps, fans, and replace membrane components. We have a post-95s guy in our factory who learned from the manufacturer's after-sales service for 3 months. Now he can independently replace the film group and save more than 20000 yuan in maintenance costs at once. Usually, let them think more about "traditional methods", such as using waste belts as sealing rings or using stainless steel wire to block the aeration head, which saves money and is practical.
3. Focus on "vulnerable parts" and "major power consumers"
-Membrane components: If the wrong medication is used or not rinsed in a timely manner, the membrane is prone to clogging. We stipulate that after each chemical cleaning, the pressure difference and flow rate of the membrane must be recorded. Once any abnormal data is found, the cause must be identified immediately. Don't wait until it is completely blocked before replacing it. A membrane can cost thousands of dollars!
-Aeration fan: Energy consumption accounts for more than 40% of the entire plant. Regularly clean the accumulated dust on the fan impeller and adjust the dissolved oxygen in the aeration tank (do not blindly turn on the fan, as long as it is sufficient). Through the intelligent aeration system, our factory has saved more than 1 million yuan in electricity bills in a year.
3, People are the core: Don't treat employees as "screws", let them be "heart wrenching"
No matter how good the equipment or excellent the technology is, it's useless if no one puts in the effort. The employees of sewage treatment plants are often misunderstood as "machine watchers", but in fact, they are the "soul" of the plant.
1. Let employees know 'why' instead of 'what'
Many grassroots employees repeat inspections and record data every day, and over time, they feel like 'it's just a job of mixing wages'. Why not talk to them more:
-Where did the sewage we treated go For example, 'Our factory processes 50000 tons of sewage every day, enough for 100000 households to use tap water for a day.' 'The treated intermediate water irrigates the city's greenery, and the trees on the roadside grow well in summer, thanks to our efforts.'.
-Who is affected by the quality of water If the water at the outlet does not meet the standard, the downstream river will stink, and the people will criticize us; if it meets the standard, the surrounding wetland parks and scenic lakes will be beautiful, and we can live comfortably ourselves.
Employees know that their work is meaningful, so their motivation is naturally different.
2. Transform "dead rules" into "living methods"
Wastewater treatment plants emphasize "operating according to regulations", but do not make it a "one size fits all" approach. For example, during inspections, it was previously required to write data every 2 hours. Some employees, in order to cope, randomly filled in numbers. Later, we changed it to 'During inspections, three on-site photos must be taken (equipment operation status, instrument data, surrounding environment) and uploaded to the management group'. The team leader conducts spot checks at any time, ensuring authenticity and allowing employees to actively observe details. For example, allowing employees to come up with "golden ideas", as long as they can save money and improve efficiency, even if it is to change the position of a valve or optimize a record table, rewards will be given. Last year, we saved more than 300000 yuan in costs through employees' small innovations.
3. Only by caring about "small things" can we stabilize "people's hearts"
-Sending mung bean soup in summer and hot ginger soup in winter: Don't think it's just a "brain teaser". Sewage treatment plants are hot in summer and humid in winter, making it difficult for employees to work outdoors. A cup of hot drink can warm people's hearts.
-To give a sense of honor to the "technology champion": Our factory has established the position of "chief technician" with high salary and allowances, allowing skilled employees to take apprentices and conduct internal training. Young people have a bright future, and even experienced professionals are willing to pass on their skills.
-Don't be afraid of employees' "suggestions": in the past, all meetings were held by leaders, and employees listened to them. Later, it was changed to "roast Conference", so that everyone could casually say what was not useful and reasonable, such as "the lighting in the dehydration workshop was too dark, and the buttons could not be seen clearly at night", "the patrol route was too far, and could you take a shortcut". If the collected problems could be corrected immediately, they could not be explained. Employees felt that "someone listened to their own words", and their enthusiasm would be high.
4, Data is the 'eyes': you have to stare, but don't be fooled by data
Nowadays, sewage treatment plants have automated systems that monitor water quality, quantity, and equipment status in real time. However, data is just a tool, and the key is to "look at the door".
1. Don't just focus on the "benchmark line", look for "outliers"
For example, the effluent ammonia nitrogen index met the standard today (≤ 5mg/L), but it was 2mg/L yesterday and suddenly rose to 4mg/L today. Although it did not exceed the standard, we need to immediately investigate whether the inflow load suddenly increased? Is the blockage of the aeration head causing insufficient oxygen supply? Don't panic when you exceed the standard, only by detecting "trend changes" in advance can accidents be avoided. Our factory's engineers first look at the "data fluctuation chart" every day, draw red lines to mark abnormal points, and investigate the causes one by one to nip problems in the bud.
2. Let data speak for itself, not just gather numbers
Some factories, in order to cope with inspections, change data and make fake reports, this is seeking death! Real data can reflect problems. For example, if the sludge production suddenly increases, it may be due to excessive front-end drug addition or a problem with the biochemical system; The sudden increase in electricity bills may be due to a decrease in fan efficiency or an unreasonable aeration time. Our factory holds a weekly "data review meeting" to analyze the influent water quality, treatment cost and equipment energy consumption. For example, "the same treatment of 10000 tons of water costs 2000 yuan more this month than last month, why?" After checking, it turned out that the weather turned cold and the sludge viscosity was high, so we had to increase the dosage. Later, we adjusted the dosing strategy in advance, saving a lot of money.
3. Don't be superstitious about "high technology", combine it with "local experience"
No matter how advanced the automation system is, it cannot replace human judgment. For example, when measuring COD in a laboratory, sometimes the instrument displays abnormal data. In this case, do not directly trust the data. First, check whether the sampling bottle is contaminated, whether the reagent is expired, and even manually retest. Our factory's experienced laboratory technician can roughly judge changes in water quality by looking at the color of the water sample and smelling its odor. This experience is more flexible than instruments, and requires a combination of "traditional methods" and "high-tech".
5, Get along well with your surroundings: Don't treat yourself as an 'island'
The sewage treatment plant does not just need to work behind closed doors, but also needs to learn how to "deal with" - to cope with environmental inspections at the top, to make the surrounding residents accept it at the bottom, and to cooperate with pipeline companies, garbage treatment plants, and other external parties.
1. Treat environmental inspections as a 'physical examination', don't be an 'enemy'
Before, when we heard that the Environmental Protection Bureau was coming, the whole factory was nervous like "preparing for an exam". Later, we became passive and proactive:
-Advance self inspection: Check once a month according to the strictest standards and solve problems first;
-Proactive reporting: Regularly send data reports to the Environmental Protection Bureau, invite them to visit the factory, talk about our processing technology and environmental investment, and let them know that we are not just "doing errands", but really doing things.
Now the people from the Environmental Protection Bureau have come, praising us for having clear records and a clear understanding, and instead giving us many practical suggestions.
2. Don't make residents think that 'factories are just a source of pollution'
The biggest contradiction of sewage treatment plants is the "neighborhood avoidance effect", where residents feel that "when you treat sewage, the odor and noise affect me". You can actually do it this way:
-Open Day, please come in: Hold several "Citizen Open Days" every year, take everyone to visit the treatment process, see how sewage is cleaned, and talk about the efforts we have made to control odor and reduce noise. After visiting, many residents said, "So your factory is so clean, it's much better than I imagined
-Do some visible good things, such as giving the treated reclaimed water to surrounding construction sites for free to reduce dust, to water gardens and greenery, and to provide cooling supplies to surrounding communities in summer. When the people feel the benefits of the factory, they naturally have less hostility.
3. Bind together with upstream and downstream
The quality of water in sewage treatment plants is closely related to whether the upstream pipeline network is blocked and whether the downstream receiving water body meets the standards. Our factory proactively contacts the municipal pipeline company to regularly check for mixed connections and illegal discharge issues in the pipeline network; Collaborate with downstream river management offices to share real-time water quality data and maintain river ecology together. Once, a high concentration industrial wastewater suddenly came from upstream, and the pipeline company notified us in advance. We adjusted the process in a timely manner and did not exceed the standard. This is the benefit of "linkage".
6, Always keep a 'backup': not afraid of ten thousand, just afraid of what might happen
The sewage treatment plant is most afraid of "emergencies" - pipe network overflow due to rainstorm, sudden equipment failure, sudden change of influent water quality, even epidemic situation sealing and control, and no one goes to work... Only by making plans in advance can we stay calm.
1. Think about the 'worst-case scenario' three times
-Rainstorm emergency plan: for example, our factory has installed an automatic drainage pump in the low-lying area of the plant, stored sandbags and tarpaulins, and linked with the meteorological bureau in real time. Before the rainstorm, the water level of the regulating pool is lowered in advance to reserve buffer space. Last year, we encountered the rainstorm once in a century, and the surrounding factories were flooded. Our factory made preparations in advance and did not stop working for a minute.
-Emergency plan for sudden changes in water quality: In case of strong acid and alkali wastewater coming upstream, immediately activate the emergency pool diversion, add neutralizing agents, and contact the environmental protection department to investigate the source. Our factory holds a 'practical exercise' once every quarter to let employees know what to do at each step. After practicing three times, the speed of handling unexpected situations can be improved by 70%.
-Emergency plan for personnel shortage: During the epidemic period, many employees were unable to come due to lockdown measures. We have trained "multi skilled workers" in advance, with at least 2 people in each position who can operate and take on critical roles.
2. Prepare sufficient "emergency supplies" and don't rely on last-minute cramming
For flocculants, activated carbon, and vulnerable parts, reserve at least 15 days of usage; Backup power supply and backup pump, regularly test run to ensure they can be started at any time. Our factory experienced a power outage in the middle of the night, and we relied on the backup generator to sustain it for 3 hours without causing the biochemical system to collapse. This is what we call 'being prepared for emergencies'.
7, There must be two accounts in mind: short-term cost account and long-term development account
Most sewage treatment plants are operated by state-owned enterprises or government platform companies. Some people think that "it's just about enough to spend financial money anyway," but truly good managers will spend every penny wisely.
1. Save the province's money: Don't waste it, but don't be stingy
-Pharmaceutical cost: Don't blindly pursue "high concentration", such as PAC (polyaluminum chloride). The purity and price of different manufacturers vary greatly. We have conducted more than 20 comparative experiments to find the most cost-effective product, saving 500000 yuan in one year and achieving even better results.
-Electricity cost: off peak electricity consumption+equipment energy saving: electricity prices are cheaper after 10 pm, so we have adjusted some non critical equipment (such as sludge dewatering machines) to operate in the middle of the night; Eliminating high energy consuming old equipment and replacing it with energy-saving ones, although the initial investment is large, can save electricity costs in three years.
2. Spend the right money: Invest in the future, don't just focus on the present
-Intelligent transformation: Although it requires initial investment, the use of intelligent inspection robots and online water quality monitoring systems has reduced labor costs and improved data accuracy. Our factory invested 2 million yuan in the system last year, and this year we have saved 1.5 million yuan in labor and accident losses alone. In the long run, it is cost-effective.
-Employee training: Every year, send technical backbone to participate in industry exhibitions and academic conferences, allowing them to learn new technologies (such as popular sludge carbonization and resource recycling). After returning, they can propose process optimization suggestions, such as treating the filtrate after sludge dewatering by reflux, reducing secondary pollution and saving treatment costs.
Finally, let me say a few words: the core of management is "sense of responsibility"
After talking about so many techniques and methods, the most crucial thing is actually 'people' - as a factory director, you have to treat the factory as your own home, and employees have to treat their work as their own business. When you see equipment leaking, don't think 'this is not my area of responsibility', but 'quickly find a wrench to tighten it, don't let the water flow in vain'; When you see abnormal data, don't think about "waiting for the leader to handle it", but "go to the scene first to see what the situation is, and solve what can be solved first".
The sewage treatment plant is the "kidney" of the city, and dirty and tiring work must be done by someone. However, as long as it is carefully managed, not only can the water quality be well managed, but the plant can also become a "garden style factory", giving employees a sense of belonging and making surrounding residents give a thumbs up. Remember: there is no factory that cannot be well managed, only people who are not attentive.
Let's just talk like this, I hope it's useful to you!
