The problem of monitoring wastewater composition and property standards. Control methods considering the specifics of legislative changes in water supply and sanitation

Context and Problems of Wastewater Control

Changes in the legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of water supply and sanitation, which came into force in 2021, empowered local governments to establish their own standards for the composition of wastewater. As noted by the speaker Arsen Stepanyan, Head of the Environmental Protection Service at PJSC Signal, these requirements are often strict, and for certain substances, practically impossible to fulfill. This confronts industrial enterprises with the fact of non-compliance with standards, which leads to significant financial costs for damage compensation and the implementation of emission reduction plans.

The presentation details the main reasons for non-compliance with standards: outdated treatment facilities, lack of internal control, unsatisfactory quality of incoming water, and the non-use of modern technologies in production.

Internal Control Mechanism and Parallel Sampling

To solve the problem, a comprehensive control mechanism was implemented at the enterprise. The speaker shows by example how important it is to identify all places of wastewater generation and organize laboratory control at the inlet and outlet of treatment facilities. A key element of the system was parallel sampling during water utility inspections.

• Sample division: Samples are divided into control, parallel, and reserve ones, which allows for independent analysis in an accredited laboratory.
• Challenging results: In case of discrepancy between the data of the enterprise and the water utility, the results are sent for comparability. This makes it possible to reach an arithmetic mean value or transfer the control sample to a third independent laboratory.
• Economic effect: Parallel sampling legally protects the enterprise and significantly reduces the fee for exceeding standards.

Organizational Changes and Resource Savings

The implementation of the control system required serious organizational changes. All departments related to water supply and sanitation (treatment facilities, sanitary laboratory) were merged into a single environmental protection service. This allowed for prompt decision-making and coordination of discharges.

The speaker analyzes how the control of concentrated effluents (more than 50 mg/l) and their phased discharge help avoid emergency situations and save reagents. Combining various effluents before treatment reduces their concentration and decreases chemical costs.

Obstacles in Implementing the Control System

The implementation process faced a number of difficulties. Internal obstacles included the irreversibility of some technological processes (for example, the need for a volley discharge of galvanic baths) and the lengthy process of raising personnel awareness of financial risks.

Among external obstacles, the speaker highlights the lack of accreditation for all pollutants among independent laboratories and the reluctance of some state laboratories to conduct analyses to challenge the results of monopolists in the wastewater sector.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to organize parallel wastewater sampling and legally protect the enterprise?
• What is the algorithm for challenging the water utility's analysis results?
• How does merging environmental functions into a single service increase control efficiency?
• How to reduce reagent costs during industrial wastewater treatment?
• What obstacles can be encountered when interacting with accredited laboratories?