This is a constant fill 2 basin SBR. This particular problem is primarily affecting 1 basin. This particular basin is being very temperamental. The prior operator who has now retired used to run the plant old, quite old. Large inventory of solids and holding it for a while. I’m primarily operating it now and after seeing how far off the parameters were I wanted to remedy that. I started to bring the SRT into a shorter, more younger area from where they were. This has seemingly caused some issues across both basins, but this particular one is worse.

I’ve been fighting with aerobically digested sludge coming back to the SBR’s via the press operator “running out of polymer” as well as being just plain careless. As you can imagine this isn’t good for any plant.

It has been a little while since digested sludge has come back so I finally felt able to push towards a decent SRT. I bumped the was up to achieve this and this basin didn’t like that. The mlss went from 2100 to 1300 in about a week and that was only with a couple minute increase in was time. Ultimately I dialed it back in an attempt to build the mlss back up. The effluent got very turbid as well with floc particles that don’t want to settle and has continued like that since then. Now I’m seeing more ashing across the surface of the basin during the decant cycle as shown in the photos.

This plant is fighting me every step of the way and nothing makes sense. It used to be ran very old and seemed to operate OK like this albeit not great. I’m just at a loss.

This ashing leads me to believe too old but after that large WAS scare a couple weeks ago I find that hard to believe. This particular basin seems to be loaded less than the other even though they should be the same. If I increase the WAS in an attempt to achieve a desired SRT the mass falls off super fast and isn’t sustainable. Now the plant is operating very poorly and I’m quite nervous.

I did try to search and didn't find this asked before. I am looking for recommendations for new UV systems. Or reasons to stay away from a particular system. Looking to help research for upcoming upgrades. Thanks in advance.

Found a bullfrog that was cold. Tried to put him in my pocket to warm him up but he declined. So I covered him with a towel.

The info I'm getting on the various resources to study for the exam are...kind of all over the place. Is there a single online course, single book, or single resource anyone can link me to that teaches me exactly what I need to know to pass the D1? Preferably without a bunch of frills that aren't germane to the exam?

Town i work for is hiring.

Town of shelburne.

Anyone interested should apply

I work for the local government of Guam, wastewater collections. On our island we get our certifications through test issued by epa. Our certifications are labeled 1-4. 1 making $23.11, 2 making $27.26, 3 around $34 and 4 around $40-42. How does that differ in the states you’re currently in for the levels you obtain?

About 6 months ago I got put in jail for a dwi (i was on private property haven't been charged yet complicated case blah blah) I have reflected heavily on my actions and I've been trying not to really beat myself up over it but I feel so so guilty and evil. Wildly irresponsible but I got horrible medical results and got drunk and drove home and got caught. So stupid of me.

I love my job and my coworkers. Wastewater is the only thing that gives me purpose in life. I work for a municipality and have to get an occupational license for 90 days and an interlock breathalyzer. I'll have my license back in 90 days and in the meantime time I'll have a temporary one I can get to work with but can't drive any city vehicles. My boss and I are very close and he wouldn't say anything and wouldn't make me drive until all this blows over. I haven't even been charged with anything yet but if I do even if I have to do probation, classes etc. Anything. I just want this behind me and I want to live a better life.

My plan is to work with my lawyer and get the occupational license and breathalyzer for 90 days to get past that. But after the 90 days I'll still need a breathalyzer until all this is over with. I just don't want to lose my job I'm so scared. My plan is just to keep my mouth shut and hope it all blows over. Any advice? HR get a notice of suspension or something? Do they check for that stuff? I mentioned it to HR when it happened because that was in the handbook and they said I'm okay as long as I don't get a conviction but they don't know about any of this license stuff. I just found out myself. Oh Lord please help.

I consider unionization status to be something that can determine if a job is even worth the effort of applying for. I was wondering if there was a way to pre-emptively check if an employer was unionized; I haven't been having much luck so far.

Im thinking about getting my water treatment operator now that I have my wastewater operator

How does the water distribution class 1 compare to the wastewater operator class certification exam? I passed my wastewater operator with an 85.

Long story short; I am stuck in a small city in Texas. I have a Class A license (highest license available in my state) and I only make $21/hr. I’m tempted to pursue other careers due to the low pay. I envy a lot of you guys from other states because it seems like the pay is better. At what point do you think Wastewater will be seen as a valued career to the state of Texas. We keep hearing about operator shortages in the state, but I’m barely making more than someone who works at Buc-ee’s( gas station). Anyone from Texas feel the same way?

I had been unable to waste regular due to problems with digestors. I've looked at it under scope didn't see any filamentous. Took care of digestors and tried catching up on wasting. Oxidation ditch with rotors no primary clarifier

Hello, I am 32 years old and currently a wildlife biologist. I travel too often and am gone from home way way too much. But love to not have to work at a desk. I applied to be a plant operator I and I got the position offered to me. I see lots of positives about going for the plant operator position but am a bit nervous. What do y'all love and hate about your plant op jobs and what advice would you offer?

I'll be deliberating for the next 2 days before I respond to the offer.

Thank you!

I operate an sbr plant with 2 basins. When running settleometer tests on either basin I get this film on the top of the supernatant. It looks like mass that didn’t settle. It’s hard to capture in photo but it’s not thick what so ever. It’s just a small spot on top of the supernatant. Any ideas?

Do you think the spare parts for these slurry pumps can still be perfected?

https://preview.redd.it/gel6yk8pgmzd1.png?width=1263&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7a82d426e213187c9f58fa7baff9af3643147da

Hey guys!

Can anyone recommend what books/study guides are the best to use for level 1’s for WTP and WWTP? Currently an operator in Ontario and any recommendations would be appreciated! :)

I've been a wastewater operator for 2.5 years and I know very basic electrical. We had a contractor electrician for really in depth problems but recently they left. Now it's up to myself and 1 other operator to solve all our problems. Does anyone know of a good wastewater/pump/panel specific course I could take to better my knowledge of the electrical systems involved with wastewater operations. I'm in south carolina near the SC NC border if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks.

Hi. I've just got a general question for anyone here and I am open to suggestions. Does anyone know how to get the funk smell out of your uniforms. I've been a operator for 2.5 years now and have multiple class C licenses, and the smell doesn't bother me. But it's stuck deep in my clothes. All of my work uniforms have that funk impeded into them. And just because I work with the stuff doesn't mean I want to smell like it everyday, plus multiple times a week I have to meet with very important people. I work for my local municipality and I have to have multiple meetings each week with the city council and the mayor as well as many others and I hate having that odor on my uniforms. I have washed multiple times but I don't know a whole lot about how to remove the smell other than a ton of laundry Detergent. I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thank you.

TLDR. I need help getting the odor out of my uniforms.

I have noticed lots of people have struggled with the licensing program. I myself have done fine with all the test so far. My biggest problem is that they don't show you what you got wrong and the breakdown is vague. So there's a potential that I get the same question on all 1 - 4 tests. Let's say I get them wrong everytime. Then I go through my career thinking that's correct. Would a petition on being able to see what you got wrong immediately after the test for a short time be something that could gain some movement?

Was cleaning out our bar screens, as the compactor got jammed and look what I found. Didn't know what else to do but put him on our effluent waterfall.

Hello, I was wondering if any of you work in the Physical Chemical treatment field?

Mlss 2150 & 2450, two days prior it was 2400 & 2950. The past month my clarifiers have been cloudy and barely 1-2 ft blanket. The DO is 3 at the beginning and ends around 1.8-2.0. My obvious observation is that I’m losing solids somehow. My lab results are perfect but I failed a toxicity testing on low reproduction of bugs. What am I missing?

Does anyone know if they have reciprocity in Canada for wastewater?

Does anyone out there work in the Physical Chemical waste treatment field?

Hello, I am a student at Universidad Tecnológica del Perú working on a thesis about how compact wastewater treatment plants could help address the infrastructure deficit for wastewater treatment in my city in Peru. If anyone has information on articles or research that discuss the space requirements, costs, or daily treatment capacities of these plants, I would be very grateful. Additionally, if anyone in this community has relevant insights or experience, please feel free to share. Thank you!

Is there anything you wish you knew going into an OIT job? Anything that you consider essential to the job I may not be given but I can purchase to make life easier? Any info is appreciated. Thank You!!!

Our plant does not receive any industrial waste. I'm a bit confused by my results after using the ascorbic acid method from HACH TNT844/843 Grab sample from the aeration tanks and prepared 3 samples: 100, 50, 1% dilutions. Subtracted the turbid Abs and calculated the results.

After dilution factor results: 15.14 mg/L (100%) 18.04 mg/L (50%) 74.8 mg/L (1%)