Good operations are hard to find: the value of skilled operators

Within a single generation, the sophistication of wastewater treatment plants (WwTP’s) in New Zealand has taken a giant step forward. Historically, wastewater from the majority of New Zealanders was treated by low technology processes such as oxidation ponds or trickling filters. Activated sludge (AS) based treatment processes, which are more complex, are now by far the most common type of treatment process by population served.

Operators responsible for oxidation pond and trickling filter plants undertake mainly basic routine maintenance and site housekeeping, and have little influence over the performance of the treatment process on a day-to-day basis. AS processes are more complex and dynamic, and the Operator has much greater influence over the performance. The Operator needs to understand the treatment processes to be able to operate them efficiently and effectively, and reduce the risk of process failure.

The skills required by todays Operator are quite different from their predecessors. All those involved in the Industry, from Regional Council Resource Officers, Local Authority employees involved in decision making, Consultants advising Local Authorities, through to designers and suppliers of treatment plants, need to understand this changing role of the Operator. When WwTP’s are upgraded, more emphasis must be placed on upskilling of Operators, and providing them with the tools they need to undertake their new role.

A skilled Operator can reduce the operating cost of a WwTP, allow capital expenditure to be deferred by optimising the plant, and reduce the risk of consent non-compliance and the adverse media and public scrutiny that follows such an incident.