As many of our clients quickly learn, the treatment of wastewater and other residuals generated from the manufacturing process has a sometimes unlimited number of options and alternatives, each with its own costs, benefits and impact.  The development of a sound strategy at the onset of addressing a wastewater challenge is critical to the long-term and effective solution to a wastewater problem.  Questions like:  Treat or transport? Recycle or dispose? Use internal resources or outsource? Build now or hold off based on anticipated benefits?  Modify existing or start from scratch?  all need to be considered prior to beginning the project.  Developing this strategy is one of TSD’s key strengths.  A clear understanding of the corporate philosophy, market, cost of money (NPV) and environmental/operational liabilities is critical to developing and implementing a vision for addressing environmental challenges.

Since 2013, most permits issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection included a rather obscure requirement for all licensed communities discharging to a surface water complete an Industrial Waste Survey.  This survey is required when a new industry connects to the system, changes its discharge or at least once every permit cycle (usually 5 yrs).  Many permitted POTWs are not aware of this requirement and do not have the resources or expertise to complete the survey as required.  With TSD’s industrial background, we can help. We can survey your industrial/commercial dischargers, make categorical determinations and compile the survey in a format that is easy to update and acceptable to the MEDEP.

The first step and typically the “low hanging fruit” of our services is to look closely at the production processes to prevent valuable product or byproducts from getting into the waste stream.  TSD’s experience and connections in the waste utilization arena allows us to objectively look at industrial processes and optimize process efficiency and recycling.  It is not unusual for us to spend much more time looking at the process generating the waste than the treatment of the waste at the end-of-pipe.

Although we frequently do detailed design for clients, our focus is often to manage the process rather than actually complete the design.  Once solid strategies are developed and an optimum concept design is reached, TSD works closely with our clients to choose the best contract mechanism (Classic Design, Design-Build, Design-Build-Operate) and contractor to complete the work.  With almost 40 years of experience in implementing environmental solutions, TSD’s experience and connections assure that the best resources are applied to the project.

Although the proper design and construction of a system for wastewater treatment is critical, even the best design will not work if it is not operated correctly.  We often remind clients that they are typically not in the wastewater treatment business – we are.  We apply our decades of experience in assessing and troubleshooting systems that are in place and operating. We can quickly assess if poor performance is due to design flaws, operational issues or simply changes in the wastewater characteristics.  Improvements in treatment technology often allow for major improvements in system performance with minimal capital investment or minor procedural changes.

While regulatory or financial drivers often necessitate the installation of wastewater treatment systems, the construction and operation of these often complex systems can serve as a distraction from core business operations.  As a result, it is often more cost effective and efficient to hire experts to manage the operation of systems.  Focused attention on the system operation can often lead to consistent compliance while at the same time driving costs to a level that allow margins that are acceptable to contract operators. TSD can provide operational services or help in determining if there is synergy in such an arrangement.

Unfortunately, often the primary drivers for the installation of equipment and systems are regulatory mandates from local State and Federal agencies.  Changes to production processes, facility locations, acquisitions and even routine operations can generate questions concerning environmental compliance or require a  response to agency query.  TSD applies the same principles of integrity and response to these issues as a design or other internal project.  We have experience in working with agencies at all levels and can often mitigate the impact of agency activities with open and frank discussion of our clients position and formulating a plan for speedy resolution of issues.