Seven Habits of Highly Effective Activated Sludge Process Controllers

Having to control billions of microorganisms, the activated sludge process controller (PC) has the most difficult job at a wastewater treatment facility aside from supervision. How then does the PC get those treatment organisms to accomplish what is required, i.e., remove/convert BOD, TSS, ammonia, and phosphorus, and then settle? In 40+ years of troubleshooting/training experience the author has observed a number of habits that appear to help effective PCs obtain very good results, often under severely overloaded conditions. Some of these habits are based on things they do while some are what they do not do. The objective of this presentation is to discuss seven of the most important PC habits related to good process control and show operators how developing these habits would be beneficial to them and their treatment plants.