Azura’s Team Plaid learned about coming trends at the Ontario Water For The Future conference hosted by the Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO) and Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA). The event will be held on May 5 through 7, 2024 in Niagara Falls, ON and is a must attend event for all wastewater professionals.
The event started off with a journey 180 feet underground to explore “The Tunnel” part of the historic Niagara Parks Power Station – the first major power plant on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. Over the course of three days Team Plaid had many opportunities to listen to case studies, connect with wastewater industry colleagues while also learning about emerging trends and technology in the wastewater treatment industry. We were even honoured to present three sessions as part of the technical agenda! Watch the video for highlights from the event.
The Five Most Common Causes of Digester Upsets and Failures
Michael Nelson, Azura’s Process Analysis Lead, kicked off the technical agenda presenting “The Five Most Common Causes of Digester Upsets and Failures.” Process upsets and failures of anaerobic digesters present significant headaches for owners and operators; during this presentation Michael discussed five key causes of anaerobic digester failures that are often overlooked. He shared Azura’s experience on what to monitor and how to prevent these types of disruptions.
Questions to Ask When Assessing a New Feedstock for Co-digestion
Azura’s Bioprocess Analyst, Peter Quosai discussed co-digestion in his presentation “Questions to Ask When Assessing a New Feedstock for Co-digestion.” While co-digestion can provide a valuable source of energy, reduce greenhouse gases, divert organic waste, and generate additional revenue for a municipal wastewater treatment plant, the process of assessing a new feedstock for co-digestion can be complex and time consuming. Peter shared an overview of the key questions that should be asked to understand a new waste stream before anaerobic digestion feedstock receiving agreements are made.
Keeping Industrial & Municipal Plant Expansions On-time and On-budget
Azura’s Optimization Lead, James Arambarri presented “Keeping Industrial & Municipal Plant Expansions On-time and On-budget.” During this presentation, James shared lessons learned from Azura Associates staff experience serving as technical advisor on a variety of municipal and industrial wastewater projects over more than 30 years. James also discussed how cross-functional teams can work together to achieve their individual project objectives while also reducing potential technical, permitting, and regulatory hurdles down the road.
This was a fantastic opportunity for the Azura team to connect with industry colleagues and learn about technical and regulatory developments for the wastewater treatment industry. To learn more about the Water Environment Association of Ontario and their upcoming events, please visit the WEAO website.