A methodology to evaluate water and wastewater treatment plant reliability

Evaluating the reliability of treatment processes and treatment facilities should be an important part of the planning and design process for water resource, wastewater treatment, and particularly wastewater reuse projects. With the recent developments in technology, particularly the development of membrane processes and alternative disinfection processes for water and wastewater treatment, there is an increasing need for a common methodology to evaluate the reliability of alternative processes and treatment facilities that utilize different combinations of those processes. To assess the reliability of a treatment facility, several aspects of treatment must be considered including a methodical evaluation of both mechanical reliability and plant performance. A straightforward method for conducting these types of analyses is described herein along with a description of applications of this methodology. A discussion is provided highlighting the value of such a methodology for both the water quality engineer and the risk manager.