Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Feasibility Studies

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Design and Construction
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A water or wastewater treatment plant feasibility study can help businesses identify the most cost-effective solution to resolve an issue or progress towards a specific goal, such as achieving sustainability or regulatory targets.

Conducting a thorough feasibility study at the outset can prevent costly delays or the selection of unsuitable technologies that may fail to perform as expected – or at all - when commissioned due to insufficient upfront evaluation. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon scenario and can lead to significant regret spending and on-going cost and performance issues.

Benefits of commissioning a feasibility study

Benefits of commissioning a feasibility study

A feasibility study enables informed decision-making and sets the scene for successful project implementation. It is a crucial step in the process for companies looking to upgrade, install a new plant, address new regulatory changes, or overcome performance or water supply issues. It assesses the viability of different options and proposes the best one based on pre-determined assessment criteria. A feasibility study allows decision-makers to:

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  • Prioritise projects effectively.
  • Identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement in existing infrastructure.
  • Evaluate various technological solutions on factors such as cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency and compliance.
  • Mitigate risks by predicting potential challenges.
  • Maximise the return on investment.
  • Secure long-term viability and sustainability.
Feasibility studies are essential for forward-thinking companies aiming to meet the dual challenge of sustainability and operational efficiency. We are seeing a growing interest from businesses looking to future-proof their water management systems, ensuring they not only comply with regulations but also contribute to long-term environmental goals. Using our extensive expertise in the design, build and operation of water and wastewater treatment plants, we can help clients avoid common pitfalls and select solutions that deliver the best return on investment while aligning with their net zero ambitions.
Dr Ming Zhu
Engineering Manager, Alpheus

What does a Feasibility Study Include?

Project Goals Consideration

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The study examines the specific requirements and objectives of the project, ensuring factors such as regulatory, environmental and future expansion are considered alongside the main goal.

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Assessment of Existing Infrastructure

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This includes analysis of existing water or wastewater treatment processes, equipment and operational procedures aiming to identify areas of inefficiency, and potential issues and highlight compliance issues that need addressing.

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Analysis of the Options

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Likely the meatiest part of the study, this section provides a detailed analysis of the options to address the objectives and could include technological solutions, process modifications, and infrastructure enhancements, weighing their respective benefits, costs, and risks.

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Financial Analysis

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The financial assessment provides an estimate of the project’s capital and operational costs, alongside the potential return on investment (or savings, if appropriate). Alongside this, it will address the potential environmental impacts, and highlight compliance and regulatory adherence.

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Recommendations

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A recommendation would be provided, highlighting the key points that make it the most appropriate option. This provides a summary based on the comparison of the options.  

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Annexes or Appendices

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These would typically include supporting information, or flow charts and more detailed diagrams where appropriate.

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Clients can trust that our feasibility studies deliver unbiased evaluations, incorporating the most effective technologies from across the market rather than being limited to a single provider. Each recommendation is carefully tailored to fully address their unique needs and project requirements.

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The Alpheus Approach

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We work closely with clients to design studies that deliver the most relevant and actionable insights, tailored to meet their specific goals and challenges. By agreeing on the scope of each study, we ensure the information and recommendations are aligned with the client’s needs.

With extensive experience in both water and wastewater treatment, Alpheus has successfully designed and built water and wastewater treatment plants, including softening systems and reverse osmosis (RO) plants. Recently, our expertise has extended into the hydrogen market, for which we have conducted several feasibility studies.

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These studies often involve treating raw water sourced from treated effluent at sewage treatment works. The goal is to meet the ASTM Type II high-quality standard required by electrolysers in the hydrogen production process.

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Core treatment processes typically include:

  • Screening
  • Media Filtration
  • Softening
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO)
  • Degassing
  • Electro Deionization (EDI)

In partnership with technology providers, Alpheus ensures accurate raw water quality data, develops system designs, optimises plant layouts, and provides CAPEX and OPEX estimations to ensure the most cost-effective and efficient solution.

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Recent Feasibility Studies

Feasibility study for a major UK snack manufacturer with an ageing treatment plant

The client seeks to improve wastewater treatment plant performance, reduce Mogden costs, and explore energy recovery from waste.

Alpheus reviewed the existing process and identified key challenges and costs and assessed three solutions:

  1. Treat waste before discharge through the current system (subject to the water company approving a change in discharge consent).
  2. Install a two-digester anaerobic digestion system.
  3. Combine waste streams in a single anaerobic reactor while retaining parts of the current plant.

A financial analysis was carried out, comparing capital and operational costs over 30 years.

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Option 3 was identified as the most cost-effective, saving £25M over 30 years versus the option to treat waste before discharge. The solution supports sustainability and Net Zero goals while reusing major waste streams.

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Feasibility Study for Pharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

The client sought to review their plant's treatment plant functionality to support future growth, meet EA consent, and assess discharge route options (local watercourse vs. sewer).

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Alpheus conducted site visits and reviewed plant performance and operational data. Three options were proposed:

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  1. Upgrade to MBBR plant and retain discharge to the watercourse.
  2. Install a new MBR plant and retain discharge to the watercourse.
  3. Modify the existing plant for improved capacity and switch to sewer discharge.

A Rough Order Magnitude financial analysis was carried out for each option.

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Alpheus provided recommendations and identified the need for further investigation into land and permissions for the sewer discharge option. This enabled informed decision-making to assist plans to meet growth and compliance goals.

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Recommendations for F&B Factory effluent treatment plant expansion

One of our existing Operations and Maintenance clients runs a treatment and water reuse plant that exceeds its 700 m³/day design capacity due to production expansions and required capacity expansion solutions.

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Alpheus conducted feasibility and optioneering work to identify short, medium, and long-term solutions, and proposed three options:

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  • ‍Bronze: Immediate fixes targeting bottlenecks like the ultrafiltration membrane skid, with minimal capital investment.‍
  • Silver: Medium-term upgrades, including additional process equipment and infrastructure changes.‍
  • Gold: Long-term solution to double capacity and future-proof the plant.

A Rough Order Magnitude financial analysis was carried out for each option, after which Alpheus delivered a comprehensive assessment that enabled the client to make informed decisions for sustainable plant expansion.

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