Field Services

Complex water and wastewater treatment processes and control systems required to meet regulatory requirements for water and wastewater have made it difficult for small and medium size utilities to maintain the level of service expected by their customers while maintaining cost effectiveness.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. offers systems operation and maintenance assistance through customized programs suited to your community and system needs. A typical program may include:

• Day-to-day or periodic system operation

• Management of maintenance and programs

• Material & parts procurement and inventory control

• Management of major upgrades and repairs

• Operation and maintenance budgeting

• Contingency planning

• Emergency response planning

The rapid advances in technology, communications, control systems, and the addition of intelligent switching devices combined with the continuous growing demand for all services to be automated, may leave our control systems inadequate - not large enough for new process or just dated and out of support. You may be required to expand your system, upgrade the system, or make process changes to the control system.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. (ATAP) can provide service regarding:

• Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), communication system, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) design, configuration, programming and commissioning

• Hardware and remote device testing

• Process and logic sequence analysis or verification

• Routine maintenance and support agreements

• Troubleshooting of existing problematic systems.

 

ATAP also provides the following ancillary services for instrumentation and control systems:

• Document review and organization

• Development of reporting systems

• Remote access connection implementation

• Software upgrade management

• Operator training

• Control system optimization

• Historical data logging

 

Whatever your instrumentation or control system needs, ATAP has technical experts to meet your comprehensive needs.

How does your community maintain compliance without a certified operator?

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. can help by providing Interim Certified Operator Support Services. Our certified technician will attend your community on a minimum bi-weekly basis, or as mandated by your Water Security Agency Environmental Project Officer (EPO), and provide the following:

• Review facility logs, data, and record sheets

• Overview of facilities for operational compliance for the water supply, treatment, and distribution systems along with the wastewater treatment and collection systems

• Coordinated site visits with the community's EPO where required

• Overseeing water quality testing as per the Permit to Operate

• Calibration of water quality test equipment

• Review of the Operation & Maintenance Program to supply training for and maintenance with on-site operators

• Evaluate the condition of facilities

• Provide a letter report for each site visit

 

ATAP can also provide the following additional services on an as requested basis:

• 24-hour EMERGENCY off-site support services

• EMERGENCY call-out services (on-site within 4 hours)

• RELIEF Operator for vacation or illness

Is your water quality degraded because of the condition of your storage facility?

 

Raw and potable water reservoirs allow for storage of water to meet the operational requirements of your community. Unfortunately, these same retention chambers can deteriorate the water, causing upset conditions. Storage facilities provide the environment and detention time for suspended particulate to settle, and biological activity and chemical reactions to occur.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. can empty, clean, inspect, and disinfect your storage facilities to remedy associated problems arising from retention of water including:

• Increased chlorine demand

• Silting and sedimentation resulting in loss of capacity

• Degradation of water quality

• Chemicals that are carcinogenic

• Taste and odour complaints

• Turbidity and colour imparted to your water 

 

At the onset, ATAP will consult with the Water Security Agency EO (Environment Officer) in planning the work. The tank is removed from service and cleaned. The technician will visually inspect the storage facility for structural defects as well as mechanical operation of all appurtenances. The reservoir (potable water reservoir) will then be disinfected, filled, and put back into service, and monitoring undertaken to ensure successful operation. A report is provided afterwards to your organization documenting the work completed.

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Uni-directional flushing is an effective way to clean water mains to maintain water quality and system capacity. By isolating runs through systematic opening and closing of mainline valves, a higher water velocity is achieved which, in turn, provides better scouring of pipes and uses less water volume. This high-speed flushing maximizes the shear velocity near the pipe wall, producing a scouring action that can effectively remove sediment deposits, solids accumulations, and biofilm.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. uses its flush trailer mounted metering system which is equipped with flow control and ultrasonic measuring that enables the technician maintain the required velocity in the community's system. The water mains are flushed using a minimum velocity of 2 m/s. The volume of water that is in the pipes is changed a minimum of three times in each flush section. The trailer is designed to disperse flow directly into sanitary or storm sewers, eliminating any erosion issues.

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Among its advantages, uni-directional flushing can help improve water quality by restoring disinfectant residual, reducing bacterial re-growth, eliminating taste and odour problems, and reducing disinfectant demand throughout the system. These benefits prolong the life expectancy of the distribution system and reduce the potential for waterborne disease outbreaks.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. offers systems operation and maintenance assistance through customized programs suited to your community and system needs. A typical program may include:

• Day-to-day or periodic system operation

• Management of maintenance and programs

• Material & parts procurement and inventory control

• Management of major upgrades and repairs

• Operation and maintenance budgeting

• Contingency planning

• Emergency response

Is your water quality deteriorating with chemical and process costs rising?

 

With today's increasing chemical and utility costs, it is more important than ever to streamline your municipal operations. Proper function and maintenance of treatment plant process and equipment is essential to producing high quality water at a reasonable cost.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. will provide your community with a skilled technician to evaluate your facilities and optimize their operation.

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ATAP can assist in the analysis and maintenance of:

• Water source system and operation

• Water chemistry and associated problems such as turbidity, colour, biological materials, minerals & organics

• Pre-treatment processes and operation including coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation

• Chemical feed systems, operation, dosages, and comparison of product lines

• Filter operation, flow rates, backwash, surveillance, and varying types

• Disinfection systems, operation, types, and dosages

• Reservoir and distribution system operation

• Wastewater collection system function

• Wastewater treatment system operation

• All associated mechanical and instrumentation appliances related to the above systems

 

ATAP supplies the community with a detailed site report containing any applicable process or chemical changes, maintenance issues, and cost estimates for upgrades. Our technician trains your operational staff to recognize indicators, ensuring your municipality maintains its high standard of water quality with a minimum of service interruptions as cost efficiently as possible.

Are your equipment operators certified competent?

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Occupational Health & Safety Regulations (2007/08) required that by October 9, 2008 all employers have conducted an examination of the skills for each operator permitted to operate power mobile equipment. This competency is monitored by a certified Powered Mobile Equipment Operator Evaluator.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. can help with your PME operator evaluations. Our evaluators have successfully completed the Equipment Operator Evaluators Program and have many years of experience operating municipal heavy equipment. We can provide onsite instruction and assessment of your equipment operators, saving you time and the travel expenses of your operators. Equipment operators must complete both a practical and a theory test on each piece of PME to achieve their mandatory certification.

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ATAP utilizes the course manuals, modules, and tests designed by the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Safety Association. Upon completion, your operator will be issued a card signifying satisfactory skills achieved on the equipment that he or she operates.

Proper operation and maintenance of water and wastewater treatment systems, both at the plant and out in the distribution and collection systems requires competent people. Properly trained staff is essential to the safe and successful operation of any system. Hands-on training along with understanding the importance of regulatory requirements can not be overstressed.

ATAP can structure training to meet your needs whether it is site specific on a particular process, safety issues, refresher courses on various aspects of your operations or to qualify staff members for certification.

• Sewerage systems: gravity collection mains, man holes, pump stations, force mains, maintenance and repairs

• Water systems: distribution mains, valves, fittings, service connections, maintenance, operation and repairs. Also, fire protection elements would be included such as hydrants, standby pumps and equipment use and maintenance.

• Sewage treatment: mechanical treatment plants, lagoons, controls, pumps, equipment and building maintenance.

• Water treatment: operation and maintenance of groundwater and surface water processes, repairs and emergency situations.

• Knowledge transfer

• Assistance developing or upgrading operator competencies

Do you require the technical assistance to determine operational deficiencies in your facilities and the skill to carry out upgrades?

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ATAP has certified personnel that are highly experienced in the evaluation, maintenance, repair, and installation of water and sewer operational system components. Our technicians will attend your community to conduct an onsite system evaluation. With the provision of a comprehensive report following the site visit, findings are documented and recommendations for improvements and current cost estimates are provided.

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Upon authorization to proceed, ATAP's qualified personnel would repair the identified problems. This may be accomplished through maintenance, parts repair, or complete replacement. Once finalized, the technician will test all components to ensure system operation and compliance. An overview of system changes will be formulated for the community and can include operation and maintenance manuals, on-site operator training, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

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Our Technicians can also conduct peer reviews of contractor equipment & installation, and confirm correct operations. ATAP has the qualified trade personnel capable of completing all aspects of evaluation, maintenance, repair, and installation from simple tasks to complete plant retrofitting. 

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. offers systems operation and maintenance assistance through customized programs suited to your community and system needs. A typical program may include:

• Day to day or periodic system operation

• Management of maintenance and programs

• Material & Parts Procurement and inventory control

• Management of major upgrades and repairs

• Operation and maintenance budgeting

• Contingency Planning

• Emergency Response

The majority of O&M manuals are generic data sheets with little or no operational value. From a maintenance standpoint, they are difficult to use and waste staff time sorting through data not relevant to the problem.

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ATAP can provide O&M manuals that are developed from the operator's perspective. The manuals are developed in the field with the input of facility staff. The manual may be provided in a binder and electronic format which makes modifications to the operation or equipment updates easy. Step operation procedures along with pictures may be provided to minimize mistakes and errors when working under emergency conditions.

• Water or Wastewater Treatment Facility: overview of the water or wastewater facility and general description of the process.

• Process: description of process can be used as a refresher for present staff and/or training manual for new staff.

• Operating and Shutdown Procedures: describe start-up procedure and operational shutdown procedures for processes and equipment.

• Equipment & Systems: provision of equipment descriptions and systems including supplier data.

• Maintenance: provision of Check Lists, including points to be lubricated, wear points to be inspected and adjusted.

• Troubleshooting: provision of spreadsheet outlining step by step procedures to follow for various equipment failures including alarm response.

• Spare Parts Inventory: Identify required spare parts for critical areas and processes that could potentially "shut you down".

• Safety: identification of maintenance material and recommendations.

Do you get taste and odour complaints on your drinking water? Is it discoloured with high bacteria levels or low chlorine residuals?

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Your cure can be as simple as using a few polyurethane foam swabs to remove the causes of theses complaints. Sludge can build up in your distribution system over a period of time, caused by iron and manganese settling in the water mains. It can also be due to iron bacteria ‘eating' the iron of your water mains. Bacterial growth can also cause sludge. As a result, the water may have taste, odour, colour, or high bacterial level problems, resulting in increased chlorine usage. Rust and scale can build up on the sides of the pipes, decreasing their size and reducing the amount of water that can flow thus increasing your energy cost to pump water to your consumers.

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Swabbing removes the sludge and much of the scale and tuberculation from the pipe walls. This procedure improves the carrying capacity of the water main and helps to maintain the quality of the water between the water treatment plant and the consumer's tap.

ATAP provides your community with the technical expertise to carry out swabbing operations. We can also train your waterworks professionals in these techniques.

ATAP also utilizes a Ditch Witch locator to track the beacons placed in swabs, ensuring a thorough pipe cleaning and no accidental disruption to your system.

Do you know how effectively your groundwater system is performing?

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Over time, flow from groundwater sources can change. Your aquifer may consolidate, encrustations can develop on the screens and casing, and pumps experience wear leading to possible failure. Communities need to know how efficiently the system is functioning to prevent these disturbances and to meet regulatory requirements.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. uses the Solinst water level leter to meet your level monitoring needs. The Solinst provides accurate water level measurements in areas such as wells, boreholes, standpipes, and piezometers. The attached probe signals measurement of the level to within millimetres.

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ATAP will visit your community and conduct on-site tests to retrieve your level measurement. Static and dynamic well depths, groundwater levels, boreholes, monitor wells, water towers & standpipes, reservoirs, and piezometers can be monitored. Our experienced technicians capture the data and analyze the results to prevent costly repairs, interrupted service, poor water quality, or to improve the operation of your system.

Do your water distribution operators and fire department staff know your hydrant flow rates and understand hydrant operation?

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Not recognizing or practicing correct hydrant operation, pressures, & flows can have extremely dire consequences on your potable water system. In the past, fire officials have collapsed water mains; backflow conditions have contaminated entire community water supplies; and costly excavation of water lines and appurtenances have occurred. You need the information and training for proper operation of your distribution system.

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ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. provides hydrant flow metering services beneficial to municipal and industrial clients. Using the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 291 Standard, our technicians use a pitot gauge to measure the hydrant pressure while at the same time recording static pressures on residual hydrants. ATAP determines flow after calculating coefficient losses from the hydrant and provides finished reports detailing the data collected. The information can then be used to colour code hydrants, ascertain fire pump outflows, and obtain favourable insurance rates.

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ATAP can also provide the technical expertise to train fire personnel and waterworks Professionals in the operation of hydrants. The difference in procedure of gate and compression style hydrants is very important and can be very expensive if not followed. As well, ATAP can also administer instruction to your community on yearly, seasonal, and emergency maintenance, draining, flushing, and other operational issues. 

ATAP Infrastructure Management Ltd. (ATAP) provides flow metering services beneficial to municipal and industrial clients. Our technicians can measure raw sewage flow, combined effluent flow, and municipal storm water runoff. Flow surveys, combined sewer overflow (CSO) monitoring, plant flow studies, and wastewater treatment studies can be undertaken, utilizing new metering technology. ATAP will provide finished reports incorporating detailed graphs to facilitate interpretation of the data collected.

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ATAP technicians use a portable area velocity open channel flow meter which can be operated over extended time periods to log level, velocity and water temperature in open channels, partially full sewer pipes and surcharged pipes without a flume or weir. Our flow meter utilizes a submerged ultrasonic sensor to continuously measure both velocity and level in the channel.

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ATAP uses advanced software to set logger intervals, download log files and view level, velocity and water temperature reading in real time. Our flow reports include minimum, maximum and average flows, calculated flow totals and conversions between common measurement units. Accurate data collection and interpretation is the key to monitoring system usage, and to identifying and preventing problems before they escalate. ATAP can provide the technical expertise to ensure data is collected correctly and that information is presented in a manner that satisfies our clients' needs for useable and timely information.