Overview

The Utility Platform's fifth network meeting took place from 29 to 30 November – again in a virtual format and with an intentionally wide range of topics. On both days of the event, participants were able to choose between strengthening their soft skills, such as their advisory expertise or capacity for communicating results in social media, and technical topics, including how to ‘analyse energy consumption in wastewater treatment plants’ and ‘water treatment processes’. The number of participants varied between around 20 and 40, depending on the topic concerned.

The experience gained with the energy analysis conducted by hanseWasser Bremen and Miyahuna LLC Water Company in the water treatment plant at Madaba, Jordan, galvanised a considerable amount of attention and there is a chance that other partnerships will follow suit.

Insights

‘The methodology used in the energy analysis identified a great many options for making savings – now we can talk to other financial backers and the municipality about future investments. The real values mean we are in a good position when it comes to convincing potential investors.’

Edrees Alhababseh | Miyahuna LLC Water Company | Director of the Department for Water Treatment Plants, Engineer

Results

Given that energy bills can account for up to 50% of operating costs in a wastewater treatment plant, it follows that the partnership between HamburgWasser, hanseWasser Bremen and Miyahuna Water Company in Jordan has embraced the topic of energy efficiency. Together with its Jordanian partners, hanseWasser Bremen conducted an energy analysis at the wastewater treatment plant in Madaba in accordance with DWA A-216. Issued by the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA), this standard allows a plant’s energy consumption to be compared with that of other wastewater treatment plants, which helps pinpoint any energy inefficiencies. Energy savings potential has already been identified, e.g. at the pumping stations. Miyahuna aims to leverage the results to directly steer short and medium-term investments in process optimisation and, in the long term, plan new, more energy-efficient plants customised to local conditions.

‘More and better water for less money,’ is also the declared goal of the optimisation process for wastewater treatment by Hamburg Wasser and its Tanzanian partners, Kashwasa and Kuwasa. These water utilities in the north of Tanzania mainly draw their water from Lake Victoria. However, it first has to be made safe for human consumption before it can be delivered to private and commercial customers.

At the network meetings, the partners showcased the different treatment processes and explained the various steps taken to optimise them.

During filtration, for example, the volume of water used for rinsing can be reduced substantially by optimising the filtering process – leading to higher levels of productivity. In the case of flocculation and disinfection, the optimised selection and use of treatment chemicals can reduce the quantities required. This not only has a beneficial impact on the environment but also considerably lowers costs. Hamburg Wasser’s partner utility in Tanzania, Kashwasa, affirmed it cut costs by around 50% for chemicals and extended the service life of its filters after implementing the recommended optimisations.

Both partners stressed the fact that these results were only possible thanks to the in-person meetings on site.

The second part of the network meeting was all about communication. Shared objectives, mutual respect and time to establish good working relationships are of central importance in the partnerships. Indeed, regular communication is essential for a strong partnership. Here too, both partners stated that the good cooperation and results were only possible thanks to the in-person, on-site meetings. Virtual exchanges can be used intermittently between in-person meetings but cannot replace them.

Communication is also important for raising the visibility of the Utility Platform and utility partnerships – as demonstrated by the exercise in social media reporting which made quite an impact.

The presentation on advisory skills made participants more aware of the issue of questioning techniques and the different ‘ladders of inference’ involved in the consultancy process.

The meeting closed with peer counselling for the utility in Buffalo City, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The challenge: Recruiting or training staff to run modern wastewater treatment plants without further depleting the already thinly stretched skilled workforce. Four of the nine solutions put forward were considered helpful and will be followed up.