Understanding the flow, water quality, duration, and space available is critical when designing an effective treatment system to meet water discharge quality requirements.
Flow rate is necessary to determine media requirements and the size of the system. Flow rates are estimated during the dewatering system design process using the project and hydrogeologic information available.
Typical dewatering systems provide a constant stream of water that's treated 24/7. However, other factors may need to be considered depending on the project.
Knowing water quality is necessary for determining the treatment needs. Influent water quality and effluent discharge standards dictate what contaminants need to be removed. Certain media types may require additional testing to evaluate constituents that will affect the media's ability to effectively provide treatment.
Knowing the duration of the project is required to calculate the life of media bed.
Understanding the discharge location will have a significant impact on the amount of treatment required prior to discharge. Some potential discharge locations and considerations are:
Availability of space on site is crucial, and you must plan for the area to accommodate the required system. Space on-site dictates if media will be sized for the entire duration or will need to be exchanged periodically during the project.
Typically, the higher the flow rate, the larger the footprint necessary. Consideration to site logistics or the impact of the treatment system setup/weight on the excavation/shoring should be made.