Decision question
What were the actual hydraulic and pollutant loading profiles at each works, and how should they inform rationalisation and future design?
Digital Flow & Load evidence refined the rationalisation strategy across two works
BI-Zen deployed temporary Optimisers at the inlets to two large works within one catchment. High-frequency evidence established current loading profiles, quantified saline infiltration and tested the effect of digestate return liquors. At one works, the measured basis indicated a potential reduction of around 20% against historical values, allowing design assumptions to be reviewed before the rationalisation option progressed.
Site / asset snapshot
Asset context
Two large works with historical PE values of 183,000 and 130,650
Field conditions
One partly underground inlet with poor rag capture and potential H₂S exposure
Project stage
Catchment rationalisation and design-basis review
Monitoring scope
Temporary optimisers at the inlet to both works
Parallel monitoring coverage
Comparable inlet profiles separated the effects of pumped inflows, salinity and return liquors across the two works.
Works 1: pumped catchment
Works 1: inlet monitoring*
Works 1: salinity profile
Works 2: catchment inflows
Works 2: inlet monitoring
Works 2: digestate return load
*works 1 inlet monitoring
**works 2 inlet monitoring
Project need
Primary driver
Test the historical loading basis before selecting a rationalisation or transfer solution
Evidence gap
Historic records and conventional samples could not resolve diurnal load, first flush or catchment-specific influences
Why it mattered
A poorly resolved design basis could increase transfer and treatment requirements, capital cost and operational risk
BI-Zen delivery, evidence and decision informed
Parallel inlet monitoring replaced historical assumptions with current, site-specific load profiles
Bi-zen delivery
Deployment
Temporary optimisers at the inlet to both works
Measured
COD, ammonia, turbidity, conductivity and supporting parameters
Aligned with
Flow, pumping patterns, return liquors and historical loading records
Service provided
Rams-led deployment, remote review, sensor QA and live dashboards
Live profiles across two works
What became clearer
The live profiles captured first-flush conditions, wide diurnal variation and differences between pumped inflows.
Conductivity trends quantified saline infiltration at one works. Ammonia data tested the contribution of digestate return liquors at the other. The measured basis indicated a potential reduction of around 20% against historical values.
Decision informed
The client gained a more defensible basis for comparing the two works and assessing the rationalisation option. The evidence showed where transfer and treatment assumptions could be refined before design, while retaining the safety and operating constraints identified during deployment.