Guidance for Professional Development in Drinking Water and Wastewater Industry

192 Pages·2015·2.59 MB·English

by  Archis Ambulkar

Guidance for Professional
Development in Drinking Water
and Wastewater Industry

Guidance for Professional
Development in Drinking Water
and Wastewater Industry
Archis Ambulkar
Published by IWA Publishing
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12 Caxton Street
London SW1H 0QS, UK
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First published 2015
© 2015 IWA Publishing
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The information provided and the opinions given in this publication are not necessarily those of IWA and should not
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 9781780406961 (Paperback)
ISBN: 9781780406978 (eBook)
Contents
List of Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
Acknowledgement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
Chapter 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Global Drinking Water and Sanitation Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Drinking Water and Wastewater Profession ................................. 3
1.3 Publication Objectives .................................................. 5
1.4 Scope and Goals ...................................................... 5
1.5 Chapter Contents ..................................................... 5
1.6 Profession’s Key Resource Databases ..................................... 8
Chapter 2
Educational options in the drinking water and wastewater field . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1 Short-Term Courses or Education Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.2 Diploma or Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.3 Associate Degree ..................................................... 12
2.4 Bachelor’s Degree ..................................................... 13
2.5 Master’s Degree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.6 Doctorate Degree ..................................................... 13
2.7 Postdoctoral Scholars .................................................. 14
2.8 Continued Education ................................................... 14
vi Guidance for Professional Development in Drinking Water and Wastewater Industry
2.9 Program Requirements and Special Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.10 Trends in Science and Engineering ........................................ 15
Chapter 3
Career avenues in the drinking water and wastewater field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.1 University or College Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3.2 Research Institute or Organization Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.3 Consultants and Engineering Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.4 Software Operators, Designers and Drafters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.5 Construction, Supervision and Management Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.6 Water or Wastewater System Operators ................................... 20
3.7 Laboratory Professionals ............................................... 20
3.8 Permitting Authority Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.9 Manufacturing Staff .................................................... 21
3.10 Utility Company Staff ................................................... 21
3.11 Sales and marketing staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.12 Industry Staff ........................................................ 22
3.13 Job Affiliation Organizations ............................................ 22
Chapter 4
Professional development overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.1 Student-Phase ....................................................... 23
4.1.1 Pursuing educational program .................................... 25
4.1.2 Educational finances, fellowships and assistantships ................... 27
4.1.3 Curriculum and subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.1.4 Seminars and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.1.5 Research and Teaching Assistantship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.1.6 Interaction with faculty members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.1.7 Developing knowledge database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.1.8 Social awareness of field ........................................ 32
4.1.9 ‘Special Remarks’ Droplets ....................................... 33
4.2 Internship-Phase ..................................................... 33
4.2.1 First step towards profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.2.2 Basics of the business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.2.3 Glimpse of professional experience ................................ 34
4.2.4 Communication is the key ........................................ 35
4.2.5 Preparations for a real job ........................................ 35
4.2.6 ‘Special Remarks’ Droplets ....................................... 35
4.3 Entry-Level Professional ............................................... 36
4.3.1 Job search options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.3.2 Job applications and interview ..................................... 37
4.3.3 Nervous mind at work ........................................... 39
4.3.4 Sticking to the basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
4.3.5 Profession based work documents ................................. 39
4.3.6 Inter-departmental coordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Contents vii
4.3.7 Vendor correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4.3.8 Managing deadlines ............................................. 42
4.3.9 Initial certifications .............................................. 43
4.3.10 ‘Special Remarks’ Droplets ....................................... 43
4.4 Mid-Level Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4.4.1 Project management for infrastructure projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4.4.2 Effective coordination and communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4.4.3 Non-technical duties ............................................ 45
4.4.4 Client correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
4.4.5 Learning industry reference standards .............................. 46
4.4.6 Professional designations ........................................ 46
4.4.7 Key organizations involvement ..................................... 47
4.4.8 ‘Special Remarks’ Droplets ........................................ 47
4.5 Established Practitioners ............................................... 48
4.5.1 Significant transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.5.2 Pillars: Where, when and how ..................................... 48
4.5.3 Types of established professionals ................................. 49
4.5.4 Mentoring and guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.5.5 ‘Special Remarks’ Droplets ........................................ 51
Chapter 5
Knowing drinking water and wastewater systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.1 Drinking Water Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.1.1 Water sources and intake systems ................................. 53
5.1.2 Water treatment processes ....................................... 56
5.1.3 Water distribution system ........................................ 57
5.2 Wastewater Systems .................................................. 59
5.2.1 Wastewater collection and conveyance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
5.2.2 Industrial pretreatment programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
5.2.3 Onsite, clustered and centralized wastewater treatment systems .......... 63
5.3 Sludge Treatment and Disposal Methods .................................. 65
Chapter 6
Understanding drinking water and wastewater projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
6.1 Clients Overview ..................................................... 69
6.2 Pursuing New Projects ................................................. 71
6.3 Projects Overview ..................................................... 71
6.3.1 New infrastructure projects ....................................... 72
6.3.2 Upgrades projects .............................................. 72
6.4 Planning Phase ...................................................... 72
6.4.1 Existing systems review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
6.4.2 Immediate and future needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
6.4.3 Budgetary considerations ......................................... 74
6.4.4 Priority allocation and recommendations ............................. 75
viii Guidance for Professional Development in Drinking Water and Wastewater Industry
6.5 Designing Phase ...................................................... 75
6.5.1 Project scope and schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
6.5.2 Design basis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
6.5.3 Preliminary design ............................................... 76
6.5.4 Final design .................................................... 78
6.6 Bidding and Construction Phase ......................................... 79
6.7 System Operations and Management ..................................... 80
Chapter 7
Realizing exceptional achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
7.1 Realizing Exceptional Goals ............................................ 83
7.2 Making Profession a Passion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
7.3 Creativity and Reasonable Risks ........................................ 84
7.4 Achievements with Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
7.5 Struggle Against the Odds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
7.6 Appreciating the Noble Profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
7.7 An Inspiration for the Next Generation .................................... 85
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Appendix A
Glossary: Common water and wastewater terminologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Appendix B
Glossary: Construction management terminologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Appendix C
Glossary: Laboratory operations terminologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Appendix D
Common conversion factors and basic formulae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Appendix E
Common drinking water system formulae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Appendix F
Common wastewater system formulae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Appendix G
Common laboratory analysis formulae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Appendix H
Listing: Water treatment system components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Contents ix
Appendix I
Listing: Wastewater treatment system components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Appendix J
Listing: Chemicals used for treatment processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Appendix K
Listing: Laboratory equipment and instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Appendix L
Listing: Common construction heavy equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Appendix M
Listing: Water and wastewater profession’s key gadgets and tools . . . . . . . . 155
Appendix N
Water project cost estimation sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Appendix O
Wastewater project cost estimation sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Appendix P
Laboratory project cost estimation sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171