Water and wastewater treatment is not a glamorous or popular topic. However, it is a critical part of our everyday lives that is often taken for granted. For example, the last thing on anyone’s mind during a major sporting event, such as the Super Bowl, is water and wastewater. During halftime, though, thousands of treatment facilities handle the demand when millions of people use their facilities at the same time.
Municipal treatment facilities are sophisticated operations that use chemical and biological processes to contain and convert dangerous waste into an environmentally safe and often reusable material. Since most of these facilities are operated and funded by a municipal governing body, cost control, efficiency and reliability are top priorities. The review of common applications, rotating equipment and sealing options found in a typical treatment facility is important.