Process-level technical support
Process design, troubleshooting and delivery support for water, wastewater and reuse systems.
We support owners and operators where an operating problem, upgrade, new system, equipment decision or delivery review needs process-level definition.
The work can begin with plant performance, an established design, supplier proposals or an awarded package.
Depending on what is already known, the assignment may produce corrective actions, a Technical Study or a Process Design Pack, with sourcing or implementation support agreed separately.
Start with the technical support you need
Support can begin with an operating problem, a process or upgrade requirement, an equipment or proposal review, or a delivery-stage technical question. Each assignment is defined around the required output and can stand alone or connect to further support where needed.
Focus areas
Where this support can be applied
These examples show process, equipment and operating needs that can be addressed individually or as part of a connected assignment.
Equipment replacement or operating improvement
An existing unit is underperforming, unreliable, or no longer matched to duty, and the required performance, connections, and operating range need to be confirmed before replacement or upgrade.
Confirm duty → compare replacement or upgrade routes → define supplier requirements
Replacement or upgrade basis
- Current duty, capacity, and variability
- Redundancy, utilities, and connection requirements
- Technical requirements and review criteria
Chemical treatment optimisation study
Dosing is unstable, chemical cost is rising, or solids separation and downstream protection vary with feed conditions.
Confirm chemistry and operating range → define dosing logic → protect performance and cost
Treatment study focus
- Sampling and treatability requirements
- Dose curves, mixing, contact time, and variability
- Operating limits, monitoring, and chemical-cost basis
Site pilot or process demonstration
Laboratory or bench results need confirmation under site variability, operating constraints, and representative run times before a route is adopted.
Set pilot objectives → test the operating range → document scale-up requirements
Pilot test requirements
- Feed range and test conditions
- Performance criteria and sampling plan
- Scale-up assumptions and decision requirements
Process options assessment
Several routes remain possible and need to be compared against the same duty, constraints, lifecycle implications, operating requirements, and risks.
Set decision criteria → compare the relevant routes → document the recommended basis
Decision basis
- Decision criteria, assumptions, and data gaps
- Technical, lifecycle, operating, and residuals comparison
- Recommended route and next technical requirements
Equipment and technology assessment
Supplier proposals or technology options need to be checked against the actual feed, required duty, site constraints, utilities, operability, and maintenance requirements.
Define the duty → compare equipment or technologies → establish the shortlist or requirements
Assessment criteria
- Feed, duty, and operating-range basis
- Compatibility, operability, maintenance, and utility implications
- Technical evaluation criteria and required supplier information
Controls, automation, and monitoring requirements
Existing controls do not maintain stable operation, or a new system needs process-level sequences, safeguards, alarms, monitoring, and sampling requirements.
Define operating states → set process-control requirements → identify detailed automation work
Control and monitoring basis
- Operating sequences, interlocks, and start and stop conditions
- Instruments, trends, alarms, monitoring, and sampling points
- Process boundaries for detailed I/O, panel, and electrical design
Technical alignment for procurement
Supplier proposals need to be compared against one process basis, with deviations, exclusions, responsibilities, and review requirements made clear before selection.
Set the technical basis → compare proposals consistently → record deviations and responsibilities
Procurement review points
- Technical requirements and supplier return schedules
- Clarifications, exclusions, and deviations
- Requirements to be continued through Sourcing Advisory where needed
Residuals and side-stream integration
Sludge, screenings, backwash, brine, return liquors, or other side streams affect the process route, utilities, operating cost, and final outlet.
Quantify side streams → define handling and outlet requirements → coordinate the system response
Side-stream requirements
- Quantity, variability, and characteristics
- Treatment, storage, handling, and outlet requirements
- Return-liquor, utility, monitoring, and connection requirements
Service scope
Specialist scopes and when they are used
Most assignments begin by confirming what is limiting performance or what basis is needed for a design, equipment, procurement or delivery decision. The work can stand alone or connect to another defined assignment where required.
1. Confirm the issue and required outcome
- ✓Actual operating, compliance, reuse, or design requirement
- ✓Available data and information reliability
- ✓Site, shutdown, utility, operator, and responsibility constraints
2. Define the assignment and output
- ✓Targeted troubleshooting findings and corrective actions
- ✓Technical Study or Process Design Pack where a formal basis is required
- ✓Connected sourcing or implementation support only where required
Specialist scope examples
The scope depends on the issue, the information already available and the agreed output.
Troubleshooting and performance stabilisation
Recurring process, compliance, reuse-quality or operating-cost issues require a confirmed cause and targeted corrective actions.
Focused investigation
Troubleshooting and performance stabilisation
Recurring process, compliance, reuse-quality or operating-cost issues require a confirmed cause and targeted corrective actions.
- ✓Baseline and data-reliability review
- ✓Process, hydraulic, chemical, controls and residuals checks
- ✓Corrective actions, monitoring and further technical requirements
Improvement planning and retrofit sequencing
Performance needs to improve while useful assets remain in operation and changes are introduced in a controlled sequence.
Phased improvement
Improvement planning and retrofit sequencing
Performance needs to improve while useful assets remain in operation and changes are introduced in a controlled sequence.
- ✓Existing-asset and limiting-condition review
- ✓Improvement options and phased upgrade requirements
- ✓Connections, operating continuity, controls and verification requirements
Reuse, discharge and product-water upgrades
Treatment or polishing must meet a defined reuse duty, receiving condition, product-water requirement or discharge limit.
Outlet duty
Reuse, discharge and product-water upgrades
Treatment or polishing must meet a defined reuse duty, receiving condition, product-water requirement or discharge limit.
- ✓Feed-water and receiving-duty requirements
- ✓Treatment, polishing and upstream-protection requirements
- ✓Sampling, monitoring and performance criteria
Equipment, chemical and sourcing decisions
An equipment change, chemical change or supplier decision requires a comparable technical basis before procurement proceeds.
Decision basis
Equipment, chemical and sourcing decisions
An equipment change, chemical change or supplier decision requires a comparable technical basis before procurement proceeds.
- ✓Options comparison across performance, CAPEX, OPEX, operability, footprint and lifecycle implications
- ✓Equipment duties, chemical requirements, spares and operating constraints
- ✓Technical requirements, evaluation criteria and supplier clarification points
Plant retrofit checks and new-system definition
A retrofit, expansion or new system requires a clear process basis for what should be retained, modified, built or purchased.
System definition
Plant retrofit checks and new-system definition
A retrofit, expansion or new system requires a clear process basis for what should be retained, modified, built or purchased.
- ✓Existing-plant constraints and retained-asset requirements where applicable
- ✓Process and technology basis for the retrofit, expansion or new system
- ✓Connections, responsibilities, controls, testing and commissioning requirements
Scope coverage
Project context
Where this work fits in the project
The work can define the technical requirements, cost and benefit basis, delivery considerations and scope boundaries needed for the next project decision.
Analysis
Requirements & constraint analysis
Water quality, required duty, operating limits, reuse requirements, site constraints and coordination points translated into measurable criteria.
Business case
Cost base & benefit case
Lifecycle CAPEX and OPEX implications, avoided costs, risk reduction and reuse benefits assessed where they affect the decision.
Delivery basis
Project delivery and operating model
Ownership, procurement route, package responsibilities and operating arrangements considered where they influence the technical basis.
Procurement basis
Scope of work & cost basis
Scope boundaries, connection points, responsibility splits, technical requirements and the cost basis needed for terms of reference or procurement.
Process and system areas
What the assignment can address
The same assessment discipline applies across the relevant process and system areas.
Project support spectrum
Where the support can connect
Diagnostics, requirements, technology and integration can be carried into sourcing or implementation where separately agreed. These are connected points of support, not a required sequence.
Connected systems planning
FlowPlan connects project decisions from concept through delivery.
FlowPlan keeps source streams, treatment, reuse, residuals, utilities, controls and responsibilities connected to one project basis. A focused assignment can stand alone while preserving the basis needed for later design, sourcing or implementation work.
Assignment formats
How the assignment can be structured
The assignment is scaled to what is already known, the decision required and the level of definition needed.
Focused assignment
Targeted investigation
Investigates a defined operating, process, equipment or delivery issue using available information and targeted checks.
- Baseline and information-reliability review
- Limiting condition, findings and required actions
- Monitoring, testing or further requirements
Defined output
Technical Study or Process Design Pack
Where a documented decision or process basis is required, the work is issued at the agreed level of detail.
- Technical Study where a route, treatability question or major decision remains open
- Process Design Pack where the route and required duty are sufficiently established
- Defined criteria, calculations and requirements appropriate to the selected output
Connected support
Sourcing or implementation support
Uses the agreed process basis during supplier review, submissions, commissioning or early operation.
- Supplier evaluation and clarifications
- Process-related submittal and change review
- Commissioning and performance evidence
Assignment outputs
What the assignment can produce
The output is agreed at the start and matched to the current decision or next project action. Any later study, design, sourcing or implementation work is agreed separately.
- Troubleshooting findings, constraints, corrective actions and monitoring requirements.
- A Technical Study for a focused question, treatability need or options comparison.
- A Process Design Pack where the route is sufficiently established for design and procurement.
- Review records where Sourcing Advisory or Implementation & Applied Support is separately agreed.
Existing studies, designs, operating records and supplier information are used where relevant.
Service enquiry
Define the first assignment
Share the current issue, what is already established, and the next decision or delivery requirement. We will define the first assignment needed to produce the required output.
- Current issue, required duty, or performance requirement.
- Available data, drawings, studies, designs, proposals, and operating records.
- Next decision, design, procurement, commissioning, or early-operation requirement.
Related areas
Process and system areas that may form part of the work
These areas may form part of troubleshooting, process design, retrofit or new-system definition, or connected sourcing and implementation review. They do not represent a separate sequence or a predetermined technology route.
Nutrient recovery
Assess nutrient recovery and final product routes
Review sludge or residual characteristics, recovery potential, processing requirements, and outlet conditions before selecting a route.
Recovery basis
- Feed characterisation and recovery potential
- Dewatering, drying, recovery, or fertiliser-route requirements
- Product quality, receiving conditions, testing, and economics
Performance improvement
Improve performance across treatment stages
Identify the limiting hydraulic, biological, solids, filtration, or cleaning conditions and define targeted improvements without unnecessary replacement.
Performance constraints
- Constraint review across hydraulics, solids, aeration, filtration, and cleaning
- Controls and monitoring required to maintain improvement
- Retrofit requirements, sequencing, and verification criteria
Polishing and protection
Address odor, color, and micropollutants
Define source control, treatment, or polishing requirements for reuse, discharge, or downstream protection.
Polishing considerations
- Source and treatability review for oxidation, adsorption, membranes, or other routes
- Polishing-stage and upstream-protection requirements
- Monitoring, surrogate parameters, and performance-verification criteria
High-purity water
Define demineralisation and polishing requirements
Set the process and protection requirements for stable low-conductivity water used in process, boiler, or other defined duties.
Water-quality basis
- Product-water requirements including conductivity, silica, TOC, and hardness
- RO protection, EDI or resin duty, and final polishing requirements
- Regeneration, cleaning, redundancy, monitoring, and operating requirements
Sludge conditioning
Condition sludge for dewatering, thermal, or product routes
Define conditioning, dewatering, storage, and feed requirements so the selected downstream route can operate consistently.
Sludge preparation
- Polymer and conditioning requirements
- Dry-solids, contaminants, stability, and thermal-feed requirements
- Storage, handling, sidestream, and downstream connection requirements
Industrial effluent
Treat variable or difficult industrial effluent
Define staged treatment for high COD, oils, salts, metals, or solids based on actual variability and outlet requirements.
Treatment route
- Stream characterisation, segregation, and pretreatment requirements
- Chemical, biological, membrane, concentrate, and residuals-route assessment
- Operating risks, monitoring, and verification requirements
Biological treatment
Apply MBBR where the wastewater and duty support it
Define loading, media, aeration, separation, and control requirements for variable biological loads.
Biological design basis
- COD, BOD, ammonia, temperature, and peak-load basis
- Media, reactor, aeration, and carrier-retention requirements
- Solids separation, controls, monitoring, and commissioning requirements
Hybrid retrofit
Assess MBBR or hybrid biological retrofit
Determine whether existing tanks, aeration, hydraulics, and separation can support added biofilm capacity without unacceptable operating constraints.
Retrofit checks
- Existing performance and bottleneck review
- Tank, media-retention, aeration, hydraulic, and separation requirements
- Control, start-up, monitoring, and performance-verification requirements
Metals removal
Define metals removal and solids handling
Develop a treatment and verification basis for metal-limited discharge, reuse, or external disposal.
Removal and solids basis
- Target limits, metals variability, pH, and competing chemistry
- Precipitation, co-precipitation, separation, and polishing requirements
- Sludge handling, outlet requirements, sampling, and compliance records
Concentrate and ZLD
Define the concentrate or ZLD route
Assess concentrate sources, treatment limits, recovery, energy, solids handling, and final outlet before adopting a ZLD route.
Concentrate route basis
- Concentrate characterisation, sources, and routing
- Recovery, evaporation, crystallisation, heat, and energy requirements
- Solids handling, final outlet, monitoring, and performance criteria
Request process design or troubleshooting support
Tell us what needs to be investigated, defined, reviewed, or supported and what information is available. We will define the first assignment and its output. For broader routing across Technical Studies, Process Design Packs, Project Report Packs, Sourcing Advisory, and implementation support, use How We Engage.
- Current issue, required duty, or technical objective.
- Available data, drawings, studies, designs, proposals, and operating records.
- Constraints including footprint, shutdown limits, utilities, operator capacity, and connections.
- Next decision, design, procurement, commissioning, or early-operation requirement.