Aqua Design

Decision Studies for live project decisions

We help utilities and industries move defined project decisions forward across water, wastewater and biosolids work. Our studies are project basis-led, vendor-ready, and focused on practical next steps for live projects, not theory. We work through time-bound decision studies, project stages and full process design packs so choices stay practical and vendor-ready.

Vendor-ready Project basis & feasibility first Studies that move decisions

Three ways to read this work: project packs, stages, and decision studies.

Decision study types

Time-bound studies that move one project decision at a time - from early screening and retrofit through chemistry, reuse, sludge, ZLD, markets, automation, and delivery. Available independently or embedded within wider project work.

Built on FlowPlan diagnostics Vendor-ready outputs Selectable depth
Early-stage / EIA support

Early-stage water & impact screening study

A compact study that gives EIA and masterplanning teams a well-supported view of water use, quality ranges, indicative treatment limit, footprint and energy - before anything is over-designed.

Typical duration · 2 - 3 weeks
Covers demand & consumption patterns, indicative influent/effluent ranges, rough treatment route concepts, space and basic energy intensity.
Moves the decision on realistic capacities, planning assumptions for EIA, and first budget and footprint ranges to carry into approvals.
Supports: Environmental Impact Assessment teams Output: Water & impact screening note
Catchment-level

Catchment improvement & source pretreatment study

Study the catchment, locate and track problem sources, and define pretreatment at those sources before locking the plant design basis.

Modes
Quick Full + Workshops
Quick · 2 - 3 weeks - desk-based mapping, light sampling plan, residual design basis sketch.
Full · 4 - 6 weeks - detailed flow/load scenarios, tracked hotspots, pretreatment briefs per associate.
+ Workshops - joint sessions with key associates to agree commitments and timelines.
Diagnostics: Source Control & Pretreatment Output: Catchment map & residual design basis
Pretreatment / chemistry

Chemical optimisation & co-treatment study

Choose and tune the chemical route and co-treatment scheme so pretreatment is efficient and downstream modules are protected.

Modes
Quick Full + Workshops
Quick · 2 - 3 weeks - jar-tests or vendor data review, indicative dosing ranges, preliminary cost limit.
Full · 4 - 5 weeks - structured test plan, co-treatment map, preferred chemical treatment route and operating range.
+ Workshops - adds operator/vendor sessions for handling, safety and changeover.
Diagnostics: Industrial Effluent & Batch+ Output: Chemical treatment route & co-treatment map
Equipment selection

Equipment selection & integration

A focused service to help you choose the right screens, filters, clarifiers or dewatering units - and integrate them safely into the existing process, hydraulics and footprint.

Modes
Quick Full + Workshops
Quick · 2 - 3 weeks - shortlist of suitable equipment for the duty, plus indicative sizing and duty point checks.
Full · 4 - 6 weeks - hydraulic and layout checks, connections to upstream/downstream units, and integration notes for FlowPlan - Equipment+ or STP/ETP routes.
+ Workshops - joint sessions with operations and vendors to align on install, bypass, isolation and startup conditions.
Moves the decision on which equipment to buy and how it will fit in the line - reducing re-work, clashes and “trial-and-error” installation.
Services: Equipment selection & integration Modules: FlowPlan - Equipment+
Technology route

Technology route & concept options study

Compare alternative treatment routes and FlowPlan module sets at concept stage - so you set a credible path before specs and vendors are frozen.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Covers module combinations (e.g. FlowPlan - MBBR+ + FlowPlan - Clari+ + FlowPlan - Micra+), footprint, complexity, operator load, vendor landscape and risk.
Moves the decision on which concept route to take forward as the “base case” for design, economics and vendor engagement.
Diagnostics: Plant retrofit / quality snapshot Output: Concept options & preferred route
Market & offtake

TSE & biosolids market approach study

Define practical market approaches for TSE and biosolids - who can use them, at what reliability and quality, and under what commercial and risk-sharing structures.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Covers potential TSE users (cooling, landscaping, industry), biosolids product options, volume & reliability ranges, pricing signals, risk allocation and simple contract models.
Moves the decision on which TSE and biosolids markets to prioritise now, what quality classes to design for, and what offtake or tariff structures to carry into the project.
Diagnostics: TSE Use & Reuse Risk Diagnostics: Residuals & Biosolids Planning Output: Offtake map & contract concepts
Sludge & biosolids

Sludge & biosolids route study

Decide between dewatering-only, drying, compost, organo-mineral or biofertiliser routes and target product classes.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Moves the decision on preferred pathway, market positioning and FlowPlan - Sludge+ variant to carry forward into design and vendor scoping.
Diagnostics: Residuals & Biosolids Planning Diagnostics: Biofertilizer ESG Matchmaking
ZLD & brine

ZLD & brine route study

Decide whether ZLD is required or viable, and if so, which route and assumptions should set out the solution.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Moves the decision on ZLD vs partial-ZLD, and key design and commercial assumptions for FlowPlan - ZLD+ and related modules.
Diagnostics: ZLD Preparation & Brine Modules: FlowPlan - ZLD+ · FlowPlan - ZLD+Prep
Odor, septicity & H₂S

Odor, septicity & H₂S control study

Map where odor and H₂S are forming across the catchment and plant, and decide a staged mix of capture, dosing and polishing - with the minimum monitoring and controls to keep it stable.

Typical duration · 2 - 3 weeks
Covers sewer / rising main septicity, wet wells & headworks, tanks, buildings and biosolids handling.
Moves the decision on where to intervene (catchment vs plant), how much to dose, what to capture and polish, and what monitoring is “enough”.
Diagnostics: Odor & Hazard Modules: Odor+Capture Odor+Dose Odor+Polish
Automation conversion

Automation conversion & controls upgrade

A service to convert the plant from mostly manual routines to a clearer level of automation and remote monitoring - in stages that fit your budget and operations team.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Covers current loops and instruments, what must be automated, alarm and interlock logic, SCADA/telemetry options and a staged conversion roadmap.
Moves the decision on which units to convert in this phase, what additional signals are needed, and how to prepare for remote or centralised supervision.
Services: Controls & automation conversion Output: Conversion steps & control note
Procurement support

Procurement support & vendor evaluation

A practical buying support service - turning your technical needs into clear RFQs, comparison frames and recommendations so selecting vendors and equipment becomes easier and less risky.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Covers RFQ and ToR drafting, minimum technical requirements, comparison tables, scoring criteria and clarification questions for shortlisted vendors.
Moves the decision on which vendor or package to award, on what technical and commercial basis, and what must be captured in contracts to protect performance.
Services: Procurement & evaluations Diagnostics: Vendor / technology evaluation
12. ROI, savings & commercial limit
Economics & savings

ROI & cost - benefit analysis study

Turn technical options into a board-ready view of cost-to-serve, savings and risk - so you can justify the project and choose the right ambition level.

Typical duration · 3 - 4 weeks
Covers baseline cost-to-serve, with-project CAPEX/OPEX, avoided disposal and discharge, reuse value, chemical/energy shifts and simple tariff or fee structures across scenarios.
Moves the decision on technical and commercial viability, realistic ROI and payback ranges, and which level of reuse or recovery ambition is justified for this project phase.
Focus: Business case & ROI Output: Board snapshot & scenario ranges

Talk through a live project

Bring one STP, ETP, reuse or biosolids problem to the table. We’ll map which decision studies and project variants could move it forward.

Email a project note

A short note on your site, constraints and timelines is enough for a first call.

Share your context.

Send a short note with your current situation, any available data, and the decision you need next. We’ll reply with 1 - 2 best-fit decision studies and a recommended starting scope.

  • • Where your facility is (type, size, sector)
  • • What is driving the change (compliance, cost, reuse, risk)
  • • Any existing studies, designs, or vendor proposals
  • • Timelines or constraints we should be aware of

Prefer a quick call? Use the same form and add “call requested”.

Pick the closest match (or choose “Not sure yet”) - we’ll recommend the right starting study and depth.

If you’re not sure, leave this blank - we’ll recommend the right starting study.

We’ll reply with 1 - 2 best‑fit options and the next steps.