Services

Custom Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Design

Engineered Design for Treatment Success

Nviro’s core design philosophy is centered around water and wastewater treatment optimization. Here are a few ways we achieve this:

Efficiency: design-build model, energy efficient equipment, and smart design layouts
Scalability: phased design, retrofitting existing systems, upgradable controls, and future proofing infrastructure
Sustainability: water reuse systems and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) initiatives

Defining Treatment Plant vs. System Design

While the terms for designing treatment plants and systems are often used interchangeably, they can mean slightly different things depending on the context. Take this for example:

Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)

A physical facility where wastewater is treated.
Usually refers to larger, centralized infrastructure, like municipal or industrial treatment plants.
Includes all components: buildings, tanks, equipment, piping, control rooms, etc.
Typically handles continuous flow from an entire community, city, or industrial operation.

Wastewater Treatment System

A broader term that refers to the entire setup or process used to treat wastewater, which can be:
- A full-scale plant, or
- A modular, packaged, or decentralized unit, especially for small facilities.
Can refer to just the treatment technology or process, like an MBR system, SBR system, or aerobic treatment unit (ATU).
May include onsite systems, like septic tanks with leach fields or small package systems.

Nviro’s Design Services

Nviro offers a variety of design services, including:

Preliminary Design
- High-level planning to explore project feasibility, options, and constraints. This helps define treatment goals, capacity needs, and regulatory requirements, often including:
  - Site evaluations
  - Process selection (i.e. activated sludge, MBR, etc.)
  - Preliminary layouts and cost estimates
  - Permitting pathway review
Process Design
- Focused on how the water or wastewater will be treated. Engineers select and size unit processes like:
  - Screening and grit removal
  - Biological treatment (i.e. aeration, nitrification)
  - Clarification
  - Filtration
  - Disinfection and sludge management
- Includes mass balances, hydraulic profiles, and equipment selection
Detailed Design
- Full engineering of the entire plant for construction. This includes:
  - Civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation design
  - Site plans, piping, concrete/tank layouts
  - Equipment specs and procurement packages
  - SCADA/control system design
  - Final construction drawings (IFC: Issued for Construction)
Instrumentation and Control System Design
- Design of the plant’s automation systems. This includes:
  - PLC and SCADA systems
  - Sensors and flow meters
  - Remote monitoring integration
  - Alarm and data logging design
Design-build
- Project delivery method where one company handles design and construction. This entails:
  - Project Planning and Feasibility
  - Engineering and Design
  - Procurement
  - Construction
  - Commissioning and Startup
Retrofit and Expansion Design
- Tailored for existing plants that need to be:
  - Expanded for more capacity
  - Upgraded for better treatment (i.e. nutrient removal)
  - Modified to meet new regulatory standards
- Focuses on fit-in-place solutions and minimizes downtime.

Why design-build?

Single point of contact: Our team handles everything, reducing coordination challenges.
Faster project delivery: Overlapping design and construction saves time.
Cost control: Better budget predictability with fewer change orders.
Risk reduction: As the design-builder, we take on more responsibility for performance.
Customization: Tailored solutions for specific water and wastewater treatment needs, site constraints, and future growth.

FAQs for Water and Wastewater Treatment Design

What is the difference between design-build and packaged (AKA manufactured) treatment plants?

Design-build is custom-built, mostly on-site. It is a single contract, handling both design and construction. This offers flexible design based on local needs, regulations, space, and capacity. It is often preferred for larger-scale, permanent systems, an ideal option for municipalities or larger developments.

Manufactured treatment plants are pre-engineered and factory-built systems. These are delivered to the site nearly ready to install. The design is modular, standardized, and usually small to medium capacity. The benefits are faster installation and cost-effective solutions for smaller communities or facilities. These can be portable or semi-permanent. This option is preferred for remote locations, resorts, small towns, or temporary facilities.

Nviro offers both options to clients.

Does Nviro offer custom plant design for small or rural communities?

Yes, we design onsite water and wastewater treatment systems for small and rural areas, including community service districts.

Ready to explore the possibilities for your system?

Start with a no-obligation consultation. Whether you’re upgrading, expanding, or refining, we’ll guide you in making informed decisions to power your operation’s success.

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