Constraint Management - Essay Example

Constraints in expanding Wheaton sanitary district capa Wheaton Sanitary district is a waste water treatment plant that was established in 1925, and started its operation a year later. Waste water flows by gravity from an approximate land area of about 9000 acres. Currently, Wheaton Sanitary district handles waste water for a population of about 62,000 people majorly from neighboring regions like Wheaton, Southern Carol stream. It also serves a section of Glen Ellyn and Winfield (Tchobanoglous, Burton & Stensel, 2002).

The plant revenues depends on its water consumptions rates which is further determined by the overall population of the locality, charges of other water providers in the region, as well as economic activities in the locality among other factors. The plant revenues are from charges on connection permits and chemical toilets’ wastes among other sources. This work entails the capacity of the waste water plant as well as the constraint likely to be faced by its management team on attempt to expand its capacity.

Waste water treatment plant capacity is the ability of the plant to treat the incoming waste water from the locality then discharge correct amounts of clean and safe water to meet the consumption rates in the locality. Peak capacity is the highest inflow of waste water and out flow of clean and safe treated water discharges expected in the treat plant operations. The peak capacity of a certain waste water treatment plant can be ascertained by having the average population figures in the locality, the figures are projected using some computer models or programs to cater for the future population increase.

The projected figure is the multiplied by water consumption rates of each person per day ((Tchobanoglous, Burton & Stensel, 2002)). Other factors to be considered include whether the clean treated water will be for domestic or industrial uses, industries consumes more water than domestic uses. The rate of incoming waste water into the plants depends on the overall population, the higher the population the greater the waste water discharges into the waste water treatment plants. Availability of in-built treatment facilities in the industrial or domestic set ups tend to lower waste water discharge into a certain treatment plant since much of waste water has already been treated in the inbuilt facilities.

Storm water runoff and ground water recharges constitute part of the waste water hence the higher the run off and ground water recharges the greater the waste water discharges into the plants. Topography determines the gravity flow of waste water into the treatment plants, however in a locality with a level terrain pumps are used force the waste waters to the treatment plants, although this could be expensive (Tchobanoglous, Burton & Stensel, 2002). Wheaton waste water treatment plant is subject to variations in the capacity of its waste water.

This is due to the old and worn out conditions of its sewer system. This enable ground water recharge and storm runoff water enter the sewer line. As result the design capacity is exceeded and sanitary sewer overflow applies. This is a condition where waste water causes bursts in the sewer pipes and man holes among other waste water components. This condition pollutes the local environment and exposes the residents to disease causing vectors like fungi, bacteria found in the waste water. Sewer overflow is also a violation to the Environmental laws, specifically, Federal clean water Act.

Wheaton waste water treatment may consider improving its sewer pipes and pumps as an attempt to expand its capacity more so, during rainy season which is characterized with high storm runoff and ground water recharges. The structural components of the sewer lines will be repaired and upgraded to limit entry of storm water runoff and ground water recharges into the sewer lines. All these will pose several challenges to the Wheaton management team. The main challenge would be financial constraints.

The entire project is approximated to cost twenty six million dollars. Being a firm not supported by any government agency, Wheaton may face some difficulties raising this huge amount of money. The rehabilitation project is expected to last for 10 months. This very long duration considering that clean water is a necessity for human survival. This could make the consumers seek services from other water providing companies. Wheaton may lack experienced civil and structural engineers and this may force the management team hire consultants of different professionals at a high cost.

During the rehabilitation, the plant may reduce its operations which may further lead to reduced revenues that may be insufficient to meet its expenses (Tchobanoglous, Burton & Stensel, 2002). To summarize, a good waste water treatment plant should have a comprehensive feasibility studies before its implementation. The study should include the anticipated environmental impacts associated with the waste water treatment plants as well plans through which negative environmental impacts will be mitigated.

The current demand should be accurately attained then projected to ensure the future population rise will not affect the normal operations of the waste water treatment plant. Furthermore, the sewer line pipes and other components of the treatment facility should be durable to avoid won outs that limit the normal operations of the plant. Finally, the treatment plant should conduct frequent monitor or follow ups to detect any won outs in the sewer line so that repairs can be done in good time, and this would limit chances of sewer overflows.

Reference Tchobanoglous G., Burton F.,Stensel H.D. (2002). Waste water Engineering: Treatment and Reuse. USA: McGraw-Hill Companies press.