Future-proofing water treatment with digital technologies

At Kemira, we believe that a world with enough safe water for everyone is possible, and that we can do it sustainably. Municipal water treatment facilities can meet current demand and get ready for the low-carbon future with our water treatment solutions, incorporating latest digital technologies for smart process management.
A person on a field looking at smartphone screen.

The world’s water supply is under pressure because of population growth, urbanization and aging infrastructure. There’s also the huge challenge of climate change. How can stakeholders in the water value chain meet growing demand while coping with extreme weather and addressing their own carbon footprint? At Kemira, we’re working in partnership with customers to future-proof the water supply, and we’re happy to share what we know.

Kemira has 100 years of application expertise, a complete portfolio of water treatment chemistries and digital solutions for water treatment optimization. It puts us in a prime position to work with water treatment utilities in support of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.  Our experts can help in reviewing the treatment process set-up and technologies, understanding how they impact the plant’s carbon footprint. For instance, many of our partners are seeking to reduce their energy consumption and increase biogas production.

Automated water treatment processes enable higher precision compliance with strict discharge limits, chemical-use optimization, energy savings and carbon footprint reduction.

Capitalize on data

Our digital offerings support the reliability, efficiency, seamless integration, and synchronization of water treatment processes. When it comes to sustainability, automated water treatment processes enable higher precision compliance with strict discharge limits, chemical-use optimization, energy savings and carbon footprint reduction (e.g. in phosphorous removal, sludge dewatering and disinfection).

If a contaminant or key performance indicator (KPI) can be measured accurately and a remote-controlled device meets the standards for industrial applications, then smart process management can be applied. Learn more about KemConnect™.

Smart process management in water treatment includes several components:

  • automated dosing pumps
  • accurate instrumentation
  • real-time control loops
  • IoT (Internet of Things: internet-connected objects)
  • the data itself and interfaces to present it
  • cloud-based servers
  • versatile algorithms
  • data security

Sludge dewatering with KemConnect™ SD

Improving the running conditions for the sludge dewatering unit and the accurate dosage of appropriate chemicals can lead to a considerable increase in sludge dryness and decreased sludge volumes, lowering sludge handling needs and minimizing the impact on the environment.  What’s more, with the help of chemistry, sludge can become a valuable resource rather than a nuisance to get rid of – a fertilizer, a source of energy in the form of biogas, or a source of nutrients such as phosphorus. The Kemira KemConnect™ SD helps wastewater treatment plants optimize their sludge treatment with the help of real-time, digital tools.

KemConnect™ P for phosphorous removal

In order to avoid eutrophication of lakes and rivers and to meet environmental permit criteria, it is important for wastewater treatment plants to maintain a consistent low level of total phosphorus. Process conditions can change day to day or hour to hour, even minute to minute. That can make efficiency difficult and diminish overall environmental performance. Where biological phosphorus removal processes fail to meet the lower limits required, chemical application enhanced by constant optimization delivers reliable results. The KemConnect™ P solution enables easy, efficient and cost effective compliance.

Disinfection with KemConnect™ DEX

Kemira has developed an effective wastewater disinfection solution that generates no by-products, eliminating the risk of harm to aquatic ecosystems. The system automatically optimizes the dosage level and allows for very quick reaction times, ensuring effluent permit compliance. The same system can be used to quickly ramp up dosing when there is sewer overflow caused by storm-surge conditions. KemConnect™ DEX is a chlorine-free automated disinfection solution based on performic acid (PFA) and a compact on-site generator system.

Kemira can help prepare for a low-carbon future with sustainable, cost-effective solutions and future-proof digital tools for water treatment.