Advances in Water Treatment and Enviromental Management

90 WATER TREATMENTINTRODUCTIONModel specifications and Standards applicable to the schemeand other related projects were produced to fast track theimplementation and to maximise existing capital investmenton scheme sites.The siteworks involved close coordination between the systemsengineers and operations personnel to enable speedy, efficientand progressive completion of activities.Severn Trent Water provide vital water services to a population of over 8million people in over 20 thousand square kilometers in the centre ofEngland. Severn Trent Water own of the order of 800 reservoirs, 1000 sewageworks, 40 major water treatment works and over 70 thousand kilometersof underground mains and sewers. The business has an annual turnover ofapproximately 500 million pounds, an annual capital investment of over160 million pounds and employs approximately 8 thousand people.Severn Trent Water is responsible for managing an inheritance of afragmented, complex network of water supply systems, sewage and effluenttreatment plants and other associated resources, some of which are overone hundred years old. The organisational structure of Severn Trent Waterhas evolved to support the changing needs of the business. The business isoperated on firm commercial principles with all new investment justifiedagainst clearly defined objectives.Experience of the application of technology to the business has, in the past,not been entirely successful. Therefore, to meet the challenge of a majornew initiative for the improved operation of Severn Trent Water’s resources,a detailed business case was prepared by a project team comprising SevernTrent Water staff, Kennedy and Donkin Systems Control engineeringconsultants and a management consultant. The successful business caseis the basis of an ambitious but realistic programme for the implementationof a Plant Monitoring and Control System within Severn Trent Water.The paper describes the background to the initiative, the methodologyemployed for the business case and the design and implementationphilosophy for the Plant Monitoring and Control System.BACKGROUNDThe organisational structure and management of Severn Trent Water haschanged considerably in the transformation from local authority control tothat of a private water company. Such changes have included staffreductions, a variety of organisational structures and increasing concernabout customer expectations and environmental legislation.