Three "R's" & Two "T's"

By Mike Dill

We are all familiar with the three "R’s", readin’, ritten’ and rithmatic’. You must now add the two "T’s", Technical Training or Today’s Technology. For the longest time, wastewater treatment was stalled with sedimentation, flocculation and clarification. Activated sludge was the law of the land. For those of us old enough to remember, Al West was the guru, "he da man". Pretty simple stuff, settle in the primary, juice the bugs with air and settle in the secondary, disinfection, done deal. Back in the good ole days, you were at the treatment plant and the saying was "them guys don’t do nothin’, ‘cept smoke and drink coffee". Well at least it was warm in the winter. Mechanical skills were a necessity. Pick up the lab along the way, but keep them pumps goin’. You could always tell the lead man, by the size of his key ring. (There were at least two or so keys that you didn’t know fit what, but were afraid to throw away). With touch pad entry systems, don’t need the key ring anymore. Coffee in one hand, donut in the other for counter balance; caffeine and sugar are no good for you, so that’s gone. We can now walk upright without a jingle to our set and no coffee stains down the front. (I still have caffeine fits, although the shaking is letting up). Fast forward a few years to sludge handling, no problem, give it to a local farm and use it on the corn. Now it’s biosolids management and farms are no longer a viable option.With the advent of microchips, digital devices and computers, the technological age is here. Like it or not you must adapt.Don’t like computers, not good. If you think the Internet is for surfing, better put your board away. Computers have and will play a major role in plant operations. Software programs for everything, if there is not a program, wait. Continuous monitoring instruments that adjust chemical feeds to the flow. Digital readouts that store information without paper. Lab instruments that self calibrate and troubleshoot. Monthly reports transmitted electronically. Your paycheck is even direct deposit. However, one fact remains, trained professionals (24/7/365). The operator’s responsibilities have increased; his knowledge must be more diverse. A jack-of-all-trades and a master of many is now the phrase. Machines don’t get out of bed at 2:00am. They can’t talk to customers and hopefully don’t. There is something reassuring about hearing a real live person on the other end of the phone. Some companies have lost site of that. When your system purchases a new piece of equipment, get the training and know what makes it tick. Don’t let the manufacturer off the hook. Many times I have heard "the guy dropped it off and left", "or they were here for a couple of hours and then went home to New Jersey". Don’t deal with companies that blow you off. The main importance is proper operation and maintenance. If they don’t want to take the time to train, you don’t want to take the time to purchase. Find out up front what training is required and make them hold up their end of the deal. It’s simple; remember who is buying and who is selling. If you don’t understand, ask questions, five times if necessary, remember you have to make it work after the warranty. It doesn’t make any difference if it’s a new pH meter or new plant, as the operator, it’s your responsibility.Back to the title of this piece, Three "R’s" and Two "T’s", use the Internet for resources, networking and product comparisons. You can educate yourself and not have to listen to a sales pitch. Price shopping with a mouse. Click here and watch what happens. Training videos and CDs are available anytime, and if the weather is bad, no travel.Before you say, "my board won’t", Stop! I will speak for you. There is, and I repeat, there is nothing better than a well-trained operator. Try telling a machine, "it’s the thing that goes into the what by the who". My personal favorite excuse, "it costs money and time to go to training", SO! Another oldie but goodie "if we train him, he will go somewhere else". DA!

If you send an operator to a training session and they return with learning just one thing, it makes them a better operator; more efficient and better prepared. If they have a better understanding of chemical dosing and practice optimal dosing rates, thus saving chemicals and reducing costs, those reductions can be applied to a salary increase for the operator. Spending a few dollars to replace old electric motors, shows immediate results with a reduced power bill. How do you learn about these things, Technical Training . . . Two "T’s". You cannot practice the "T’s" without the "R’s" and vice versa. Himself, not others, limits a good operator. I have said this many times, "if you come unprepared, be prepared". Think about it.