How receiving imported wastewater can raise the country’s EPI rating
- What is ETI and how is it calculated ?
What is EPI?
What is imported wastewater ?
How is incoming wastewater treated ?
Why is the reception of incoming wastewater important ?
How can the latest technologies in the field of wastewater reception contribute to better environmental performance?
Automated systems.
Remote monitoring and control systems.
Innovative measurement and analysis tools.
Data management and analysis software.
Integrated systems and their advantages.
Benefits of automated systems.
Advantages of data acquisition and analysis.
Successful implementation examples.
Future perspectives
Conclusions
Efficient wastewater management is an important indicator for a country’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI). In Lithuania, increasing attention is being paid to modernising the reception of incoming wastewater to ensure higher water quality and reduce environmental pollution. This article discusses the latest technologies and innovations in this field and how they can contribute to better EPI results.
What is EPI and how is it calculated ?
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a method developed by Yale University and Columbia University that provides the most comprehensive assessment of the state of sustainability around the world, using the latest data sets, science and technology. These indicators show how close countries are to their environmental policy targets in eleven categories.
One of these eleven categories is water resources, which measures the extent to which people are reducing the threat to aquatic ecosystems from wastewater generation and improper management. To more accurately assess and review wastewater management gaps and policy priorities, the EPI 2024 has expanded the assessment indicators in this category. In previous years, performance was calculated in terms of the proportion of wastewater subject to at least primary treatment and the proportion of the population connected to a wastewater collection system. For the first time in 2024, this indicator for wastewater treatment has been decomposed into collection and primary treatment, and two new indicators have been added: the amount of wastewater generated per inhabitant per year and wastewater reuse.
Comparison between Finland and Lithuania.
Following a change in the calculation methodology and aggregation of the indicators, Finland, which was first in the wastewater treatment category in 2022, dropped to 20th in 2024, while Lithuania moved up from 40th to 35th place. However, in terms of the percentage of wastewater collected for treatment, Finland is still one of the leading countries, while Lithuania is in 45th place.
Why is this difference, even though both Lithuania and Finland have a significant number of people who are not connected to a centralised sewerage network? Finland has a tradition of water management dating back to the 1960s, and the population, which manages its own wastewater, all has some form of wastewater storage or treatment facility. Finnish water management laws require that even holiday homes, which are only occupied for a few weeks of the year, have tanks for collecting wastewater. In Lithuania, however, there are still many households without any wastewater storage or treatment facilities that cannot collect wastewater. This is why the percentage of wastewater collection in Finland is so high
What is wastewater from wastewater collection ?
In Lithuania, as in many other countries, people in remote, sparsely populated areas are not connected to centralised sewerage networks. While this would be ideal, in such places the installation and maintenance of a centralised sewage system is extremely expensive.
Therefore, in many villages, hamlets, holiday homes or remote industrial establishments, private sewage treatment plants, septic tanks and storage tanks are already in use, or should be installed, as an alternative to sewerage networks. There will be a long-standing need for wastewater from such plants to be collected by specialised sewage collection vehicles and transported to district or city sewage treatment plants for further treatment. Such wastewater, which is collected by special vehicles and transported to wastewater treatment plants, is called ‘imported wastewater’.
How is the incoming wastewater treated ?
In most wastewater treatment plants, the incoming wastewater is simply poured into storage tanks and gradually fed into the treatment process. This process leads to several problems: unpleasant odours are spread, it is not possible to determine the origin of the wastewater, it is difficult or impossible to determine the composition and quantity of the wastewater, and the loading of the pre-treatment plant is not controlled.
Effective reception of incoming wastewater is essential to ensure that wastewater is treated safely, efficiently and meets environmental standards.
Why is the reception of incoming wastewater important ?
With increasing environmental requirements and stricter control of effluent parameters, it is essential that incoming wastewater is properly managed. Traditional incoming wastewater reception systems often face challenges such as manual operation, inefficiency and high operating costs. Efficient reception of incoming wastewater helps to prevent environmental pollution, reduce operating costs and ensure a smooth wastewater treatment process.
Automated reception of incoming wastewater through the use of fast connections, identification of carriers and wastewater suppliers, and determination of the quantity and quality of the wastewater at the time of discharge can prevent highly polluted wastewater from entering the treatment process. Such a system not only improves the efficiency of reception, but also helps to meet strict environmental requirements. In addition, automation of the reception of incoming wastewater and the collection and analysis of data can significantly improve a country’s EPI ranking.
How can the latest technologies in the field of wastewater reception help to achieve better environmental performance?
Automated systems
One of the main benefits of new technologies in the field of wastewater reception is the introduction of automated systems. Automated wastewater reception systems operate without constant operator intervention and are transforming the wastewater treatment industry. Using technologies such as RFID identification and flow meters, these systems can automatically identify transporters, measure wastewater volume and parameters and ensure that the wastewater complies with established standards. This helps to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of wastewater reception, reducing the risk of human error.
Remote monitoring and control systems
Another advantage of the new technology is modern remote monitoring and control systems. They allow operators to monitor and control wastewater reception from any location, remotely set system parameters, update software and perform other functions necessary for operation. This enables wastewater treatment plants to react quickly to problems and optimise processes in real time, increasing efficiency and operational reliability.
Innovative measurement and analysis tools
New sensors and measuring equipment allow precise measurement of a wide range of wastewater parameters such as pH, temperature, conductivity, density and other selected parameters at the time of discharge. This helps to ensure that wastewater heavily contaminated with hazardous substances and wastewater with specific pollution is not discharged to downstream treatment plants. These innovative measurement and analysis tools allow the quality of wastewater to be monitored and ensure that it meets environmental requirements.
Data management and analysis software
Advanced software makes it easier to collect, analyse and manage data from incoming wastewater reception facilities. The data management and analysis software not only allows the creation of a database of facilities, the scheduling of transporter inspections, but also the statistical analysis of the data with automatic generation of non-conformity reports. This allows the monitoring of wastewater shipments and the reporting of facilities that have under- or over-delivered wastewater.
Integrated systems and their advantages
Innovative inbound wastewater reception systems can combine different technological solutions into one efficient system. In addition to the automatic wastewater and water sampler, the system can also incorporate various pre-treatment equipment such as mechanical grates, a screw-type sludge press, a sludge disposal container, a shredder (macerator) and other accessories. By changing the type of electrodes, incoming wastewater systems can accept grease and sewage sludge.
Benefits of automated systems
Efficiency and productivity. Automated systems not only help to control wastewater sources, carriers and parameters, but also increase the efficiency and productivity of wastewater reception. They can process large volumes of wastewater faster and more accurately than traditional systems, reducing the need for manual labour. This means that wastewater management becomes more manageable and less dependent on the human factor.
Safety and environmental protection. Using automated systems can reduce environmental pollution and make wastewater management safer. For example, automated valves can block foul sewage, preventing it from entering the treatment system. In addition, once the wastewater reception is complete, an automatic flushing of the system can be triggered to ensure that the system is clean for the next wastewater reception.
Economic benefits. Automated systems help to reduce operating costs by reducing the need for manual labour and operating costs. They can also increase the return on investment, not only by making the wastewater reception process more efficient, but also by ensuring the protection and efficiency of the downstream wastewater treatment.
Advantages of data collection and analysis
Comprehensive data and reports. Automated systems can collect vast amounts of data on wastewater flow, pollutant levels and other important parameters. This data can be analysed to produce detailed reports that help monitor and improve environmental practices. Such reports are valuable both for operational activities and for developing long-term strategies.
Forecasting and optimisation. The data collected can be used to predict wastewater flows and composition, allowing treatment processes to be optimised and treatment plants to operate at maximum efficiency. This helps to reduce costs and increase environmental performance.Optimised processes help to react more quickly and efficiently to changes, reducing the risk of undesirable situations.
Increasing accountability and transparency. By collecting and analysing data, it is possible to clearly identify who is responsible for the arrival of highly polluted wastewater and what measures are in place to treat it. This increases accountability and transparency and helps to ensure that environmental requirements are met. This allows for better control of processes and compliance with environmental standards.
How can this improve the EPI index?
Improving water quality. Efficient wastewater management contributes directly to better water quality, which is one of the most important EPI indicators. Reducing pollutants in surface water and groundwater can lead to higher water quality ratings, which means that a country can perform better in international environmental indices.
Improving primary wastewater treatment. Automated systems and data analysis help to improve wastewater management and ensure that incoming wastewater is not only accounted for but also properly treated or neutralised. A better and more responsibly managed system can increase a country’s ranking in the EPI’s wastewater management index.
Pollution reduction. Accurate detection and control of pollutants, odour management and efficient wastewater treatment help to reduce pollution. This has a positive impact on various indicators related to air and water pollution. Less pollution means a cleaner environment, better quality of life and higher environmental performance.
Successful implementation examples
Many companies have already successfully installed modern systems for receiving incoming wastewater. When upgrading wastewater treatment plants or building new ones, automated wastewater reception systems are chosen at the design stage to manage wastewater flows more efficiently and reduce environmental pollution. Such solutions not only help to ensure that wastewater is properly treated, but also improve the overall efficiency of the plant.
For example, the reconstruction of the Švenčionys wastewater treatment plant, completed in 2024, meets the strictest environmental requirements. In addition to pre-treatment plants, biological treatment plants and tertiary treatment plants, the modernisation also included the design and installation of an automated reception system for incoming wastewater. The Feko+ wastewater reception station and the P2002 sampler installed in this system ensure a more efficient reception of wastewater, as well as a more comfortable and sustainable life for the whole community of Švenčionys district.
Conclusions
Recent technologies and innovations in the field of wastewater reception offer many advantages for industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants. Automated systems increase efficiency, reduce operating costs and ensure high compliance with environmental standards.
Automation of wastewater reception and data collection and analysis are powerful tools that can significantly improve countries’ Environmental Performance Index (EPI) rankings. These technologies help to manage wastewater more efficiently, improve water and air quality, and increase accountability and transparency.
To find out more about modern wastewater management solutions and how they can help improve your environmental performance, take a look at our carefully selected range of equipment not only for the reception of incoming wastewater, but also for the treatment of surface wastewater,
