Ever wish you had a Magic 8-Ball that would give you more than a yes/no answer to your complicated life questions, and that the answer wasn’t random but fact-based? Our Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) recently got this wish, except it’s not a game; it’s called Hydromantis GPS-X.

Hydromantis is a type of modelling software that takes existing WWTP laboratory data and uses it to simulate and predict outcomes of operational changes at the Plant. The model allows our plant Operators to create scenarios evaluating system performance and operational efficiency under various conditions, like seasonal changes, new industrial water customers that can send extra flow or nutrients to the plant, and equipment being removed for maintenance or repairs.

“It’s still new to us, but so far we’re liking the new software,” said Chris Hill, WWTP Operations Coordinator. “We’ve never had anything like this before. It’s a great tool for troubleshooting our plant operations, predicting operational changes, and educating plant employees.”

A bonus is that WWTP employees have also been able to use the Hydromantis software to train for the Operations Challenges hosted by the American Water Works Association and Water Environment Association (NC AWWA-WEA). In this competition, participants go through different scenarios where they must troubleshoot issues while continuing to meet state permit requirements. In October 2019, our plant employees competed for the first time in this state-wide challenge, and came in third overall, with a second-place finish in two out of five events.

To see the new Hydromantis software in action, watch the video above as Chris Hill goes through a quick scenario of what happens to phosphorous levels when there is a dramatic change in air and water temperatures.