Asset Management in the Waste Treatment Environment

Abstract

The main aim of the research study was to determine what drives the asset management inadequacy in the waste-water treatment utilities, as to ascertain the main drivers of the equipment failures are, and whether the maintenance strategies respond or are adequate to deal with the failure rate of equipment in the waste-water treatment utilities. The environmental impact driven from the non-compliant final effluent discharged into the water resources in the country resulted from the equipment failures in the plant. The maintenance strategies, asset policy, asset management plan, including the rehabilitation programme and all statutory regulation compliance are evaluated and analysed to ensure they are responding or aligned to the growing challenges faced by the waste-water treatment environment. Using the quantitative approach, the three groups; the asset management team, quality and process team and operations team of participants were to be selected. A convenient approved sampling method, the survey questionnaire was electronically shared to respond to the Covid-19 restriction and the structure telephonic interview so ascertain the level of understanding of the current asset management strategies, policies and procedures, the equipment failures impact to the utilities compliance and the further corporate risk and environmental impact from inadequately manages waste-water treatment utilities. The findings confirms that there is indeed lack of the synergies in the waste treatment environment emanating from a few aspects i.e., lack of due diligent in the application of maintenance strategies in the waste treatment works, lack of in-depth understanding of the impact from equipment failures in the waste treatment process, and the misalignment of the rehabilitation program, leading to gross environmental impact and corporate risk. It was further recommended the collaborations in the maintenance strategies development and review process. The rehabilitation programme should be aligned to the requirements of the process.

Keywords

• asset management
• waste-water treatment utility
• water works
• wastewater works
• environmental impact
• corporate risk
• rehabilitation programme
• non-compliance