FEL-0 due diligence for industrial wastewater
Everyone is in such a rush to get to a solution that the problem is rarely well-defined. The result? Unhappy owners and operators with stretched budgets and operational challenges.
Don't waste time and money on wastewater treatment systems you don't need and can't afford to purchase, operate, or maintain.
Clearly define the issues before tackling them.
Who it's for
We work with owners, plant managers, EHS managers, and capital project teams at food and beverage facilities. Call us when something has changed, or is about to, and you need to know what it means before spending money.
Your discharge bills are growing faster than production and you're not sure why, or what it's worth to fix.
A permit renewal, new local limits, or a revised sewer use ordinance is coming and you need to know if you can meet it.
You've received a notice of violation, or the treatment plant is pushing for pretreatment.
New lines, new products, or higher volumes will change your flows and loads, and your existing system may not keep up.
Existing pretreatment can't hit its targets, or operating costs for chemicals, sludge hauling, and labor are out of control.
A vendor or engineer has quoted a system and you want to know whether it's the right size, or the right answer at all.
Wastewater liabilities and upgrade costs belong in the due diligence, not in the surprises after closing.
Corporate sustainability targets call for less water use, less discharge, or reuse, and you need a realistic plan.
Typical facilities:
Independent advice
Much of the advice in this industry comes from people who profit from what you buy. Ours doesn't. We're paid for problem definition, so our only incentive is to get it right.
We don't manufacture, distribute, or represent any treatment equipment or chemicals.
We accept nothing from vendors, contractors, or engineering firms we recommend or shortlist.
We don't design or build the solution, so a smaller answer, like waste reduction instead of new treatment, is a good outcome for us too.
How it works
Once gaps have been identified, we'll work with you to determine the best way to fill them.
Step 2 detailsStrategic plan for procuring the engineering and construction services needed to address your facility's wastewater challenges.
Step 3 details
Step 1
No one understands your facility better than you. Help us understand your facility so we can more quickly and effectively help you. By providing this information to us, we will be able to better understand the challenges you face.
Start the free data checklist
Step 2
We will compile all information and identify deficiencies. Then, we will work with you to determine the best way to fill them, using a variety of approaches:
From this analysis, boundary conditions, goals, and requirements for the system will be developed.
Step 3
Once you have clearly defined the issue(s), your plans, and their effects on wastewater discharges and systems, defining solutions becomes much more straightforward.
You want to "tee up" the problem definition so the high-dollar engineering consultants can hit the ground running with potential solutions. This is where they excel! We help develop the packages to hand over to an engineering consultant so you can remove the risk in determining design criteria.
Pricing
We offer two pricing models: hourly rates for limited advisory services and fixed prices for problem definition and guidance on a path forward.
Start here
1-hour meeting to discuss your facility and challenges, available information, and exact needs.
Problem definition
Establish the boundary conditions for your wastewater discharge characteristics and final quantity and quality requirements.
Services include:
Feasibility study
In addition to defining the boundary conditions, this option includes guidance on a path forward.
Services include:
All pricing is in USD.
Free tool
The Facility Data Checklist is the same list we use in Step 1. Fill it in online to see what you already have, what's missing, and how ready you are for a problem definition, before you spend anything.
FAQ
Information gathering and problem definition: typically 4 to 6 weeks from kickoff.
Problem definition + path forward (Feasibility Study): typically 8 to 12 weeks from kickoff.
The biggest variable is how quickly data is available. If we need new sampling to close a gap, we'll tell you early and adjust the schedule together.
Usually within two weeks of a signed agreement. The intro call is the first step, and you can book it any time.
Plan on one point of contact who can pull records and answer questions, a kickoff meeting, a site visit, and a review meeting at the end. Most of the time goes into gathering the data on the checklist.
A written report with:
We walk through the findings with your team in a review meeting.
For an extra $10,000, we evaluate your current water and wastewater equipment: what it was designed for, how it's performing, and how much capacity is left compared with your current and projected loads.
Everything in problem definition, plus:
The items on our Facility Data Checklist, as far as you have them. Missing data is normal. Closing those gaps is what Step 2 is for.
No. We define the problem and prepare you to hire the right engineering and construction firms. Staying out of design and construction is what keeps our advice independent.
Fixed-price services: 50% at kickoff and 50% on delivery of the final report, net 30.
Hourly advisory services: $150/hr after the free first hour, billed monthly, net 30.
Fixed-price services include one site visit, with up to $2,000 in travel expenses covered by the price. Any expenses beyond that are billed at cost with no markup. Additional visits are billed at the hourly rate plus travel at cost.
We'll flag it as soon as we see it. Additional work is priced in writing, hourly or as a fixed add-on, and only starts once you approve it.
Yes. Your production and discharge data are used only for your project.
