When Is Lab Testing Essential for Water and Wastewater Treatment?

While prior experience in treating water/wastewater is valuable, certain situations demand lab testing for reliable water treatment. Here's when WesTech's physchem lab becomes a key resource.

New or Unfamiliar Water Samples

If a water sample is new, different from anything previously encountered, or has characteristics that could lead to unpredictable treatment behavior, lab testing is vital. This might involve water from a new source, wastewater from a new industrial process, or water with a unique combination of contaminants.

Uncertainty in Process Performance

Even with some prior knowledge, there may be uncertainty about how a specific treatment process will behave. Lab testing provides a way to confirm or validate assumptions before investing in full-scale equipment. The lab can simulate the process to see if it achieves the desired results and identify potential pitfalls.

Regulatory Requirements and Investor Funding

Regulatory agencies often require proof that a treatment process will meet specified standards. Similarly, investors might need evidence that a project is technically feasible before committing funds. Lab testing offers that proof, demonstrating the effectiveness of a proposed treatment solution.

Process Performance Guarantees

When WesTech provides a process performance guarantee, lab testing becomes crucial for ensuring we can meet the agreed-upon standards. Testing allows us to fine-tune the design and operating parameters to achieve the desired outcomes.

Process Changes or Upsets in Operating Plants

Sometimes changes occur in operating plants, like flow or constituents, that cause equipment performance issues. Lab testing can be used to determine the correct parameters to keep the equipment operating under these new conditions.

Hybrid Approach: In-House vs. WesTech Testing

Many clients have their own analytical labs for routine quality control. The testing performed in WesTech’s physchem lab often goes beyond this, focusing on simulating unit processes to design equipment. A hybrid approach can be effective, with the client handling basic analysis and WesTech conducting more specialized tests. This is especially useful when water conditions are expected to vary significantly.

Making the Right Call

The decision to invest in lab testing isn't about testing everything, it's about testing the right things. When water characteristics are uncertain, regulatory stakes are high, or equipment performance guarantees are on the line, upfront testing eliminates guesswork and prevents costly mistakes downstream. For routine applications with well-understood parameters, experience often provides sufficient guidance. Knowing the difference is where engineering judgment meets practical risk management.