Water Treatment Plant Design Standardization

Project Overview

Developed a comprehensive standardization framework for water treatment plant design calculations at Pennar Enviro Ltd that dramatically reduced design time and ensured consistency across all projects. The system incorporated best practices from multiple disciplines and established clear benchmarks that improved quality while reducing resource requirements.

Created a centralized SharePoint repository for frequently reused design drawings, reducing manual effort by 20% and establishing a knowledge base for the engineering team.

Key Features

• Standardized Calculations: Excel-based calculation templates for water flow, treatment capacity, and chemical dosing
• Design Library: Central repository of reusable design drawings and specifications
• Quality Assurance: Built-in validation checks to ensure design accuracy
• Documentation: Comprehensive documentation of design standards and methodologies
• Version Control: Tracked changes and maintained design calculation history
• Knowledge Transfer: Easy-to-use templates for new engineers

Technologies Used

• Microsoft Excel: Calculation templates with advanced formulas
• AutoCAD: Engineering drawings and design documentation
• SharePoint: Central repository for design assets
• Cloud Storage: Secure backup and collaboration

Standardization Framework

The framework covered multiple aspects of plant design:

1. Hydraulic Calculations: Water flow rates, pipe sizing, pump requirements
2. Treatment Process: Chemical dosing, retention times, treatment efficiency
3. Structural Design: Foundation loads, tank dimensions, structural requirements
4. Equipment Sizing: Pumps, valves, treatment units, and ancillary equipment
5. Cost Estimation: Standardized cost calculation methodologies

Implementation Process

Developed the standardization framework through:

1. Historical Analysis: Reviewed past projects to identify best practices
2. Calculation Development: Created Excel templates with built-in formulas
3. Validation: Tested calculations against successful completed projects
4. Documentation: Wrote comprehensive user guides and technical documentation
5. Training: Conducted training sessions for engineering team
6. Continuous Improvement: Gathered feedback and updated templates regularly

Challenges & Solutions

• Design Variability: Created flexible templates that accommodate project-specific requirements while maintaining core standards
• User Adoption: Developed intuitive interfaces and provided hands-on training
• Quality Control: Implemented validation checks and peer review processes
• Knowledge Preservation: Documented tribal knowledge from senior engineers into standardized formats

Business Impact

The plant design standardization delivered significant benefits:

• 20% reduction in manual design effort through reusable templates
• 30% reduction in plant erection downtime through better design quality
• Improved consistency across projects and teams
• Faster onboarding for new engineers
• Reduced design errors and rework
• Enhanced knowledge sharing and collaboration

Engineering Efficiency Gains

Before Standardization:

• Design calculations took 3-4 days per project
• High variability in design approaches
• Limited knowledge sharing between teams
• Frequent design revisions during construction

After Standardization:

• Design calculations completed in 1-2 days
• Consistent design quality across all projects
• Easy knowledge transfer through templates
• Reduced construction delays due to design issues

My Role

As Design Engineer, I led the development of the standardization framework, created calculation templates, established the design library, and trained the engineering team. I collaborated with senior engineers to capture best practices and worked with project managers to ensure the framework met project needs.