Review process and plant records. Study process flow diagrams, plant layout, production schedules and existing water-use/discharge records to understand every unit operation before setting foot on site.
Conduct a plant walk-through. Physically trace every water and process line to confirm the records match actual practice and to spot informal or undocumented discharges.
Identify and locate every waste source. Catalogue continuous, batch and intermittent sources — process discharges, cooling water, wash-down, spills, boiler/cooling-tower blowdown — including off-shift cleaning cycles a daytime-only survey would miss.
Install flow measurement. Meter or gauge each significant source (weirs, flumes, or in-line meters) to establish actual flow rates and their variability over a production cycle.
Develop and execute a representative sampling program. Use flow-proportional composite sampling spanning a full representative cycle (all shifts, batch cycles, and seasonal variation where relevant), supplemented by grab samples for parameters that must be measured in the field (pH, temperature).
Analyze samples for the relevant parameters. BOD5, COD, TSS, pH, temperature, oil and grease, and any process-specific toxic constituents identified from the process review.
Compile a water and mass balance, and report. Reconcile measured flows and pollutant loads against the plant's own water-use and production records to check internal consistency, then document findings and recommendations.
