Characterize the wastewater. Conduct an industrial waste survey (flow measurement, representative sampling over a full production cycle, laboratory analysis of BOD/COD/TSS/pH/toxics) to establish the actual quantity and strength of the waste generated.
Determine the municipal sewer-use bylaw limits and surcharge structure. Obtain the discharge limits, prohibited-substance list, and any strength-based surcharge formula the municipality applies, so the "discharge to municipal plant" option can be costed on the same basis as any on-site alternative.
Evaluate discharge to the municipal plant, with or without pretreatment. Determine whether the raw wastewater already meets the sewer-use limits; if not, identify the minimum pretreatment (equalization, screening, oil/grease removal, neutralization) needed to comply, and cost that pretreatment plus the ongoing surcharge.
Evaluate on-site (stand-alone) treatment and direct discharge. Size and cost a complete on-site treatment train capable of meeting the receiving-water discharge permit limits directly, including capital, operating and maintenance costs and the staffing/expertise required to run it.
Evaluate source reduction and recovery options. Identify any process change, recycling or recovery opportunity that reduces the waste load (and therefore the cost of whichever downstream option is chosen) before it is even generated.
Compare life-cycle costs of each viable option. Develop a present-worth or annualized cost comparison (capital + O&M + surcharge, as applicable) across the pretreat-and-discharge, full on-site treatment, and source-reduction-plus-discharge alternatives.
Confirm regulatory feasibility of each option. Check that each candidate option can actually obtain the necessary discharge permit or sewer-use approval, since the lowest-cost option on paper is not viable if it cannot be permitted.
Recommend the most cost-effective, compliant option and present it to the client with the supporting cost comparison and an implementation schedule.
