In 2021, Envidan applied for funding from Innovation Fond Denmark to start a business postdoc between Nadia Kirstein from Envidan and DTU. Six Danish utilities have also provided input and feedback throughout the project through participation in interviews, meetings and workshops.
Get a handle on utilities’ control potential with a new tool
Nadia has now completed her research, which has resulted in a concrete tool that can estimate whether there is a control potential in a given area. ‘Control’ means, for example, whether a given pump should be turned on/off or if a gate should be open/closed to save on overflow from the sewage systems. Once the control potential is determined, it can lead to a real control strategy for the utility.
Utilities can save on overflows
Reduced overflow from sewage.
Better water quality in rivers and streams.
Better bathing water quality.
The benefits of assessing the control potential can be great, and in addition to less overflow, it will result in less pollution, which has an impact on our animal and plant life along rivers, lakes and the sea.
Results
- Through her research, Nadia has gained a general understanding of why utilities find the control of sewage systems beneficial.
- Based on an analysis of several Danish utilities, Nadia has mapped the biggest barriers for utilities in terms of to be able to implement governance.
- A tool for utilities to quickly map the control potential for overflow reduction has emerged.
