Why Monitor Suspended Solids?

In a Municipal or Industrial waste water treatment plant, the goal is to breakdown the waste sludge and separate it from the water.

• If there is too much sludge, or too high a concentration of suspended solids, the plant becomes overloaded and the sludge will be not be treated properly and the desired results will not be obtained.
• Conversely, if there is less sludge than the plant is capable of handling, the plant will not operate at optimum efficiency and may be wasting costly energy.

Wastewater plants also monitor suspended solids concentration in order to meet consent requirements. All plants have government imposed limitations on the concentration of solids leaving the plant.