Troubleshooting GUIDE
Troubleshooting water treatment systems.
Pocket-ready, this guide helps field techs, site managers, and consultants quickly troubleshoot three common water treatment problems. Based on decades of hands-on remediation and dewatering experience, Global Environmental shares practical fixes to resolve issues quickly and keep projects running smoothly.
WHY CHOOSE GLOBAL?
Water treatment systems are complex, and problems often show up at the worst times.
With over 30 years of experience, Global Environmental supports industrial, construction, and remediation projects with full-spectrum water treatment expertise. Our HAZWOPER-certified teams handle system design, permitting, operation, troubleshooting, and PFAS response. From low flow to filter issues and breakthrough events, we deliver practical solutions and fast, reliable service. Download the guide to learn how to identify and fix the most common treatment problems.
Download Guide
Download Guide
PROBLEM 1
Low Flow Rate: when water isn't moving like it should.
A sudden drop in flow can slow operations, delay sampling, or cause compliance issues. Most causes are easy to spot and fix on-site.
What's Causing It
Flow loss often comes from clogged filters, fouled piping, worn pumps, trapped air, misaligned valves, or low influent volume.
Flow loss often comes from clogged filters, fouled piping, worn pumps, trapped air, misaligned valves, or low influent volume.
What to Look For
Watch for pressure differences over 10 to 15 psi, air bubbles, pump cavitation, or low flow at sampling ports.
Watch for pressure differences over 10 to 15 psi, air bubbles, pump cavitation, or low flow at sampling ports.
How to Fix It
Replace filters, backwash media tanks, check pump performance, bleed trapped air, and confirm all valves are fully open.
Replace filters, backwash media tanks, check pump performance, bleed trapped air, and confirm all valves are fully open.
Problem 2
Frequent Bag Filter Changes: when filters clog faster than they should.
If you're constantly replacing bag filters, your system may be overloaded with sediment or lacking proper pretreatment. A few adjustments can help reduce waste and downtime.
What's Causing It
Rapid clogging is often due to high sediment levels, incorrect micron ratings, poor solids settling, mechanical disturbance, or undersized filter housings.
Rapid clogging is often due to high sediment levels, incorrect micron ratings, poor solids settling, mechanical disturbance, or undersized filter housings.
What to Look For
Filters clogging in under two hours or turbidity spikes in influent or post-filter water are signs of trouble.
Filters clogging in under two hours or turbidity spikes in influent or post-filter water are signs of trouble.
How to Fix It
Add or improve settling tanks, use upstream sand filters, stage filtration with decreasing micron sizes, expand surface area with parallel housings, and reduce tank or well disturbance at the source.
Add or improve settling tanks, use upstream sand filters, stage filtration with decreasing micron sizes, expand surface area with parallel housings, and reduce tank or well disturbance at the source.
Problem 3
Contaminant Breakthrough: when contaminants show up in discharge samples.
If your system isn’t removing what it should, it could mean the media is exhausted or flow is too fast for effective treatment. Early detection is key to avoiding permit violations.
What’s Causing It
Breakthrough often happens when carbon or other media is spent, flow rates are too high, channeling occurs, or the media type isn’t suited to the contaminants.
Breakthrough often happens when carbon or other media is spent, flow rates are too high, channeling occurs, or the media type isn’t suited to the contaminants.
What to Look For
Watch for rising contaminant levels in effluent or signs of bypass like dead zones in tanks.
Watch for rising contaminant levels in effluent or signs of bypass like dead zones in tanks.
How to Fix It
Replace or regenerate media as needed, verify flow is within design specs, inspect tanks for channeling, and confirm the media matches the target contaminants.
Replace or regenerate media as needed, verify flow is within design specs, inspect tanks for channeling, and confirm the media matches the target contaminants.
Recent Projects
All Projectsᐳ
Ready to troubleshoot treatment issues with confidence and speed?
Global Environmental brings hands-on expertise, responsive field support, and proven solutions to help you resolve problems faster and keep your system performing at its best.
