Pragmatic opportunities for instrumentation and automation within environmental engineering systems

Abstract

The environmental engineering situation in the wastewater and water treatment field is changing very rapidly, and a basic conflict is evolving. Some of the changes caused by the driving forces of today are going to cost more money. On the other hand, one of the major driving forces of all world economies right now is to reduce taxation. Taxpayers are not as willing to spend their money today, even to protect the environment. Here we have the basic dichotomy—the changes that will cost more money and the mindset that prevents us from spending money. Today's situation in the environmental field is precisely right for opportunities. The first part deals with the driving forces that are moving the utility industry to apply instrumentation and automation in more in-depth ways. The second part deals with the opportunities arising as a result of these driving forces. These opportunities are discussed in some depth but leave room for readers to pursue further details on their own. The third part focuses on the action that the environmental engineering industry needs to take to respond properly to these conflicting driving forces.