Mathematical calculations can be one of the most challenging, but also most important, tasks performed by a water or wastewater operator. With Internet-enabled computers available in an increasing number of facilities, operators can lean on calculation tools to double-check their math.
A few years ago the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection developed an Operator Information Center that included a variety of web-based calculation tools. While portions of the website are outdated, these tools still do the job:
- Temperature Conversion
- Millions of Gallons Conversion
- Loadings Calculator
- Pounds of Chemical per Gallon
- Tank Volume Calculations
- Dry Chemical Calculation
- Removal Efficiency
- mL per Minute Conversion
- Food to Microorganism Calculator
- Metric Conversions
Math calculations are also going on-the-go with operators, as smartphone apps are developed by consulting firms and technical assistant providers. The Missouri Rural Water Association has developed three apps to date, for both iPhone and Android.
For further learning about water and wastewater math, there are a large number of resources available in theSmallWaterSupply.org library. Simply input “math” in the Keyword box and click Retrieve Documents.