ABSTRACT

Water companies and the Environment

Agency are committed to embedding
circular economy principles across
their schemes and operations. While
objectives vary across organisations,
the overriding issue is demonstrating
the benefit to customers and
communities
Mihaela Orban
Project Manager

WASTE WATER UPGRADE

Project Plan
Table of Contents
1. Background to the project .....................................................................................................3
2. Risks of not doing the project ................................................................................................ 6
3. Project team- Project owner /Project Sponsor /Project Manager /Stakeholders .............7
4. Scope ..................................................................................................................................8
5. Communication strategy ..................................................................................................10
6. Outcomes.......................................................................................................................... 11
7. Outputs ............................................................................................................................. 12
8. Project Metrics .................................................................................................................14
9. Project Timeline ................................................................................................................15
GANTT CHART with Task manager.......................................................................................17
10. Issues, Risks, and Mitigating Factors ............................................................................18
11. Assumption ...................................................................................................................19
12. Benefits realisation .......................................................................................................20

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2
 1. Background to the project

Water companies and the Environment Agency are committed to embedding circular
economy principles across their schemes and operations. While objectives vary across
organisations, the overriding issue is demonstrating the benefit to customers and
communities. A circular economy approach can achieve this by drawing together an
organisation’s overall strategy with an adherence to wider goals, such as the sustainable
development goals (SDG), whole-life asset management approaches, security of supply for
key materials, natural capital accounting, partnership building and whole-life cost efficiencies.
These different factors can then be communicated to consumers through innovative
customer and stakeholder engagement approaches to clearly illustrate the trade-offs
between different spending priorities.

View waste as an opportunity

Sludge has long been a problem for water companies, but, when viewed differently, offers
new and exciting examples of the circular economy at work. The availability of sludge can be
a means of securing a degree of energy independence. Thermal hydrolysis technology, which
works like a huge pressure cooker, can be used to increase the product of methane from
sludge. This methane can be used as a renewable energy source to power the treatment
plant, making it almost cost neutral. The process would also reduce solids for disposal,
requiring less transportation off site, cutting carbon emissions. With Ofwat looking to kick-
start a bioresources market that will incentivise water companies to look for the most
efficient approach to wastewater sludge transport, treatment, recycling and disposal, there
is an opportunity to develop even more low-carbon energy generation from sites, with a
strategy that aims to reduce customer water bills.

Nutrient recovery solutions help transform wastewater treatment plants to resource

recovery facilities, closing the loop on a broken cycle. In addition to the cost benefit of
recovering nuisance struvite, the solution helps protect local waterways from nutrient

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pollution at a time when clean water, food security, fertiliser runoff, and growing populations
are issues for communities around the globe.
The recovery system helps save on chemical costs, reduce sludge loads, and create a
new revenue stream through the sale of high value recovered fertiliser. Plus, it reduces the
carbon footprint - that's not just good operational practice, that’s good stewardship.
The figure 1 shows savings and investment recouping evolution for a 500000 Person
Equivalent Wastewater treatment plant in 10 years. As it can be seen in the graph, the Total
Capital Investment has been calculated to be recovered in 5 years through Fertiliser Revenue,
savings from chemical consumption, maintenance and repairs savings, and other costs saving
involved in treatment.

Source: Ostara Technologies

Figure 1: Investment recouped in 10 Years

The Technology
It’s a modern technology that reduces the cost of the sewage treatment and converts
50% of the Phosphorus into a market-ready pure fertilizer. The technology includes Ostara’s
Pearl® and WASSTRIP® that are proprietary nutrient management technologies to recover
phosphorus from liquid wastewater streams, preventing struvite formation in pipes, pumps
and digesters, while helping plants meet strict phosphorus limits, and reducing sludge
volumes and disposal costs.
Transforming recovered nutrients into a market-ready fertiliser, sold as Crystal
Green®, Ostara guarantees the sale of every tonne of fertiliser produced, through long-term
purchase and partnership agreements. This further offset operating costs and provides a
steady revenue stream to the wastewater treatment plant - a win-win environmentally and
economically.

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 The Process
Figure 2 shows below the Ostara Phosphate recovery process combined with the
wastewater treatment process at the Wastewater treatment plant. The figure is giving a clear
view over were the Ostara Technology is placed in the wastewater treatment process.

Source: Ostara Technologies

Fig. 2 : Phosphate recovery process at the Wastewater treatment plant

By reducing effluent phosphorus levels, the Pearl technology helps to consistently meet
nutrient regulations while improving the performance of the entire treatment plant.
Ostara’s WASSTRIP (Waste Activated Sludge Stripping to Remove Internal Phosphorus)
process provides critical benefits to plant operations, turbo-charging nutrient removal and
recovery in a controlled anaerobic environment. The process tackles struvite issues, improves
dewaterability and reduces biosolids production.
WASSTRIP complements the Pearl process by releasing phosphorus before it reaches the
anaerobic digester, sending it directly to the Pearl reactor. By diverting phosphorus from the
sludge stream, WASSTRIP all but eradicates digester struvite and maximises phosphorus
available for recovery within the Pearl reactor.

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 2. Risks of not doing the project
Every project has a risk. Even the simplest tasks can put a project in delay or affect the
costs, quality or having a snowball effect on the entire project. To overcome the potential risk
Assessing the potential risk at the bigining of the project is needed, good Preparation and
Planning for the good, medium and worst scenarios is recommended, and Implement it under
a strict program that is Sustain through continual verifications.
To manage the risk a risk assessment a risk assessment will be conducted for every stage
of the project following the risk assessment in the figure 3.
Figure 3 shows internal and external risks identified for pushing back the project graded
form Segment I to IX with first being the highest risk and the 9th the lowest that can affect the
project.

Segment I Segment II Segment II

Solutions not accepted by the board Deviation from the project scope Deviation from O2 by 25%
Insufficient funds allocated Deviation from the O1 by 25%
Feasibility study results
Partners un-approval

Segment IV Segment V Segment VI

Deviation from the O1 by 100% Deviation from the O1 by 50% Equipment faults installs
External Project Risk

Deviation from O3 by 50% Deviation from O3 by 50% Wastewater process faulty

Deviation from O2 by 50% Deviation from O2 by 50% Effluent quality affected
Chosen Partners unable to Small delays from subcontractors
collaborate

Segment VII Segment VIII Segment IX

Deviation from O4 and O5
Chosen Subcontractors unable to sign
Immediate project risk
High
Fig 3: Risk assessment matrix
(O1, O2 etc – represent objective from the scope)
Team unable to deliver work on Faults during testing period
time
Chosen Contractors unable to
deliver on time
Installed equipment with faults
Wastewater process faulty
Effluent quality affected
Medium Low

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 3. Project team- Project owner /Project Sponsor /Project
Manager /Stakeholders

Project Owner: a Specific Water Company ( an executive on the board)

Project Sponsor: a Water Industry Alliance
Project Manager: Mihaela Orban
Management: Acompany
Teams: 1 Design, 2 MEP and Civil, 3 Quality Assurance

Project Owner
Reg Mng Den Lus

M Orban
Project manager

Operational
manager Design lead Comercial lead
Lorie Das Donal Bey Sancy Tey

Site manager Design and Subcontractors Contractors Supliers

and MEP team program team
Dina Dol

Fig 3 : Project Organisational Structure

The project Owner is Wash Water Company coordinated by the Regional Manager Den
Lus which with the Company board agreed to sponsor the Project.
Project Manager is Mihaela Orban who is conducting, coordinating and oversee the
activities of the project before the projects starts, during the project, handover and
completion.
Operational manager is Lorie Das who is coronating and communicate with the Site
manager and MEP team on site that are responsible with the construction, installation, and
commission of the equipment and process.
The design lead is coordinating the Design team and the program team that are
responsible with the planification, drawings, programming and communication with the
Operational team.
Commercial lead is responsible with contacting and signing with the subcontractors,
suppliers and contractors, as well as coordinating the commercial and quality team.

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 4. Scope
The scope of this project is to implement the circular economy direction in the next 5
years at 1 wastewater treatment plant by installing a recovering facility in South Wales area
that will use the intrinsic value of the sludge through recovering the materials and energy and
transform it in a valuable product that can be sold on the market. The material recovered will
mainly be Phosphorus pearls, but this approach will be considered for recovering other
materials in future extensions.
This project plan is meant to implement a OSTARA recovery station at Merlin’s Bridge
Wastewater treatment plant.

The general objective that are following this scope are as listed:
1. To implement circular economy in the wastewater treatment industry until 2025 by
developing a Circular Economy Nutrient Management Solution
2. To recover up to 50% of the influent phosphorous and transform it into a renewable
resource by installing Perles Technology by OSTARA
3. To reduce the chemical consumption for wastewater and sludge treatment by 5-20%
by installing OSTARA Nutrient Recovery Technology at Hook WWTP.
4. To improve effluent quality and meet the Nutrient Regulation by developing an
efficient Monitoring Solution
5. To obtain a revenue from nutrient recovery that will re-coup the investment capital in
10 years through savings from chemicals, sludge disposal and maintenance, Crystal-
green sale.

The following items will be part of the scope of this project:

1. A Circular Economy Nutrient Management Plan for 2025 and a Guideline
handbook.
2. One OSTARA Pearls tank with pipes, electrical installs, automation, monitoring
for Crystal green pearls
3. One stock shed weather and temperature protected for Crystal Green
phosphorous pearls stock and OSTARA Pearls tank
4. One OSTARA WASTRIP tank with pipes, electrical installs, automation, monitoring
for wastewater cleaning and phosphorus recovery

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 5. One MCC for automation and telemetry
6. One MCC Kiosk
7. One phosphorous monitor system for effluent quality
8. A waste water effluent kept under 1.5mg/l Phosphorous
9. Crystal Green pearls stock
10. A market management plan for investment recovery
11. A signed long-term partnership for phosphorous sale.

To be able to manage the project scope effectively a constant look should be kept over
the Iron Triangle which show the triple Constrains that can drive the project apart as
presented in Fig 4:

TIME

COST SCOPE

Fig. 4: The Iron Triangle

The constraints in the triangle affect the quality of the project delivery. If you change
any one of the constraints of the iron triangle, the others are affected. The aim of the iron
triangle was to provide to the project the required information for making the trade-offs
that help in quality product delivery.
Knowing about the constraints can help in making more effective decision regarding
the project. It will allow to more efficiently allocate the resources that result in optimal
project outcome satisfying the requirements of the customer.

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 5. Communication strategy
POWER
(High to Low)

Manage Closely
Project Owner
Keep Satisfied
Verifier
Board Members
Plant Manager
Team Manager
INTEREST
(Low to High)

Monitor Only Keep Informed

Plant Operators Public, Regional
Manager

Fig. 5: The Power Interest Map

To win the support of the Stakeholders and getting the project into shape by having
enough resources, building understanding and getting ahead of the game a 3 Step strategy
has been conducted as follow:
Step one: Identifying the Stakeholders
The stakeholders identified having an interest in the project are: Water Company Regional
board Manager and the board members, the wastewater plant manager, water team
manager, Plant operators, Ostara Partner Team Manager, Construction Company managers,
Local public administrators.
Step two: Prioritizing the stakeholders as seen in the Figure 5.
Step three: Understand The Key Stakeholders by:
• What financial or emotional interest do they have in the outcome of your work? Is it positive or
negative?
• What motivates them most of all?
• What information do they want from you, and what is the best way of communicating with them?
• What is their current opinion of your work? Is it based on good information?
• Who influences their opinions generally, and who influences their opinion of you? Do some of these
influencers therefore become important stakeholders in their own right?
• If they aren’t likely to be positive, what will win them around to support your project?
• If you don't think that you’ll be able to win them around, how will you manage their opposition?
• Who else might be influenced by their opinions? Do these people become stakeholders in their own
right?
This can be realised in meetings, discussions, team building events.

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 6. Outcomes
The outcome expected at the end of the project are presented below in the Table 1
and it shows Impact to clients benefits or Impact to Product/service benefits with an End
results benefits for the site (1), environment(2), time consumption (3), and financial resources
(4).

Outcomes Impact to clients Impact to End results

Products/Services
Wastewater Management Benefits
Prepare for Yes 1, 2,3
Horizon 2030
Applies Circular Yes 1, 2, 4,
Economy AP
Improve the Yes 1, 2,
wastewater
management

Operating Benefits
Reduce Yes 2
phosphorous
cycle
Reduce Struvite Yes Yes 1, 3, 4
Maintenance
Mitigate Digester Yes 1, 4
Struvite Build-up
Improve sludge Yes 1, 4
quality and
production
Reduce Polymer Yes 1, 2, 4
Demand
Economic benefits
Market ready Yes 4
fertiliser
Low competitors Yes 1, 4
100%ROI in 10Y Yes 1, 4
Environmental impact
Reduce Yes Yes 1, 2,
phosphorus in
the effluent
Full Cycle Yes Yes 1, 2, 4
resource
Recovery

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 Reduce carbon Yes Yes 1, 2,
footprint
Improve rivers Yes Yes 2
quality
Contribute to the Yes Yes 2, 4
sustainable
Agriculture

7. Outputs

Method of testing Level Expected Year to be completed

Deliverable product
A Circular Economy 3times/year Internal and 95% Approval/ Nov. 2022
Nutrient Management External audit audit
Guideline handbook
One OSTARA Pearls Subcontractor technical 95% Approval Nov 2022
tank tests, Com. Eng., Internal
and external audit,
Pipelines, connections Civil Eng. verifications 95% approval, Nov 2020-2022
and manholes for the Subcontractor technical during
OSTARA tanks tests, Com. Eng., Internal construction
and external audit,
Power supply updated, Electrical Eng. Tests and 95% approval 2022
and standby generator Verification, during
construction
One stock shed Civil Eng. verifications, 95% approval Nov 2022
weather and Internal and external audit
temperature protected
One OSTARA WASTRIP Civil Eng. verifications 95% approval 2022
tank Subcontractor technical
tests, Com. Eng., Internal
and external audit,
One MCC for Subcontractor technical 95% approval 2022
automation and tests, Com. Eng., Internal
telemetry and external audit,

One phosphorous Subcontractor technical 95% approval 2022

monitor system for tests, Com. Eng., Process
effluent quality Eng. tests and
verifications, Internal and
external audit,

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Crystal Green pearls Subcontractor technical 95% approval 2022
stock tests, 100% purity, Process
Eng. tests and
verifications, Internal and
external audit

Deliverable service
A Circular Economy Stakeholders meetings, 95% of voting 2025
Nutrient Management conference presentation and approval
Plan for 2025

A wastewater process Process Eng. checks and 95% of consent during construction;
kept under consent verification, NRW check, 2022
during construction Water Company Checks,
Monthly Reports, Weekly
updates; 28 days trial test
A waste water effluent Process Eng. checks and 95% of consent during construction;
kept under 1.5 mg/l verification, NRW check, 2022
Phosphorous Water Company Checks,
Monthly Reports, Weekly
updates; 28 days trial test
A market management Meetings with the 2021
plan for investment stakeholders; conference
recovery presentation, pubic
expositions
A signed long-term Meetings with OSTARA
partnership for representants, meeting
phosphorous sale. with stakeholders

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 8. Project Metrics
not need

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 9. Project Timeline

Time Phases Days Date to be completed

Start-up phase 60
Initiation and planning phase 90
Execution phase 390
Work Phase 1 Design
Work Phase 2 Construction
Work Phase 3 Commissioning
Work Phase 4 Process optimisation
Work Phase 5 Control Phase
Closure phase 30
End 30

The tasks developing through the project are presented in the table below:

Project Plan Task Manager

Financial Time
Human Resources alocated Predecesor
Crt. Task description Resources (£) (days) task
Initiation phase
0 Planing phase
Analyze and verify project goals
1 5 50000 60 0

2 Review and recap Project Plan and contracts 2 5

3 Assess projet oportunities and risks 2 20

4 Identify Constrains and blockers 1 10
5 Identify requisite 1 20
6 Identify subcontractors needed 1 2
7 Identify Human resoruces 1 10
8 Review the project scope 2 1
9 Identify the success criteria 2 10
10 Assemble core project team 3 3000 31

11 Identify needed skills from organization 2 5

12 Analize staff availability 1 10
13 Nominate prospective members 2 10
14 Review team's availability 2 3
15 Team member accept assignment 1 3
16 Establish project goals 3 10000 30

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 Review project goals and plan with the team
17 members 2 5
18 Conduct feasibility studies 2 10

19 Develop project plan with resources identified 2 10

20 Design test strategy 1 5
21 Project communication 1 15
22 Publish communication plan 1 5

23 Identify and publish status update schedule 1 5

24 Publish problems and issue tracing instruction 1 5

25 Project kick-off 10 10000 15
26 Confirm work space suitability 1 3
27 Confirm teams 2 5
28 Confirm subcontractor 2 5
Conduct meeting for partnership with
29 Ostara 5 5
30 Conduct kick-off meeting 10 1
Execution Phase
31 Start-up meeting 10 5000 1

32 W1 Development of the project design 5 40000 60

33 Development of market management plan 3 50000 60

34 Development of Civil works 10 250000 60

35 W2 Ostara Mechanical and Electrical works 2 250000 60

36 W3 Ostara Process works 2 100000 30
37 Service management 2 50000 30
Development of Circular Economy Nutrient
38 W4 Management Guideline 3 50000 90
Monitor and control phase
39 Prepare Reports per activity 5 20000 30
40 Equipment testing 5 10000 30
41 W5 Service testing 3 10000 30
42 Process monitoring 2 20000 90
Closure phase
43 Documentation completion 10 10000 30
44 Post implementation review 10 10000 30

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GANTT CHART with Task manager
START DURATION*
START END PERCENT
TASK NAME ON (WORK
DATE DATE COMPLETE
DAY* DAYS)
Initiation phase
Analyze and verify project goals
Review and recap Project Plan and
contracts 12/1 12/5 0 5 100%
Assess project opportunities and risks 12/4 12/23 3 20 80%
Identify Constrains and blockers 1/3 1/12 33 10 60%
Identify requisite 1/13 2/1 43 20 40%
Identify subcontractors needed 1/28 2/2 58 6 20%
Identify Human resources 2/5 2/18 66 14 20%
Review the project scope 1/4 2/26 34 54 20%
Identify the success criteria 2/10 2/29 71 20 20%
Assemble core project team
Identify needed skills from organization 3/1 3/20 91 20 100%
Annalise staff availability 3/10 3/30 100 21 80%
Nominate prospective members 4/1 4/20 122 20 60%
Review team's availability 4/21 4/25 142 5 40%
Team member accept assignment 4/26 4/30 147 5 0%
Establish project goals
Review project goals and plan with the
team members 5/1 5/20 152 20 100%
Conduct feasibility studies 5/21 6/10 172 21 80%
Develop project plan with resources
identified 6/11 6/30 193 20 60%
Design test strategy 7/1 7/31 213 31 40%
Project communication
Publish communication plan 8/1 8/15 244 15 100%
Identify and publish status update
schedule 8/16 8/20 259 5 80%
Publish problems and issue tracking
instruction 8/21 8/31 264 11 60%
Project kick-off
Confirm work space suitability 9/1 9/8 275 8 100%
Confirm teams 9/9 9/9 283 1 80%
Confirm subcontractor 9/10 9/10 284 1 0%
Conduct meeting for partnership with
Ostara 9/11 9/30 285 20 0%
Conduct kick-off meeting 10/1 10/10 305 10 0%

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 The Gantt Chart presented in the figure 6 give a view over the program in the Initiation
and Planning phase of the Project. A more elaborated program will be needed during the
Execution and Monitor and Control Phase as the Project progress towards these phases.

Fig 6. Gantt Chart

10. Issues, Risks, and Mitigating Factors

The list of the project risks, the likelihood that it would occur, the
probable impact (High, Medium, Low) are presented in the Table below. These
risks are defined as an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a
positive or negative effect on a project’s objectives.

Risk Likelihood Mitigation

High Medium Low
Unfeasible results from the feasibility study ✓ Reassess the
situation
Economical struggles in the client’s company ✓ Prepare for worse
affecting the project funds scenario
A global economic crisis in the next 3 years ✓ Prepare in advance
Roads affected by natural hazards ✓ Prepare contingency
plans

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 Changings in management ✓ Keep the work plans
updated
Accidents - human or plant ✓ Insurance, Training,
Supervising,
Planning,
Bad publicity ✓ Public conferences,
Good
communication
plans
Law suits ✓ Insurance, hire a
legal team
Other hazards ✓ Plan, check, recheck,
train,

11. Assumption
The following assumption can be made based on the realization of this project:
a. The market for recovered nutrient will expand
b. The maintenance and treatment cost will go down for the WwT plants and will be
reflected in the costumers bills
c. Similar projects will be conducted at other Wastewater treatment plants in Wales,
and UK in the next 5 years.
d. Public interest into the Circular Economy will grow and will endorse the future
projects.

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 12. Benefits realisation
As the project close successfully, communication to the large public will be realized
through mass-media, open day’s events, conferences and summits participation, and
publication. A Celebration Day shall be scheduled, and all the Stakeholders and the team
members should be invited.
The following events are planed in order to value the project results:
• A annual meeting with the stakeholders at the site location
This will have as a main agenda:
- Site visit
- Evaluation of the yearly progress and performance of the site
- Issue encountered during the year
- Be recognized – recognize section for all the good value produced with the project,
including recognizing the peoples work

• An annual participation to the Water conference

-Representation at the conference
-Presentation of the work to the public
- Journal publication
• A 5 year commitment to partnership and collaboration for improving the
value invested in the project
• A continual sock from natural source of Phosphate Pears ready to be used
• A continual partnership with Ostara Company, for as long as it requested to
produce, sell and gain profit from Phosphate Pearls.
• A continual collaboration with Ostara for maintenance, repairing and
training.
• A 5 year contract for guidance with the developing a Circular Economy
Nutrient Management Solution

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Notes

Draft Project Plan

Project Name: Circular economy approach in recovering nutrients from wastewater plants in
South Wales for reuse as an environmentally friendly fertiliser
Prepared by: Mihaela Orban
Date:
1. Background to the project Give the business reason for requesting this
project, and an overview of the work to be completed.
2. Risks of not doing the project
3. Project team- Project owner /Project Sponsor /Project Manager
/Stakeholders
4. Project Scope List the items that are both within the scope of this
project as well as those that are outside the scope of this project
5. Communication strategy – who? how and why?
6. Outcomes - List the desired outcomes of this project – what is the
impact to clients? What is the impact to Products/Services? What will be
different once the project is completed?
7. Outputs -List the specific deliverables of the project – what are key
products, results or capability to perform a service that must be
produced to complete the project
8. Project Metrics -What metrics can be tracked and obtained to ensure
the Project Outcomes and Objectives are met, and that the project can
be considered complete?
9. Timeline Provide major milestones in each of the project phases. **
Sample Milestones are included below – delete those that are not
applicable and add others as appropriate ** Phases can be - Define/
Design /Do/ Develop or Initiate /Plan/Execute/Close
10.Issues, Risks, and Mitigating Factors/Lessons log - List the project risks,
the likelihood that it would occur, the probable impact (High, Medium,
Low), and mitigation plans. These risks are defined as an uncertain event
or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a
project’s objectives.
11.Assumptions -Assumptions are factors that, for planning purposes, are
considered to be true, real or certain without proof or demonstration

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12.Benefits Realisation - How will we celebrate the project and
communicate the benefits realised in the project then beyond

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