Joshua Jensen of Weir Specialty Pumps on the Flushable Wipe Epidemic

Joshua Jensen, director of municipal sales and marketing for Weir Specialty Pumps, comments on the annual State of the Industry for Pumps & Systems. For extensive state of the industry coverage, click here. What kinds of technology are on the horizon for wastewater to fight the “flushable” wipe epidemic? As the wastewater industry continues to fight the “flushable wipe” epidemic, increasing pressure on equipment manufacturers will continue to mount to develop new technology to solve this challenge. Consultants are also faced with a difficult decision: Do they select a proven solids-handling pump that is capable of passing these flushable wipes, or do they invest in technology that requires significantly more power consumption to macerate the wipes? Pump operators and consulting engineers must consider total cost of ownership (TCO) in their decision-making process regarding the best technology to handle this challenge which will continue to increase as more consumer companies market flushable solutions. We need to be prepared to provide a proven solution to our customers to reduce the overall stress this problem continues to bring to our industry. Is there anything else the end users who read Pumps & Systems should know about 2019? As municipalities continue to face budget constraints and funding challenges, we as equipment manufacturers will be challenged to provide greater value to end users than ever before. Municipalities are no longer just looking for an equipment supplier, but a true solutions provider and partner that can offer greater value to the relationship. Those companies with a well-established service and support network will be positioned to capitalize on this. Furthermore, as our industry continues to move at a rapid pace, we need to be prepared to support this growth utilizing new technology platforms (i.e. IoT, AI, etc.) that are available. The importance and shortage of water will continue to mount and as an industry and we need to be prepared to continue to be a vital part of the solution in delivering high quality, proven solutions to ensure our communities continue to serve their customers.