Talking about the wastewater plant operation, Dr. Vanrolleghem insisted that there could be a mutation in microorganism that is likely to occur because of COVID-19 enigma surrounding the treatment process, and that the operator should be ready for the challenge. He laid stress on the digital transformation in the wastewater treatment plant where automation could play an important role as it has many benefits. He also cited some of the challenges related to it and how it would be a blessing if remote access is needed in future. Older wastewater plants need to transit into the system of digital transformation where evolutionary practices are recommended.
Furthermore, Dr. Vanrolleghem suggested that young water professionals who want to commit to the wastewater engineering and process should keep their focus on the process engineering, understanding the chemistry behind the process along with the proficiency in other skills sets including statistics and neural networking. And of course, a good teamwork and spirit is needed too for its success. Dr. Vanrolleghem also insisted that the policy makers and health care sectors should communicate more often to minimize the gap between the digital transformation and understanding amidst COVID-19 situation.
IWA YWP Canada 