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Schooling of water and wastewater engineers in the Murmansk State Technical University in co-operation with the University of Oulu
Esko Lakso
Sanitary and Environmental Engineering Department of Process and Environmental Engineering University of Oulu
Abstract. The training of sanitary engineers was begun in the Murmansk State Technical University in 1999 in co-operation with the University of Oulu. The University of Oulu helps acquire literature, laboratory equipment and other supplies that are needed during courses. Furthermore, the University of Oulu participates in teaching courses in water supply and sewerage. Vodokanals of the Kola region also teach courses in subject studies, organise summer training positions for the students, and employ students working on their master's theses.
Research and development are very important aspects of teaching water supply and sewerage. Vodokanals, on the other hand, have a very urgent need to improve the quality of drinking water. The primary task would be to alter the quality of drinking water enough to reduce corrosion in the piping network. A movable pilot plant that is able to treat 200 to 500 m3 of water a day ought to be constructed for research and teaching purposes.
1. Introduction
In order to develop municipal technology, a new programme concentrating on infrastructure was founded in the Murmansk State Technical University (MSTU). This programme consists of:
- energy technology
- sanitary engineering and
- road and traffic engineering.
Education in energy technology was begun in 1997. Teaching in the sanitary engineering programme was begun in 1999, when the first 22 students were accepted to the programme and they started their studies.
Both the regional government and Murmanvodokanal have very strongly emphasized the need to educate water and wastewater engineers to work in the Kola region (Fig. 1). In addition, the regional government has provided the university with economic resources to be used for this purpose.
Fig. 1. The main partners of the Murmansk State Technical University in organizing the studying programme in sanitary engineering
The main goal of the programme is to educate water and wastewater professionals who are well familiar with the conditions in the Kola region. Apart from technical understanding of sanitary engineering, also the understanding of the underlying economic questions is vital. Efficient utilization and functional improvement of the existing water and wastewater treatment plants are also essential parts of the programme. Along with the modernization of the water and wastewater treatment plants, the utilization of western technology and its adaptation to the conditions of the Kola region are important aspects of this education. Examples on this technology are automation that replaces human labour in tedious routine tasks and, when replacing the pumps, methods that improve their operating efficiency and usability.
2. Organizing the education
The MSTU bears the main responsibility for arranging the degree programme. According to the curriculum, the education consists of:
- general education and basic studies in natural sciences
- subject studies
- advanced studies in sanitary engineering.
The teaching of subject and advanced level studies in sanitary engineering is done in co-operation with the University of Oulu. These courses are held from the spring of the third year onwards. In addition, the University of Oulu organizes courses that focus on the financial aspects and administration of water and wastewater engineering. The courses held by the University of Oulu focus primarily on the treatment and distribution of drinking water, although wastewater treatment is a secondary part of the programme. Wastewater treatment is - more than drinking water treatment - a primary field of expertise of the MSTU.
The University of Oulu has provided and will provide literature, laboratory equipment and other supplies needed in the sanitary engineering studies. The purchases for the equipment will partly be made in Russia, partly - in the western countries. The purchases have been planned together with the persons responsible for carrying out this programme in the MSTU.
In order to carry out this co-operation, the University of Oulu has a four-year project funded by the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of the Environment may also participate in the funding of this project. The total cost of the project, as far as the University of Oulu is concerned, will be about 10 million rubles or 0.4 million euros. The project was begun at the beginning of the year 2000. If this co-operation gives good results, it will be easier to fund and develop other co-operation projects for the field of education in the future.
As the project progresses, the aim is to shift the subjects that are now taught by the University of Oulu over to be taught by the specialists of the MSTU. However, the schooling programme will continue to be developed in co-operation, for example, by taking new advanced level courses into the programme.
A high-level board consisting of members from the Kola regional government, the MSTU, the Kola Regional Environmental Committee, the University of Oulu, and from both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Environment of Finland was formed to supervise and direct the project. This board convenes twice a year.
For the most part, the courses will be held in Murmansk, which makes it easier to take the local conditions into consideration and enables close co-operation with the local Vodokanals. The programme also includes short study periods in Oulu where the students will visit the water and wastewater treatment plants in the Oulu region.
The Finns will teach in English and therefore the first year includes English language studies more than it would normally do. English is a global language of sanitary engineering.
The purpose of this co-operation is to widen the field of educational expertise in the MSTU. This is done, for instance, by organizing long-term teacher visits to the University of Oulu. In addition, professional education given to the staff in both the MSTU and in Vodokanals aims at the same goal.
3. Co-operation with the regional Vodokanals
Regional water and wastewater treatment plants, especially Murmanvodokanal, have actively worked toward starting a schooling programme for sanitary engineering professionals in the MSTU. Vodokanals take part in this engineering programme in following ways (Fig. 2):
- by offering skilled teachers who are familiar with local treatment plant operations, water distribution systems and sewerage systems and
- by offering trainee positions and opportunities for students working on their Diploma theses.
Fig. 2. Teaching and research and development projects support one another in sanitary engineering.
Murmanvodokanal participates actively in both
When the treatment plants become familiar during the trainee periods of studies and via thesis work, the students on advanced level are better able to consider ways to improve the plants and to weigh different options realistically, taking economic and technical viewpoints into consideration.
A continuing education plan as a part of the project enables the plant personnel to participate in the discussion on how their plant ought to be developed. For example, continuing education could focus on factors that impair the quality of drinking water or on ways to prevent corrosion in water pipelines and house connections. The water pipes have been constructed of cast iron and uncoated steel and this makes the pipes susceptible to corrosion. A short-term goal is to alter the water quality in the water distribution network so that the corrosion process slows or even stops. Altering the water quality would have to be done at the treatment plant.
An option that requires more time is to coat the water pipes, especially the main water pipes, so that the unprotected metal does not come to contact with the water flowing in the pipes. In Finland, and especially in towns, old cast iron pipes are being coated. Learning different coating methods requires studying and familiarizing oneself with work sites and, quite possibly, also with joint test sites.
4. Combining education and research
Traditionally, teaching and research support each other in a technical university. This situation already exists in the studying programme of industrial and ecological technology in the MSTU. The university has conducted, and is currently conducting, research on environmental protection initiated by the treatment plants and industry. An example on the results of this research is a flotation unit developed in the MSTU for treating wastewater from fish processing industry.
Both the university and the treatment plants have a need for research and development. The most urgent task is to improve the quality of drinking water and to reduce or prevent corrosion in the water pipes. This research project ought to be funded by the European Union. The University of Oulu is well equipped to participate in this project because the quality of raw water in both Murmansk and Oulu is very similar -furthermore, the University of Oulu has participated in improving the treatment processes of drinking water in Oulu.
A movable pilot unit that has the capacity to treat 200 to 500 m3 of water per day ought to be built for this suggested research project. The same pilot unit could also be used in the schooling programme.
Quite many towns in the Kola region have water treatment plants that use filtration without any coagulation chemicals. Mechanical filtration is inefficient in the removal of humus. Since the treatment result is difficult to predict, the functioning of the existing filters with an added chemical coagulant ought to be tested in the pilot plant. A pilot plant could be moved from one treatment plant to another for test runs. If the water cleaning process functions properly with contact filters, the results of water treatment could be improved without any need for major constructions. Any constructions needed would be storage space for the chemicals and feeders.
5. Present state of co-operation and plans for further development
When the planning for educational co-operation began in the mid-1990s, the management of both the MSTU and of the Vodokanals in the Kola region visited the University and the water and sewerage works in Oulu. At that time, there were a number of joint seminars, where the participants came to a conclusion that the best field of co-operation would be sanitary engineering.
In the fall of 1997, Professor Lakso spent two months in the Kola region visiting the MSTU and the water supply and wastewater treatment plants. This visit enabled the planning of co-operation based on the needs of the region. In addition, this visit helped create contacts that are vital in view of further work.
The staff of the MSTU has planned a schooling programme in sanitary engineering that meets the Russian requirements and the programme has been approved by the proper authorities - commitment of all participants to the programme proved important at this stage.
The first students began in the studying programme in the fall of 1999. Now there are both first and second year students in the degree programme. Thus far, the studies comprise mainly of general subjects and basic studies in natural sciences. Good knowledge of chemistry is vital to a sanitary engineer, since water and wastewater treatment is mainly chemical technology.
Professor Lakso met the first-year students in the late winter of 2000. There were a few introductory lectures and discussions. The aim is to continue this with the first and second-year students.
In the fall of 2001, the students attending their second year will come to Oulu for two weeks. The aim of the visit and the lectures held in Oulu is to give the students some idea on what the water and wastewater plants in Finland are like and help the students to compare the Finnish plants with the Russian ones when they visit them in the Murmansk region.
At the beginning of 2002, Professor Lakso will begin teaching in the MSTU; he will be teaching the students who attend their third year. Professor Lakso will spend the whole spring semester in Murmansk. Especially during this year, when there are fewer lectures to be held, he will work on the material that is going to be used also in the following years.
For the most part, literature is available in English or in Russian. However, part of the material has to be adapted to suit the local conditions. Cold northern climate and its effect on, for instance, water and sewerage lines and on water and wastewater treatment have to be addressed.
6. Conclusion
When water supply and sewerage is taught on location in Murmansk, it is easier to pay attention to the local conditions. In addition, the students become familiar with the problems in the area during their studies. This is a fast way to educate professionals that are needed in this area. The participation of the University of Oulu in the schooling brings along wider international aspects and viewpoints.
The research connected to the teaching of water supply and sewerage is based on practical needs. It is possible to gain applicable research results quickly. After a year of test runs, it is possible to realistically evaluate options to improve the treatment processes of the tested surface water plant.
