REGISTRATION LINK:"2 day Hand-on Microscopic Examination of Wastewater for Operators
Due to financial constraints, many facilities are operating above design capacity and with aging equipment and infrastructure. At the same time, because of a heightened focus on water conservation and water quality, wastewater treatment operations are facing increasingly stringent discharge permit limits. As a result, complex treatment technologies, such as biological nutrient removal (BNR), are frequently incorporated into new designs and plant upgrades. The narrow margins built into today’s permits require us to closely monitor and control operational changes and challenges to avoid permit violations.
Microscopic examination of wastewater is an excellent tool for identifying a wastewater treatment process’ “health and condition”. Frequent microscopic examinations can provide valuable information about the condition of the microorganisms in the various phases of the treatment process and allow the operator to identify changes that may cause a plant upset or permit violations. Often, changes to the microbial conditions can be observed much earlier than physiochemical changes can be detected in the laboratory or visually in the field. Every wastewater treatment facility has its own unique set of challenges, but the basic principles of phase contrast microscopy do not change. A trained professional is capable of identifying what is going on in a system within a few minutes.
In our two day “Hands-on Microscopic Examination of Wastewater” workshop Victor Santa Cruz will share his extensive knowledge and experience as a Microbiologist in wastewater. He will explain the principles and techniques successfully utilized in microscopy and how to utilize this information to assess your wastewater treatment process. Throughout this workshop Victor will guide you through hands-on sessions during which you will practice staining techniques and utilize phase contrast microscopes to learn how to identify microorganisms typically found in the wastewater treatment process. This workshop is designed for wastewater technicians and operators as well as laboratory personnel.
In this class Victor will:
Explain the essential functions of the microscope as well as its parts, maintenance, set up, operation, and troubleshooting.
Help you understand the morphology of aquatic organisms.
Explain and demonstrate microbiological staining techniques and guide you through hands-on sessions during which you will practice these staining techniques.
Discuss protozoans (ciliates, flagellates, and amoebas) and Metazoans (rotifers, water bears, Annelids, and Nematodes) and provide opportunity to examine wastewater samples for these organisms.
Identify Norcadioforms, Microthrix parvicella, and other filamentous organisms as well as their impact on wastewater operations and control measures for their mitigation. He will also demonstrate staining techniques used to identify filamentous organisms and help you practice these skills.
Explore floc structure and its overall effects on solids separation problems and foaming
Discuss alkalinity and volatile acids and how these chemical parameters affect wastewater biology and vice versa.
Explain the basics of nitrification / denitrification and introduces the principles of the biological degradation of nitrogenous components present in wastewater.
To assure the greatest benefits from this class we highly recommend students bring the microscope they use at work to this workshop. This will assure Victor can provide you with instructions and tips specific to your microscope.
In addition, we would like to ask you to bring a100mL Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) sample to the class. This will allow students to examine and discuss “real world” samples from other WWTPs.
We also encourage you to share your questions with us prior to the class so Victor can be prepared and make sure to address your issues. Please send your questions to: info@pro-train.org
Instructor: Victor Santa Cruz of the Professional Training Association (https://www.pro-train.org/)
Who might want to attend: wastewater professionals who utilize a microscope at their facility to understand their microbiology. This class provides a deeper dive into microscopic evaluation.
Where: City of Meridian Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, 3401 N Ten Mile Road, Meridian, ID 83646
Dates: April 22 & 23, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM MST (both days)
Lunch: Provided to registrants - half hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
CEUs: 1.4 units (for both days) - Meets relevancy requirements for wastewater
Cost: SWIOS members free (https://www.swios.org/membership), Non-members $150 (includes both days)
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REGISTRATION LINK:"2 day Hand-on Microscopic Examination of Wastewater for Operators
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Contact: info@pro-train.org or (360) 490-2426 for more information about the class
About the instructor Victor Santa Cruz: Victor Santa Cruz is a microbiologist and experienced professional in the field of wastewater treatment and analysis, with a particular focus on the microscopic examination of wastewater. Victor Santa Cruz actively promotes the use of microscopy to enhance understanding and efficiency in wastewater treatment. Victor Santa Cruz has a Bachelor of Science from California State Polytechnic University and over 25 years experience as a Laboratory Technician and Biologist in wastewater laboratories. At the beginning of 2021 and after over 25 years of employment, Victor retired from Inland Empire Utilities Agency in Ontario, CA. In addition to his laboratory experience in wastewater treatment operations, Victor has created a “Wastewater Organism Database”, employing high quality photomicrographs, videos, and narration to explain biological, ecological, morphological, and operational information related to wastewater organisms and treatment.