Mine water treatment operations: Bridging the handover gap

Mining projects face enormous pressure to bring water treatment plants online quickly, reliably, and in full compliance with environmental commitments. Yet, the most vulnerable stage in the lifecycle often comes not during design or construction, but at the transition into operations.

Commissioning and handover periods are where gaps emerge. Staffing may not be in place, systems are still being tuned, seasonal runoff or high-flow conditions can overwhelm under-optimized processes, and ownership of budgets and responsibilities can blur between capital and operational teams. These challenges put operators at risk of non-compliance, unplanned downtime, and escalating costs at precisely the moment when performance matters most.

The high-stakes transition

The early days of operation are when treatment plants are most exposed. Construction teams are pushing to finish, operators are still learning the system, regulators expect compliance on schedule, and communities are watching closely. Without clear accountability, this instability can spiral into recurring upsets, costly interventions, and long-term impacts on reliability, trust, and compliance in water treatment performance.

This handover period and process validation is a predictable storm. It is often treated as just another project milestone to check off, when it represents a distinct category of operational risk. Underprepared operations teams are frequently expected to “turn on” modular, value-engineered, and complex systems, and commissioning begins without clear ownership of performance, training, or compliance. This handover gap leads to exceedances, outages, and board-level stakeholder concerns.

Defining the solution

An operations contract prior to Handover addresses this gap directly. By embedding certified operators and clear performance accountability into the transition, it ensures continuity when plants are most vulnerable. Knowledge, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and data are transferred through a phased approach before full control shifts to the owner. Commissioning schedules align with operational readiness, staffing gaps are closed, and clear triggers are set for stepping down support once stability is proven.

In practice, this means

• Embedded operators treating plant performance as their own, from mechanical completion through process validation.

• Scoped operations and maintenance (O&M) plans defining uptime targets, compliance protocols, and escalation paths in advance.

• Readiness reviews that expose gaps in staffing, systems, and SOPs before they turn into incidents.

• Phased handovers with decision gates that support internal teams, rather than leaving them to inherit instability.

An Operations contract prior to Handover reframes transition as proactive risk management, making accountability part of the project rather than an afterthought.

A smarter approach

• Treating mine water treatment operations handover as a defined phase of operational risk reframes how mining projects move from construction into operation. Instead of leaving stability to chance, this approach integrates O&M directly into the transition plan. That means

• Designing for stability, not just completion: tuning systems for seasonal flows and variable water quality before they stand alone.

• Building continuity into the process: transferring operational control decisively, with clear definitions of success for transition, documentation, and trained staff.

• Making data actionable: applying monitoring, automation, and adaptive process controls from the outset to shorten the path to compliance.

• Closing the accountability gap: ensuring performance, training, and compliance are managed, not assumed.

The payoff is faster process validation, fewer compliance risks, and stronger trust with regulators, stakeholders, and communities.

Implications for operators and stakeholders

The benefits of strategically addressing handover directly extend across the mining ecosystem. Operators inherit proven functioning systems with clear SOPs, instead of firefighting through deficiencies. Boards and investors see continuity between capital delivery and operational results, reinforcing ESG commitments. Regulators gain confidence that compliance will not falter during the transition. Communities see proof that environmental promises are being met from the first day of operation.

Recognizing handover as an operational risk and managing it deliberately with structured water treatment plant operations and maintenance services turns a blind spot into a moment of competitive advantage, helping mines reduce costs, strengthen credibility, and accelerate the path to long-term reliability.

Turning transition into advantage

Handover risk is predictable — preparation decides whether it turns into a setback or a strategic advantage. Addressed head-on, it becomes the moment to prove compliance, build trust, and give operations teams the confidence to run effectively from the start. 

Jeff Coombes, M.Sc., B.Comm., is the manager of strategic development at Integrated Sustainability.