Industrial Water Reuse – Role of Water in Manufacturing Processes

Most industrial and manufacturing processes, whatever the industry sector, tend to use good quality or even purified water in one or more of their stages. Despite it being such a commonly used resource, there are a lot of misconceptions about how we reuse water which could have a major impact on how effective our processes are, both from a cost and environmental perspective. Read on to find out about the most common misconceptions surrounding the use and reuse of water in manufacturing processes, and what we can do about them.

Process water can only be used once… it can’t be recycled cost effectively can it?

Lots of factories and other organisations needlessly pour water that’s been used only once straight down the drain after it has played its role in the manufacturing process. Whether or not you’ll be able to reuse/recycle your water will depend on the industry you’re in, and the types and levels of contamination. It’s unlikely that it would be acceptable in the food and beverage industry. However, in other industries, it’s possible to use greywater (water that’s already been used in some way but is not contaminated with faecal matter) for washing equipment or other uses.

Water reuse can lead to significant cost savings, as well as making a business more sustainable by reducing environmental impact – all good if you are working to the international environmental standard ISO 14001 and looking for improvements.

Water is in abundant supply… we don’t need to worry about it do we?

It’s certainly true that water isn’t limited in the same way as oil, gas, coal, and other natural resources. But worldwide population growth means that countries of the world are seeing increasing demand for the same amount of water for drinking, agriculture, industrial and process applications.

In many areas of the world freshwater is becoming an increasingly limited resource, and as with any resource which is limited, the cost of that water will begin rise as demand starts to out-strip supply. If this continues businesses may eventually be in the situation of not being able to afford all the water needed to run their operations.

Are all water recycling and purification systems pretty much the same?

Water recycling and commercial purification systems vary hugely in how they deal with water quality, so this one simply can’t be correct.

Any organisation interested in recycling its water needs a bespoke purification system based on how it uses water and what contaminants may be present. Two of the most important considerations are the level of purity required and the volume of water needed. Issues such as the hardness of the water and levels of bacterial contamination might also be a factor.

Organisations using lots of water might choose to use the services of a water reuse and purification specialist such as Water Treatment Services to make sure they’re getting the correct type of system for their needs, and to ensure a constant supply of treated water at the right volume and appropriate levels of purity for their needs.

World-class water management & re-use solutions

Water Treatment Services is a leading industrial wastewater and effluent treatment, air, energy and environmental services company offering expert water management solutions including industrial wastewater treatment, water re-use and purification, energy efficiency and engineering support services.

With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers, site service specialists and technical experts we can offer energy conservation solutions across the whole of the UK.

Contact us today to learn how our resource management and engineering solutions can help you.