Total water management

Abstract

Every year the finishing industry wastes millions of pounds because of poor water treatment. The cost of poor treatment can be directly measured in process downtime, poor quality finish, equipment maintenance and replacement costs, and effluent disposal charges. The purpose of this article is to identify how these costs can be reduced, and how total water management can bring water treatment costs under control. To demonstrate the areas where water treatment is applied, the breakdown of programme costs for a typical automotive plant is given. Paint detackifiers account for the largest proportion of costs, with utilities (cooling and boiler water) taking 35% share, and effluent treatment and disposal approximately 10%.