Complete solutions for water reclamation

October 2010 Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring

Waste water treatment saves a valuable resource and also provides a way to minimise environmental damage. Optimally designed processes ensure efficient cleaning of the waste water, which can save money and add value to the bottom line. In South Africa, we hear about acidic mine water contamination, the possibility of no drinkable tap water and the wastage of water by industry. This does not have to be so; there are technologies and expertise that can reliably and efficiently deal with waste water. Instead of dumping waste water, it can effectively be treated and re-used. ProMinent Fluid Controls specialises in this field.

Why re-use the waste water?

It is waste after all and canno’t be efficiently or cost effectively re-used. This is an argument of the past. Today the contaminated water can be cleaned using state-of-the-art technology that can provide a reasonable return on investment. This enables organisations to save potable water by re-using their waste more effectively.

In a recent project ProMinent analysed the possibility of re-using a customer’s swimming pool backwash water in an attempt to save money and a natural resource.

Possible outcomes suggested were:

* Re-use as potable water.

* Re-use as grey water for toilets.

* Re-use as grey water for the company’s cooling towers.

* Re-use as grey water for irrigation.

Re-use for drinking water was ruled out by the customer due to unnecessary risk.

ProMinent’s analysis determined that the best course of action was to reclaim the backwash water from the club swimming pool for use in the company cooling towers. This would save on average around 40 cubic metres of potable water per month – a substantial amount.

As with most grey water reclamation, there were complexities. The backwash water has a high salinity and high concentrations of chlorine, chloramines, proteins, oils and fats. The water analysis proved that an ultra filtration plant would be the most feasible to produce water clean enough to be used in the cooling towers.

The total solution at the end consisted of:

* A 10 cubic metre backwash water storage tank.

* 90 micron pre-filter.

* Anti scalant metering.

* Ultra filtration plant.

* Ozonator to ensure and maintain disinfection of the reclaimed water.

* 2,5 cubic metre clean water storage tank.

* Pump set – PLC controlled and automated.

The result

The company is a saving 40 000 litres of water every month. The equipment is fully automated so no operating personnel are required and there is very little maintenance. The ROI is comprised of cost savings, good corporate governance, green initiatives and a contribution to the sustainability of clean drinking water.

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