Fact Sheet: Wastewater Recycling Systems Fact Sheet

A fact sheet on wastewater recycling systems, from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Environmental Quality.

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Environmental Quality
June 1993

Questions?

The ADEC Polluton Prevention Office is a non-regulatory program that provides technical assistance on waste reduction and recycling to communities and businesses throughout Alaska. For more information, contact:

Pollution Prevention Office
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
3601 C St. Suite 1334
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
(907) 563-6529
(907) 562-4026 Fax

Regional Offices
Southcentral Region
3601 C Street, Suite 1334
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 563-6529
(907) 562-4026 fax

Southeast Region
410 Willoughby Ave. Suite 105
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465-5350
(907) 465-5362 fax

Northern Region
1001 Noble Street, Suite 350
Fairbanks, AK 99701
(907) 451-2360
(907) 451-2187 fax

Alaskan businesses generate large quantities of wastewater from activities such as shop cleaning and vehicle washing. Properly treating and disposing of wastewater is costly. Wastewater recycling systems can save money by conserving water.

This fact sheet provides information about what to consider when buying a wastewater recycling system. This information is provided as a service to Alaskan businesses and is intended as guidance only. Always consult your local ADEC office if you have any questions about regulations and management of wastewater.

Why Recycle?

Recycling allows water to be reused, which reduces costs of purchasing, treating, and disposing of water.

Recycling systems collect contaminants such as oil and heavy metals so that they do not enter soil and ground water. These materials may be harmful to humans and the environment and should be properly managed.

Recycling can be a cost-effective way to wastewater. Federal, state, and local regulations may require wastewater to be treated prior to discharge.

Before Recycling

Evaluate your water usage. It may be useful to track the number of gallons used over a certain time period.

Use water conservation measures. Determine how you can reduce the amount of wastewater generated by making changes in your operating procedures. You can save money by conserving water.

Which Recycling Systems Are Available?

A variety of systems are available, utilizing processes such as ultrafiltration, electrocoagulation, and carbon filtration. Most systems also include gravity settling, oil-water skimming, and chlorination and/or aeration.

Questions to Consider Before Purchasing a System

• What is the capital cost of the system?

• How will you reuse the water? Will the system clean the water enough for your intended reuse?

• Does the composition of your wastewater vary, and can the equipment handle this variation?

• Will the vendor test a sample of your wastewater to determine how well the system works on your particular wastewater? Can a pilot unit be rented for testing?

• Is the system the right size for your needs?

• Where can the equipment be installed? Installation considerations include:
  
  • Are any building modifications required to fit the equipment?
    
  • What additional piping and auxiliary equipment is required for an operational system?
    
  • Will selection of one system minimize building requirements and piping/auxiliary requirements?
    
  • Can certain system components be oversized to minimize maintenance requirements without causing Installation problems?

• What operational costs are associated with the system?
  
  • Chemical additives such as acids or bases for pH adjustment
    
  • Filters that must be cleaned or replaced
    
  • Labor requirements
    
  • Start-up costs
    
  • Electricity usage
    
  • Disposal costs

• Are the chemicals required for system operation hazardous by definition or undesirable from a health and safety perspective? Are less hazardous substitutes available? Where can the material be stored safely?

• Where can the wastes generated by the system be disposed? (This includes filters, filter cake, tank bottoms, and waste oil).

• Is the equipment easy to operate?

• What kind of training or installation support will be provided, and at what cost?

Case Study: Matanuska Maid

In 1990, Matanuska Maid Dairy took a close look at its consumption of water, because water and sewer bills had become a major expense. With assistance from the Alaska Health Project and funding from the DEC Polluton Prevention Office. the plant manager identified number of water use reduction measures including:

• Recycling once-wasted cooling water back into the milk production process, saving thousands of gallons of water per day;
  
• Retrofitting production hoses with spray nozzles to shut off water when not in use;
  
• Doing preventive maintenance to find and repair leaks in the plant.

Total Cost Assessment for Pollution Prevention

A wastewater recycling system requires a capital investment and includes other costs, such as materials and labor for operation and maintenance. However, over the long run, the costs of recycling wastewater are likely to be less than the costs of treating and disposing of wastewater.

The attached worksheet can help you determine your cost savings resulting from recycling.

Vendor Listing

This list of vendors is provided for your information and is not an endorsement by ADEC of any of the listed equipment or vendors. The list is not intended as a complete list of manufacturers of wastewater recycling equipment.

Note: All systems listed include gravity settling, oil-water skimming, and most include chlorination.

Type of System	Manufacturer	Phone Number
Ultrafiltration	Alkota Cleaning Systems P.O. Box 288 Alcester, SD 57001	800-225-6823
Coalescence/multi-media filter/carbon filter	Landa Water Maze 13705 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97230	800-547-8672
Electocoalescence	Western Fabricators	805-323-8319
Coalescence/centrifuge/multi-media filter	RGF Environmental Systems 3875 Fiscal Court West Palm Beach, Fl 33404	800-842-7771
Ectrocoagulation	Premier Environmental 5670 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Suite 420 Englewood, CO 80111	303-694-3836

The information in this fact sheet is adapted from literature developed by the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP).

Worksheet for Evauation of Evaluation System Costs [refer to source document]