Water waste batters cashflow01 October 2005

Headlines about water shortages in the UK have featured heavily in the media in recent years - with threats of hosepipe bans and other rationing measures a regular occurrence. While businesses are often unaffected in the short term, the longer-term trend is that water is likely to become an increasingly scarce and expensive resource all year round, which could have a significant impact on a company's bottom line.

With the UK manufacturing industry using a massive 1.3bn m3 water a year, at an estimated current cost of more than £1bn, businesses need to take a closer look at how much of their profits they are pouring down the drain.

Water costs may seem insignificant on the face of things and few plants are aware of exactly how much water they use. However, it is not only the basic supply and discharge costs that must be considered as a drain on profits. Associated costs related to pumping, maintenance, capital depreciation and treatment, as well as the value of any lost materials, can add up to a sizeable sum. In some plants, it is not uncommon for hoses to be left running to drain all day, costing companies a staggering £46,500 a year.

Water minimisation is actually one of the easiest ways that manufacturing plants can achieve cost savings. Research has shown that plants which have never previously examined their water consumption can usually expect to make an immediate saving of around 30% on water and effluent bills simply by implementing straightforward water management measures. This could add up to a saving of £304m annually across UK industry and commerce.

With this in mind, government-funded programme Envirowise has launched the Big Splash 2005 to help businesses combat water wastage - and save money in the process. Businesses signing up to the initiative will receive free industry-specific advice and guidance on water minimisation, including an on-site water and waste review, as well as help with implementation and evaluation. Since the Big Splash was launched last year, Envirowise has worked with more than 150 companies across the UK and to date has identified cost savings of more than £1.75m, along with water savings in excess of 2 million m3.

One of Europe's largest domestic appliance manufacturers, Indesit Company, took part in the Big Splash challenge last year. Indesit Company is parent to the Hotpoint, Indesit and Cannon brands, and employs 6,000 people across its four UK plants. The challenge was taken up by the company's Stoke-on- Trent plant, which employs around 1,200 people. Indesit Company identified that water usage was an area of significant environmental impact and therefore committed to an ongoing programme of reducing water consumption, as part of its 'Green Factory' environmental improvement plan. The Green Factory initiative received support from management at all levels within the business and has since set environmental improvement targets for the next three years, including the reduction of water consumption.

Envirowise worked with Indesit Company staff to build a better understanding of water usage and costs, which enabled the company to renegotiate water supply and drainage charges. To negotiate supply charges, Indesit Company used the information from a site water balance review to agree estimated water usage for the coming year with its water providers, based on average consumption. This enabled both parties to negotiate and agree on the cost of water for the site by reserving the water in advance of the actual usage.

The most significant water reduction has been achieved by the major plants that pre-treat metal components before painting and vitreous enamelling. Using an advisor from Envirowise, Indesit Company arranged a presentation for plant operators and found that, by involving its workforce in the planning stages, it was able to increase awareness across all areas of the plant. All members of staff - from senior management to plant operators - were invited to provide input. After a review of ideas, a number of water-saving concepts were successfully implemented, many of which were initially generated by plant operators during the planning process.

Indesit Company has placed much focus on the ongoing monitoring of water usage as a key method of continually reducing consumption. Water usage is now a key performance indicator, helping the company define and measure progress. Indesit Company environment manager Mike Birch says: "Water usage is now actively monitored weekly to ensure it can be assessed against budget at management reviews. As a result, we have been able to reduce annual consumption by more than 30,000m3 and achieved cost savings of £45,000."

The bottom line

Even smaller companies can make impressive savings. Artetch Circuits, a West Sussex-based PCB manufacturer with 85 employees, also signed up to the Big Splash challenge. After already actively reducing water flow to different on-site rinse water systems, Envirowise advised the company to focus its attention on measuring overall water consumption which, in turn, would highlight areas where further reductions could be made.

Artetch's technical manager Alistair Murray says: "Despite a 25% increase in the surface area processed, we have already reduced our water consumption by around 10% and effluent production by around 8%, saving nearly £3,000. Artetch is now reviewing options to re-use rinse water, which we hope will lead to even greater savings in the future."

Indesit Company and Artetch Circuits were among 12 companies from a range of industry sectors whose commitment to reducing their water use was recognised at an event to launch this year's Big Splash challenge, attended by Environment Minister Elliot Morley. During his keynote speech, Morley said: "The headline is that, in decades to come, the impacts of climate change will be more defined - winter rain becoming more sporadic and intense, with summer rain more scarce. While the impact climate change has on water resources may not be so noticeable in the short term, we need to act!"

Morley also told attendees about the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme for sustainable water technologies, which provides tax relief to businesses investing in sustainable water use. Under the scheme, manufacturers are able to write off the entire cost of their investment in designated products and technologies that promote sustainable water use against their taxable profits in the period they make the investment. The Water Technology List (WTL), developed and managed by Defra and HM Revenue and Customs in partnership with Envirowise, lists the products that qualify for the scheme.

Knowing the flow

Managing water and effluent production more efficiently demonstrates the value of measuring and monitoring water usage. In the first instance, measuring water is a necessary precursor to control. Secondly, it identifies areas where excessive amounts of water are being used and acts as a reminder to employees of the need to reduce water use.

Rather than simply metering water input as a whole, Envirowise recommends installing meters on each process line or on each water inflow point on a process. This provides a company with exact knowledge of water use throughout the plant. Keeping regular records of water usage allows the company to review the success of any water minimisation practice and helps to prevent irregular consumption. It is important that the water flow rates displayed on meters are not just fitted to pipelines, as these are frequently out of sight. Transmitting a flow signal to the process operator can allow more effective use of the information. Some existing turbine-type flow meters - with simple dial displays - can be upgraded in situ to provide a pulsed flow signal. This signal can either be transmitted to the site control system or, with suitable cables and an interface board, be logged in and displayed on a standard office computer.

Leakage is a common and easily preventable problem. Leaks can arise from a number of causes, including damaged pipeline connections, flanges and fittings; worn valves; flooded floats (balls) on water cistern valves; or corroded pipework and tanks.

Regular monitoring ensures leaks from mains water are more easily identifiable and repaired quickly, preventing inconvenient and potentially damaging flooding, lowering maintenance costs and potentially reducing water bills. And inexpensive blow-out preventers could save most of the costs of a flood.

Most overflows run to drain without being measured. The flow rate during overflow can be as high as the delivery pumping flow rate. However, overflows are usually due to poor control, which can easily be gained using simple shut-off sensors and on/off control systems for pumps or shut-off valves. The re-use of rinse water is another method that can result in savings. Wash water is often flushed down the drain on the basis that it has been 'used'. Careful examination of the quality and availability of wash water, with an understanding of water use elsewhere on site, may reveal opportunities. Typical final uses of wash water include first wash-down and rinse of floors and containers, and the making up of raw material slurries.

During cleaning, large quantities of water from hoses are often used to wash slurries from floors and walls down the drain. Hand-held scrapers will move most of the slurry across the floor efficiently. The combined use of scrapers, brushes and hoses can reduce the time taken to clean an area. Removing slurries from surfaces before they start to dry or prewetting dry areas can reduce both the volume of water needed for wash-down and the time taken.

Pipelines can often be cleaned effectively using 'pigging' systems. A 'pig' is typically an engineered plug or ball that fits inside the pipe and is pushed through mechanically or hydraulically to clear material.

Cleaning in Place (CIP) systems are used to clean process plants in situ. The systems can re-use final rinse water for first rinses and re-use concentrated cleaning chemicals many times for intermediate washing cycles. Water containing impurities following specific processes can also be re-used following suitable treatment to remove unacceptable impurities.

To find out more, call 0800 585 794 or visit www.eca-water.gov.uk.

Dr Martin Gibson is programme director at Envirowise

SOE

Related Websites
www.eca-water.gov.uk

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