Title :
Awash with profit opportunities [water management]
Author_Institution :
Environmental Technol. Best Practice Programme, AEA Technol., Didcot, UK
Abstract :
There are many sources of extra profit that can be tapped into by reviewing and reducing water use. The starting point should be a water survey. By identifying all water inputs and outputs, it is possible to determine the true costs of water consumption and waste water generation on site. To reduce water costs effectively an understanding is needed of how, where and why water is used in each particular area. The survey enables a water mass balance to be established. This is based on the simple observation that the amount of water entering a site must equal the amount of water, in all its various forms, leaving the site. Drawing up a water mass balance is a key technique for identifying waste because it means water consumption can be allocated between the main users. Having collected all the essential data, the use of ´Cost-effective water saving devices and practices´ can help the decision on the most relevant cost-saving measures for a company. A variety of projects and devices are described with paybacks ranging from a few days to more than a year.
Keywords :
water; cost-effective water saving devices; cost-saving measures; waste water generation; water consumption; water inputs; water management; water mass balance; water outputs; water survey; water use reduction;
Journal_Title :
Engineering Management Journal
DOI :
10.1049/em:19990402