WATER TREATMENT
Supporting water treatment with innovations in chemical supply
Richard Ward, managing director of Airedale Group, explains how chemical suppliers can support water treatment companies streamline operations and gain environmental savings in the face of challenging times
Water companies are frequently making headlines, facing a raft of public challenges and deepening criticism. Decreased rain levels and climate change mean hosepipe bans are an unpopular but necessary decision when coupled with water leaks, sewage discharge and higher bills, leading to questions about operational efficiency being raised on a regular basis.
Aside from these trials, water companies are also subject to significant environmental expectations, while still trying to provide safe and clean water for customers and how they deal with these pressures is under constant scrutiny from customers, politicians and regulatory bodies.
Airedale Group has many customers in the water treatment industry, both regulated and industrial, providing a significant portion of our incoming orders and is currently one of our largest industry sectors. Therefore, we have become immersed in the challenges and needs of the UK water industry and as one of their key suppliers, the areas we have been able to offer the greatest support are in increasing sustainability and decreasing environmental impact.
Strength matters
In recent months, we have developed and implemented new products and new ways of operating which have been able to contribute to CO 2 savings for multiple water treatment customers. For example, one water company was able to reduce the number of deliveries it required by 50 % through the development of a new phosphate product.
A key chemical in the water treatment industry, monosodium phosphate( MSP) plays multiple roles. Its ability to create a film around metal surfaces means it is used to control corrosion in pipework and to prevent scale forming, which can help keep operations running smoothly and uninterrupted by eliminating any potential blockages. We developed a new, high strength plumbosolvency product for this customer that is effective across a range of water types, from hard to soft.
The customer identified a need for the development of a stronger MSP that would remain stable and enable them to reduce their usage of the product. We worked with the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which aims to ensure the safety of drinking water in England and Wales, to gain its approval.
Once approved, we worked on modifying the formulation with our
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