Water Use and Discharge

Water can be consumed in metalcasting operations in several ways, including contaminated process water requiring treatment as a result of air pollution control activities, or non-contact cooling water used to cool running machinery. A reduction in the use of water for these purposes may represent a tremendous improvement opportunity for a facility. Water may be discharged via various drainage systems such as sanitary sewers or dedicated permitted outfalls. Waters exposed to the metalcasting process may also drain to storm drain systems from streets, parking lots, loading docks, roofs and other surfaces that receive rain water.

Water use may be avoided, reduced or reused within the industrial process via example technologies such as air cooled heat exchange and closed loop systems. Additionally, recycled water can satisfy other facility water demands once adequately treated or recovered to ensure water quality appropriate for the use.

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