18,000 Litres of water saved daily: Reusing and minimising wastewater through newly installed water treatment plant.
At Powdertech, we take our role in water quality management seriously. We have designed a comprehensive solution that significantly reduces the amount of water we consume daily in collaboration with the effluent discharge consent standards set by Thames Water.
We have recently invested in an on-site water treatment plant to improve our water treatment processes. Our new water treatment plant allows us to save and reuse circa 18,000 litres of water per day, a significant reduction in our daily water consumption.
The plant also ensures that all discharged water is free of contaminants like aluminium, titanium, zinc, magnesium, and more, which helps us reduce our environmental impact and contribute positively to the local water network.
We designed the system to extract the chemicals, metals, and other contaminants from our pretreatment rinse tanks (generated as part of our TiZr and Passivation processes), by filtering the liquid and recirculating it for reuse.
By investing in this treatment plan, we are taking proactive steps to reduce contaminants, conserve water, and minimize waste.
Water treatment plant set up at Powdertech Surface Science
Water treatment plant set-up structure.
Our water treatment plant comprises a 5,000-6,000-litre holding tank, activated charcoal process tanks, and four filter media stations for filtration, which ensure that contaminants such as zinc, magnesium, and aluminium are safely filtered out.
The system also integrates an innovative regeneration process for the filter media, allowing us to reuse materials and reduce the need for frequent replacements. This sustainable approach extends the life of our resources and minimizes waste, while ensuring the quality of our water discharge.
The process uses two chemicals – hydrochloric (acidic) and caustic (alkaline). This ionises the water, balances the pH levels to neutralise it before it is returned to the tanks for reuse. Contaminants are captured within the four stages of filter media, which we will periodically empty and then regenerate.
By repurposing our Keronite process line, we saved on unnecessary construction, avoiding disruption. This demonstrates our long-term commitment to reducing waste and making efficient use by repurposing the resources we already have.
Benefits beyond Powdertech
Metals, such as magnesium, nickel, copper, iron, titanium, chromium, zinc, and more, when discharged in controlled levels, can easily be treated by wastewater management authorities like Thames Water.
Secondly, our local Wastewater Treatment Works (WTW) features biodigesters, which uses microbes to create natural gas by digesting the solids recovered from the sewage stream.
The byproduct of this process is a “cake” that is used within fertiliser. This provides an important revenue stream for Thames Water. By controlling the discharge onto the water streams, microbes in the biodigesters are protected, supporting continuous production of natural gas without any hindrance.
Our on-site water treatment plant brings us closer to being more self-reliant by repurposing our wastewater before discharging into the water stream, reducing the dependency on Thames Water to process heavy effluents.
Periodically, the water would be discharged as part of our plant maintenance, but this discharge will be contaminant-free and 100% safe to enter the local Thames wastewater treatment works.
Polishing of wastewater through filters to enable reuse of valuable water.
Project investment and our sustainability champions
The estimated cost of the water treatment project is around 120-130k. We started the project in 2024, and it is aimed to be completed by the end of July 2025. Phil Tyler, our Operations Director, and Richard Knight, our Manufacturing Engineer, are the leaders behind the execution of our water treatment plant set up and its regular monitoring.
Key driving factors - The bigger picture.
The major driving factor to set up this process was:
To improve the quality of our water discharge.
Reduce the amount of water we consume by circa 18,000L per day.
Introduce fewer contaminants to the water network.
Steps towards sustainability - One project at a time!
This project is just one example of how Powdertech is continuously leading by example. From being the first company to go chrome-free in the UK since 2000 to being proactive towards sustainable water management solutions.
With our ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certifications, we are building a culture of responsibility that will help to make our operations more sustainable.
We are proud to be part of the British manufacturing industry, a sector that is steadily improving its environmental footprint. With this new water treatment initiative, we have paved our way, demonstrating responsible manufacturing practices that contribute to British circular systems.