Precision engineering firm cuts waste water cost

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team Aug 27, 2007

With costs of off-site waste water disposal rising, a precision engineering company invested in a system that dramatically reduced the volume of waste water and assists effluent management.

Universal Engineering Company (Charlstown), UK, invested in an Aqua-Save Technologies Waste Water Recycling Unit.

By virtually eliminating the amount of waste coolant and wash water taken off site for disposal, the investment is to save the precision engineers over GBP 5000/year Based in Weymouth, Universal Engineering Company (Charlstown) is a leading 'complete product life cycle' supplier to the UK's Ministry of Defence for aerospace, surface and submarine vessels as well as military and civil broadcast and telecommunications equipment.

The company machines exotic alloys such as titanium, high carbon steels and high nickel alloys.

The Aqua-Save Junior is now the central processing point for the company's waste coolant that is stored in an adjacent 205 litre drum.

Universal Engineering reported confidence that the waste coolants that are processed in the Aqua-Save produces clean water that is set to be passed for disposal to drain.

The Aqua-Save treats, recovers and re-uses the waste water by separating out oily emulsions.

This concentrated oily waste, which typically represents less than 5% of the original volume, is then the only material that needs to be transported off site for safe disposal.

Luke Thorpe, production manager at Universal Engineering said: "The Aqua-Save does exactly what we were told it would and the saving against off site disposal of our waste coolants is tremendous.

The Aqua-Save is set to give us a payback within 18 months, and will also contribute in our advancement towards ISO 14001 accreditation".

Paul Jarratt, head of Aqua-Save Technologies added: "The cost of off site disposal of waste water is getting more and more expensive.

The Aqua-Save System not only dramatically reduces the volume of waste but also enables companies to manage their own effluent in a more environmentally friendly way.".