Most kinds of industrial activity produce some amount of contaminated water and waste. In order for this water to be safely released back into the environment, it must be sufficiently cleaned and purified. This is a massive undertaking; indeed, within any given year, U.S. companies alone spend more than $10 billion on wastewater treatment.
It might surprise you to learn just how many types of industry require a wastewater treatment process. In this post, we’ll highlight just a few of them.
Which Industries Require Wastewater Treatment?
Our partial list includes:
Agriculture
Agriculturalists use water for everything from irrigation to washing down their machinery. The problem is that the agriculture industry also uses a lot of pesticides, which can easily be intermingled with that water, contaminating it and requiring treatment. And that’s to say nothing of more specialized needs; for example, dairy farms often produce water waste that has dissolved sugars, fats, and chemical additives.
Automotive
Auto manufacturers, service centers, and repair shops produce huge volumes of liquid waste, including water intermingled with used oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, wiper fluid, grease, paints, and beyond. This liquid waste can’t simply be flushed down the drain. First, it has to be cleaned and purified through a wastewater treatment process.
Construction
Construction crews generate plenty of solid waste, but also contaminated liquids. Common examples include water that’s been polluted through its use washing heavy, dirt-covered construction equipment. The use of liquids such as paint and solvents can further pollute liquid waste used at construction sites.
Food Processing
A food processing center that works with meats or other animal products may have water contaminated by blood, fecal matter, even feathers. Contamination is less extreme at fruit and vegetable processing centers, but even here there is a significant amount of organic particulate matter.
Oil and Gas
In the oil and gas sector, wastewater comes in the form of used cleaning water and oil waste. Oil and gas companies produce high amounts of dirty water simply by cleaning out the inside of their tanks, something that requires a rigorous approach to wastewater treatment.
Pulp and Paper
The pulp and paper industry uses a staggeringly high amount of water just to get its products to market. Some estimates show pulp and paper companies requiring 17,000 gallons of water for each ton of paper. Naturally, this creates a lot of liquid waste that must be treated.
Water Treatment
Finally, note that water treatment companies actually produce their own liquid waste, which must itself be treated. As these companies remove impurities, making water safe for human consumption, they produce a lot of wastewater that requires careful disposal.
Learn More About Wastewater Treatment Options
Virtually every industry produces liquid waste in some form or fashion, requiring a strategic approach to water treatment. Having the right technology vendor helps. To find out more, reach out to PHS, a company that’s been providing best-in-class water treatment technologies for decades. Contact us when you’re ready to find out more.