Water is essential to manufacturers – whether used for heating, cooling, washing, rinsing, or any of its several other industrial uses. It is also a resource that can be scarce and costly if not used efficiently. Recognizing this, more manufacturers are expanding planning to include efficient water usage.

There are many challenges to implementing water efficiency measures at a manufacturing facility, such as insufficient ROIs on water efficiency projects and inadequate data available on water use within the facility. However, understanding the true costs of water and assessing water use opportunities can lead to substantial water and energy savings. Starting with basic good housekeeping practices and progressing to more advanced conservation strategies can help to establish a robust water management program and can lower operating costs, increase resiliency, and improve water quality.

Top Water Efficiency Measures

Optimize cooling tower and boiler system blowdown
Identify and fix water leaks and overflows
Consider water efficiency in the design and procurement of new systems
Review equipment specifications and adjust water use accordingly
Eliminate once-through uses where possible, such as for cooling or cleaning

Explore the Water Savings Network page for industrial partners to learn how DOE is helping partners to track water use intensity improvements and share successful strategies and solutions. For more detail, review the Better Plants report, "Developing a Corporate Water Management Strategy for Manufacturers", and the WATER CARD INFO. Additional resources specific to Better Plants partners can be found below, including options to connect with the water-efficiency and water-system subject matter experts.

Industrial Water Mill Tank with Sprayers

Presentations

Water, Water, Everywhere: Organization-Wide Practices to Improve Water Efficiency

Water efficiency should include not only technical measures, but a holistic approach that encourages staff to identify projects and adopt practices with leadership buy-in. Learn about best practices of enterprise-level water-energy strategy, with a focus on organizational change in the geographic areas and systems that need it most.

There Must Be Something in the Water: Lessons Learned from Water Savings Project

The efficient use of water saves both money and energy while improving resilience and occupant wellness. In this interactive session, attendees heard brief presentations on Water Savings Network partners’ successes.

Not Just a Drop in the Bucket: Prioritizing Water Efficiency

It is increasingly important to address water scarcity, and the related energy required to transport, treat, and heat water resources. This interactive session explored how partners have made water efficiency a top priority in their facilities.

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Solutions

Learn about innovative, replicable water-solutions and best practices implemented by Better Plants Challenge partners.

Des Moines Water Works: Pump Polymer Coating Application Improves Efficiency | Better Buildings Initiative

At Des Moines Water Works, pumping water accounts for about 83% of the total electric consumption, so continuous effort is given to ensure pumps operate as efficiently as possible. To reduce pump friction, two pumps were upgraded by applying a polymer coating to individual parts. The polymer coating helps reduce friction between the water and the pump and protects the pump from pitting and other corrosion damage that distorts the impeller blades and degrades pump efficiency and performance, helping Des Moines Water Works save money and reduce waste.

The Orange Water and Sewage Authority: Energy Efficient Aeration and Mixing for Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant | Better Buildings Initiative

The Orange Water and Sewage Authority upgraded aeration blades to four single-stage, integrally geared 250-horsepower blowers which can supply air at higher pressures, while using less energy. Among other upgrades, the new system reduces wasted water, saves energy, and allows Orange Water and Sewage Authority to have more oversight over ensuring wastewater is treated effectively.

PepsiCo: Dallas Gatorade Plant Water Reduction Upgrades | Better Buildings Initiative

PepsiCo developed two main projects—one focused on water filtration system improvements and the other focused on reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate recovery. The goal is to reduce incoming water usage by approximately 30 million gallons.

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Webinars

Water, Reclaimed

Reclaimed water offers a wide range of applications, but overtreating water can lead to wasted energy and increased costs. In this webinar, attendees heard from Better Buildings Initiative partners who have successfully implemented a fit-for-purpose approach in their water reuse projects.

Industrial Water Quality and Reuse

During this Peer Exchange, Peter Fiske at National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) discussed industrial water quality needs and opportunities for reuse within facilities. The Better Plants team spoke about the Water Savings Network and the technical resources available to partners, including the Plant Water Profiler tool (PWPEx).

Better Plants Online Learning Series: Water Efficiency

The Better Plants team’s webinar highlighted three essential steps for conducting a water assessment at a manufacturing facility: establishing a baseline for water use, calculating the true cost of water, and identifying potential savings opportunities. Practical strategies for reducing water consumption were discussed, and the DOE’s Plant Water Profiler, which helps streamline the assessment process, was introduced.

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TOOLS

Plant Water Profiler

PWPEx Tool v0.1 is beta version of Plant Water Profiler Tool in Excel format. It was developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). PWPEx Tool is a comprehensive tool designed for use by manufacturing plants falling under NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) Codes 31, 32, and 33 to help their efficiency teams:

Understand the procurement, use, and disposal of water in their plants
Be cognizant about the “true cost” of water, including the costs associated with water procurement, treatment, and consumption and wastewater disposal
Identify opportunities for reducing water use and achieve associated cost savings

MEASUR

MEASUR is a suite that includes a set of key software platforms and more than 70 calculators. Altogether, these tools can help manufacturers improve industrial system efficiency and identify potential savings opportunities. Within MEASUR, the water efficiency calculators enable facilities to evaluate water use and estimate potential conservation strategies.

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Subject Matter Experts

Mr. Thirumaran is a research staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) with a focus on industrial energy and water efficiency, thermal process intensification, industrial emissions reduction, and statistical analysis. Mr. Thirumaran has more than 8 years of professional experience which includes working as a research staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, implementing utility rebate programs as an energy engineer for CLEAResult, and as an engineering lead for DOE's Industrial Assessment Center at North Carolina State University. A seasoned researcher with an eye for detail, Mr. Thirumaran is interested in working to develop the next generation of energy-efficient technologies and strategies.
As part of the Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Research and Analysis (MEERA) group, Mr. Thirumaran provides technical support to DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office’s (AMO’s) Better Plants Program. In his role as a Technical Account Manager, he assists partnering manufacturing companies achieve their energy, water, and emissions reduction targets by analyzing their energy consumption, identifying gaps in energy management practices, and supporting the implementation of relevant strategies and projects. You can reach Kiran with water-related questions at thirumarank@ornl.gov.

Paul Lemar has over 30 years of experience in engineering, economic and environmental analysis of energy efficiency technologies and management practices. Since 2009, he has served as Technical Account Manager for over 20 Better Plants partners under DOE's Better Plants Program. As technical advisor, he develops energy intensity metrics, models and analyzes energy performance, and structures ISO 50001 energy management systems. He has also conducted over 25 treasure hunts and energy assessments for industrial facilities in North America and Europe and consults regularly on combined heat and power as well as renewables feasibility and interconnection. He holds Mechanical Engineering and MBA degrees from the University of Maryland. You can reach Paul at lemarpl@ornl.gov.

Dr. Prakash Rao is a Principal Scientific Engineering Associate within the Energy Technologies Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, CA. Prakash conducts research and analysis into the potential for reducing the energy consumption and water use impacts of the U.S. manufacturing sector while maintaining its productivity. To this end, he assists in the development of related technical assistance and deployment activities. This includes analysis of manufacturing water use characteristics and conservation strategies, tools (Navigator) and programs (SEP and 50001 Ready) to increase the uptake of ISO 50001 in the U.S., tools to support advanced measurement and verification techniques (EnPI Lite), and analysis of motor system energy consumption and efficiency potential. Dr. Rao received his doctorate in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Rutgers University and his bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

You can reach Prakash with water-related questions at prao@lbl.gov.