Lean & Water Toolkit: Chapter 2
Water Use and Water Waste at Industrial Facilities
- Definition of Water Waste
- Industrial Water Use
- Water End Uses: How Water Is Used at Facilities
- Measuring Facility Water Use: Metering and Submetering
- Costs Associated with Water Use
- To Consider
- Footnotes
- Toolkit Navigation
Definition of Water Waste
Water is one of the most critical resources in the world, and is necessary for all types of industry. Water is required in substantial quantities to create
- Loss of water through material failures, such as leaky hose nozzles
- Discarding water that could be reused, such as treated rinse water
- Wastewater discharges
- Water used by high-flow appliances instead of more efficient alternatives
- Use of water in excess of necessity, such as the use of too much water for facility or parts cleaning
Understanding the many places where water waste occurs is an important first step for identifying areas for improvement.
Industrial Water Use
The use of water by industries, both in the United States and throughout the world, represents a significant portion of total water use. U.S. industrial water use is estimated to be more than 18.2 billion gallons per day (from direct water withdrawals, not including water use from public water supply)1. While industrial water withdrawals account for just five percent of total water withdrawals in the United States, thermoelectric power water withdrawals account for 49 percent. Industrial and manufacturing businesses also use about 12 percent of the public water supply. Industrial water users include facilities involved in sectors such as chemicals, food and beverage, paper and associated products, steel, electronics and computers, metal finishing, petroleum refining, and transportation equipment. Overall, two of the most water consuming sectors of the economy are agriculture and thermoelectric power, although other industries may use a significant proportion of public water supplies in some areas.
The share of industrial water use can be much greater in certain geographic areas, and these areas can experience substantial supply pressures. Figure 3, below, shows a geographic distribution of water scarcity across the globe. Areas prone to water scarcity will likely experience continued competition for water resources, which can impact your relationship with the surrounding community. Be aware of your facility’s location relative to potential water scarcity, and consider water competition when siting new facilities or building relationships with new suppliers. In the United States, the National Integrated Drought Information System maintains a user-friendly web portal with current information, forecasts, maps, reports, and resources addressing drought conditions and water scarcity.
Industrial water use varies by sector, as different activities require different inputs of water. Box 6 lists eight industries that require substantial inputs of water.
Water End Uses: How Water Is Used at Facilities
In order to reduce water waste in industry, it is important to understand the many ways that water is used within facilities. Understanding water end uses is critical to identifying water savings opportunities. While end uses of water vary by industry and by facility, there are categories of water use that are present at most industrial facilities. Water use in most industries can be classified into the following broad end uses:
- Production processing and in-product use
- Auxiliary processes (e.g., pollution control, labs, and cleaning)
- Cooling and heating (e.g., cooling towers and boilers)
- Indoor domestic use (e.g., restrooms, kitchens, and laundry)
- Landscape irrigation
These broad categories encompass many of the ways industrial facilities use water. Among U.S. industrial customers, cooling operations (including cooling towers and open cooling systems) comprise the single largest category of industrial water end use, with more than 50 percent of industrial and commercial water demand combined going toward cooling4.
The amount of water required for the various end uses differs by industry. Service and manufacturing facilities require the most water for washing and processing, while food and beverage facilities use most of their water intake in product preparation. Figure 4 shows examples of water end uses in the computer and electronics manufacturing industry and the food processing industry.
Measuring Facility Water Use: Metering and Submetering
To gain a better understanding of water use patterns at your facility, it is almost always helpful to use water meters. Many Lean methods rely on the availability of timely and accurate information on key performance metrics. By measuring water use and flows at the facility and/or process level, it becomes much easier to identify water efficiency opportunities. As the saying goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. There are two types of water meters: Source meters measure the amount of water being supplied to the facility, while submeters measure usage for specific activities such as cooling towers, process use, or landscape water use.
Water meters can be either portable or fixed on specific equipment. Use portable water meters to measure water flows for processes or operations in your facility, as part of Lean efforts such as gemba walks, value stream mapping, and kaizen events (strategies discussed in Chapters 3-4). You can strap a hand-held acoustic water meter onto a pipe at a few places where you think there might be excessive water use. Compare the water data from the master meter to the water flowing through the pipes in the process to confirm where there are potential water savings opportunities. These data can help you develop a water balance (described in Chapter 3). See Appendix B for resources to help you determine rates of water use, including calculations and unit conversions.
By metering water use at the facility and process levels, facility personnel can compile data to inform Lean improvement efforts. Here are some practical tips for using water meters as a part of Lean efforts:
- Use flow meters and water quality or cleanliness standards to establish standard work for water usage, flow, and pressure levels, taking into consideration “set points” recommended by equipment specifications and facility operating procedures. These baseline levels give important context of what accounts for “normal” operating parameters against which improvements and new water losses can be assessed.
- Use data that meters provide to determine the appropriate frequency for aggregating and reporting water measures (e.g., hourly, daily, or weekly) that best meets your facility’s needs.
- Show employees how to read and use water meters as part of Lean activities such as gemba walks, value stream mapping, and kaizen events, so that they can identify water savings opportunities.
- Post water use reduction goals and water usage information on the factory floor on Lean production control boards or in other accessible places to raise awareness of water use and efficiency among employees.
- Track data from water meters over time. Portfolio Manager, an online building performance benchmarking tool available from the ENERGY STAR program can help you track and benchmark water consumption data. For more information on the Portfolio Manager, see Appendix A.
Costs of Water Waste
As noted in Chapter 1, costs associated with water use include more than the direct costs you pay for water supply, but also the costs of water as it travels through processes and operations (see Figure 7). Box 7 provides examples of water costs, such as energy, pollution control, regulatory compliance, and raw material costs.
In some water-stressed areas, industrial facilities may face the possibility of an even greater waterrelated cost—that of lost revenue from the need to curtail production in the event of water supply disruptions. Competition for water across residential, agricultural, industrial, and environmental needs during periods of water scarcity may lead local water managers to impose limits on industrial water use. Understanding the vulnerability to disruption of local water supplies can be an important consideration when assessing the true costs of water use when expanding or developing new facilities.
The next chapter discusses strategies for understanding how water is used at your facility and identifying opportunities to reduce water use and improve operations.
Footnotes
1 Kenny, Joan F. et. al. Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2005. USGS. 2009. The USGS data does not include industrial water use drawn from municipal water systems, only direct withdrawals from surface and groundwater sources. Actual industrial water use is likely greater. For information on water use outside of the U.S., see AQUASTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, “Water Withdrawal by Sector, Around 2003.” Note that FAO data includes thermoelectric cooling water withdrawals in its industrial water totals.
2 Uphadyay, Sanjay, “Microelectronics – Fostering Growth Opportunities in the Ultrapure Water Market.” Frost & Sullivan. August 19, 2011.
3 CERES and Pacific Institute, “Water Scarcity & Climate Change: Growing Risks for Businesses & Investors,” February 2009.
4 Vickers, Amy. Handbook of Water Use and Conservation. WaterPlow Press. 2001.
5 General Electric Company Water & Process Technologies, “Solutions for Sustainable Water Savings: A Guide to Water Efficiency,” 2007.
6 North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Water Efficiency Manual for Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Facilities, May 2009.
7 Smith, Timothy A. Plumbing Systems and Design. Water-Meter Selection and Sizing. 2008.
Toolkit Navigation
- Contents & Acknowledgements
- Executive Summary
- Preface
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Water Use and Water Waste at Industrial Facilities
- Chapter 3: Finding Water Waste on the Factory Floor
- Chapter 4: Lean and Water Efficiency Improvement Strategies
- Chapter 5: Lean and Water Beyond the Factory Floor
- Chapter 6: Conclusion
- Appendix A: Water Efficiency Resources and Technical Assistance Providers
- Appendix B: Water Cost Calculator
- Appendix C: Water Unit Conversions and Calculations
- Appendix D: Water Efficiency Opportunity Checklist
- Appendix E: Glossary of Water Terms