Typically, a permit for discharge involves sending a sample of the water generated by the companies’ processes to a lab. The lab will run several analyses, including iron, fats, oils, and grease (FOG), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, and possibly metals.
In order to discharge wastewater into the sewer, permission must be granted by a local POTW (public-owned treatment works). The company must indicate how much water needs to be discharged. The local POTW will most likely give advice and options for the wastewater. Hiring a local environmental consultant is also another option. They can determine the best way to plumb the lines to a tank that can be treated or evaporated and apply for the proper permits. If it is determined a permit is needed, the consultant can ensure the proper paperwork is filed accordingly. A zero-discharge system or an evaporator may be considered.
Evaporators and Turnkey Systems Evaporators: Evaporators are sized according to the amount of water the company is generating so as to evaporate off the water within a certain time frame. The wastewater may be pre-treated to remove solids and should be pH adjusted so as not to corrode the tank. Scrubbing also may be necessary.
Turnkey systems for zero discharge: These systems contain reverse osmosis and ion exchange units on a skid mounted footprint for small to large volumes of water to be treated. The water treated from these units can be used to replenish process chemistry. It is advisable to do pre-treatment on the wastewater to keep the equipment from fouling. Ion exchange removes oil and grease and reverse osmosis removes metals. There are other membrane equipment options that can be combined for turnkey systems.
Wastewater can be hauled off by a reputable company. The cost is determined by profiling the waste through analysis recommended by the hauler.
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