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News Release from: Food Processing Faraday Partnership | Subject: Action Planning Tool
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 June 2007
Water, Water everywhere? - The true cost
of water
All too often in a food factory the quotation seems to be the case and it is no co-incidence that the footwear of the workforce in a majority of chilled food processors is Wellington boots
The use of water is essential in the industry; for recipe formulation, cooking, cooling, steam production, CIP cleaning, rinsing, washing and domestic uses in canteens, toilets etc however the true cost of this resource is rarely measured accurately From the inflow to the factory, value is added to water at various stages and the cost of this added value must be evaluated to ensure cost saving measures are targeted correctly: e.g If leaks in pipes lose approx 20L per minute this equates to a loss of GBP10,000 per year (at a cost of GBP1.00 per m3 water)
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 2 May 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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However if that the water was heated to 60C the cost rises to GBP1.80 per m3 making a total loss of GBP18,000 per year.
In addition to the loss of functional use of the water food processors also have to pay to dispose of the leaking water through the drainage system and this cost of disposal is estimated at GBP0.50 per m3 The true cost of the leak is now GBP24,000 per year.
The cost of repairing these leaks must then be evaluated against this loss making payback and return on investment much higher, the cost of not repairing leaks is now GBP24,000.
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Thus it can be seen that the cost of water should be evaluated only when all the relevant value has been added.
Hoses can use 60L per minute through a 'dinga gun', and 2 hoses rinsing for 4 hours with hot water can cost GBP24,000 per year.
By changing to a fan nozzle arrangement which uses 20L per minute an immediate saving of GBP12,000 per year can be made as the operating costs reduce to GBP8,000 per year.
Where water is used for cleaning and disinfecting often one of the major added value points rarely considered is the chemical added.
If the above example was a minor leak in a disinfectant ring main losing 1L per minute, a leaky valve for example, then the water loss would cost GBP1,200 using the formula above but the disinfectant cost would be between GBP3,000 and GBP5,000 per year.
The first step to reducing the cost of water is to gain an accurate picture of where water is used and how much is used.
Clip on water meters with data logging equipment can either be hired or purchased and used in many areas to monitor water use and this can then be evaluated to measure the true cost.
The Food Processing Faraday Partnership and Food and Drink Forum , through the emda funded project 'Cutting out Waste in Food and Drink', have developed an Action Planning Tool that can help in the true measurement of cost of water, energy and waste.
This software tool is available free for all companies within the East Midlands area and is aimed at helping companies to identify the true cost of waste.
In addition the tool will take predictive measurements and convert these to actual cost savings thus helping to identify the 'quick wins' that start the ball rolling to environmental savings.
For more information on how to reduce costs that impact directly on your bottom line or to request a copy of the Action Planning Tool, contact Lesley Eaton at the Food Processing Faraday Partnership.
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