Innovative Water Treatment Supports Conservation

Drought conditions across large portions of the heavily populated US, coupled with flooding from severe rains, create increased pressure on usable water supply. The availability of fresh, pure water—or lack of it—affects healthcare, hospitality, government, agriculture, internet and technology, and all manufacturing industries. In fact, every area of society depends on having enough pure water.

Improvements in Water Treatment

Initially, the available water must be safe to use. Typical industrial water uses actually require water to be even more pure than drinking water! While our municipal water systems do well to handle the day-to-day water processes, natural occurrences such as flooding will add impurities to the water. Under drought conditions and stagnation, we need to consider the growth of hazardous microorganisms and the effects of corrosion. Under extended drought conditions and predictive climate change, there is an increased effort and ongoing research to support capacity-level management.

According to the CDC, the water we use for drinking, swimming, and even cooling high-rise buildings can be safer. About 7.2 million Americans get sick every year from diseases spread through water”. Therefore, more emphasis is being placed on the increased water safety regulations across multiple industries. 

In addition to the major demand for power generation, nearly 50% of our nation’s water is used for cooling (HVAC). Within the industry, there is a drive to improve “cycles of concentration” to the theoretical maximum. Innovations that help achieve this goal with minimal environmental impact include solid-form chemical additives. This form of chemicals also has the added benefit of reducing the carbon footprint for delivery over their liquid counterparts. Healthcare water treatment has advanced micro-filtration to satisfy regulations around emergency water supplies during disasters. These programs are now an industry standard and are required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for larger healthcare facilities. For more information, see the Joint Commission Report for Water Management Standards. All industries are striving to reach a state of theoretical “Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD),” which is an expensive process where every drop of incoming water is used and reused to extract the maximum benefit. New advancements in ZLD research are creating more opportunities to apply cost-effective technology for Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) and allow most users to maximize their water use.

While all of these are important steps toward water safety and quality, how does it impact scarcity?

The EPA encourages and defines “Water reuse is the practice of reclaiming water from a variety of sources, treating it, and reusing it for beneficial purposes. It can provide alternative supplies for potable and non-potable uses to enhance water security, sustainability, and resilience”.

Garratt-Callahan has been instrumental in the next phase of water reuse science. As a thought leader in the areas of Green Chemistry, Reverse Osmosis, and water treatment chemical efficiencies through solid-form chemicals and automated monitoring, we have recently expanded our influence on the latest technology in reducing discharged wastewater. Here are some of the ways G-C is addressing these concerns.  

Green Chemistry Alternatives – G-C GreenTech™

As part of your G-C GreenTech™ program, Garratt-Callahan will suggest “green” chemical alternatives for treating your system. Your G-C GreenTech™ program also employs specialized feed and monitoring equipment to ensure that you’re using just the right amount of chemicals, no more and no less – nothing wasted.

Reverse Osmosis Partners and Process Experts

Our expert and on-site field technicians take the time to build an all-inclusive evaluation of your reverse osmosis operation—providing you with an optimization and management service plan that will reliably deliver results. This reverse osmosis water treatment plan provides you with the basis to extend equipment life expectancy, minimize costs, and improve throughput.

The G-C SolidTrac^Ⓡ Water Treatment system & G-C BoilerTech™

The G-C SolidTracⓇ Water Treatment system resolves some of the most pressing industrial water treatment concerns facilities leaders and technicians face with the water treatment chemicals needed to maintain their cooling towers, closed-loop systems, and boilers. With Garratt-Callahan’s certifications and more than a century of deep expertise in commercial water treatment, we have created a solution that improves regulatory compliance, environmental impact, and safety.

G-C Aqueous Reuse Optimization System (AROS)

• Garratt-Callahan’s patented AROS process uses advanced treatment techniques and chemistry to turn high-hardness wastewater into purified water and compact, non-hazardous filter cakes. 
• Reclaim purified water
• Patented process for wastewater reclamation
• Uses non-hazardous additives

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of solid chemistry?

Benefits include ease of application, ease of transport, and savings based on tower size. Solid chemicals eliminate high-risk storage and chemical containment issues. 

What do I gain by going with Green Chemistry?

Green chemistry is designed to provide superior performance, reduce harmful waste, and in many cases, lower the cost of resources and the environmental impact of transportation, storage, recycling, and wasted use.

Does AROS replace Reverse Osmosis?

No, this is an additional component for removing solids to maximize water reuse.

How does AROS work with traditional wastewater treatment?

This system is designed to purify high-hardness water with no fats, oils, or greases (FOGs). AROS is not designed to remove organic impurities.

How does AROS compare to the traditional Zero Liquid Discharge process?

Lowers energy and lower capital costs by eliminating evaporators in this system. The AROS component also reduces the need for high-heat generation. The AROS modular design can be tailored to meet your specific wastewater treatment volumes.

To get more details about the revolutionary AROS process, contact us.

The AROS system process is Garratt-Callahan’s intellectual property. All rights reserved.