Converting chemical effluent into potable water

[zsadiq]

Hi,

Could anyone put some light on the general concept of treating chemical effluent and converting into potable water. The effluent in discussion is from a Pharmaceutical Plant. For information, the TDS level of the effluent is quite low, around 500 ppm since a lot of clean water is used for cleaning and other process which goes directly to drain. But the effluent may contain chemicals in small/medium quantities. My question here is what sort of testing procedure should we adopt. Secondly, are there reliable treatment procedures to eliminate chemical content from the effluent and convert this source into safe potable water.

 

[orenda1168]

If you are in the United States, I believe you will find specific Federal and State restrictions on the "purification" of industrial effluent, or for that matter, reclaimed water for direct use as potable water. I suggest you first check all applicable Federal and State regulations before proceeding.

Orenda

 

[bimr]

There are categorical wastewater treatment standards for Pharmaceutical wastewater.

It is possible to treat this wastewater and turn it into potable water.

However, there are standards for potable water operating systems that will make this impractical.

 

[orenda1168]

To be more specific, Federal and State regulations prohibit the direct use of reclaimed industrial effluent (through WWTP operations), even that with Class A or better quality, as disinfected potable water. Generally, the effluent must be percolated back into aquifer zones for in-transit further purification and subsequent mixing with aquifer-contained water before taken as acceptable feedstock to potable water plant treatment facilities.

The existing legislation controlling reclaimed water use as potable water with appropriate treatment flies in the face of currently available treatment processes such as RO, ultra/membrane filtration, etc. that can produce acceptable potable water quality.

Orenda

 

[rconner]

[If one pays attention to the warning signs in "Toxic America" and many reports like

http://www.epa.state.il.us/community-relations/fact-sheets/crestwood-pws/crestwood-pws-1.html

etc., the "Environmental Working Group, et al this is sort of what increasingly it appears municipalities are having to try to do!]