No two industrial waste streams are alike. The chemistry varies by process, flow rates shift with production, and the goals of one facility rarely match the goals of another. Yet many wastewater systems are still built as if “one size fits all.” They’re designed to check a compliance box — not to optimize cost, recovery, or sustainability.

That’s why a custom approach matters. At ElectraMet, every system we build is engineered for the customer’s stream, not forced to fit into a preset template.

The limits of standard wastewater systems

Generic wastewater treatment options usually rely on chemicals or membranes. For many contaminants, those approaches can be serviceable, but when it comes to dissolved metals they often fall short.

Chemical precipitation turns metals into a hazardous sludge that has to be hauled away. Membranes foul quickly, and when they’re used for metals, they tend to push contaminants into brines that create a new disposal problem. In both cases, the opportunity to recover valuable metals is missed entirely.

The result is a system that treats water but creates more waste — and more cost — in the process.

The case for custom design

A custom wastewater treatment system starts with the stream itself: what’s in it, how it fluctuates, and what the facility needs to achieve. From there, the design adapts to those specifics rather than forcing a generic solution to fit.

Sometimes the priority is discharge compliance. In other cases, it’s value recovery — capturing copper, palladium, or other high-value metals. Increasingly, it’s sustainability, like regenerating acids for reuse or reducing the carbon footprint of hauling. A well-designed custom system can balance all three.

And because custom systems are modular and scalable, they can grow as the facility grows, instead of becoming obsolete after a few years of production changes.

Wastewater treatment for metals: a different challenge

Metals don’t behave like suspended solids or organic compounds. They stay dissolved, they’re tightly regulated, and they don’t degrade over time. That’s why wastewater treatment for metals requires precision.

Traditional methods remove them indirectly by creating sludge or brine. Electrochemical treatment removes them directly — pulling metals out of solution and converting them into a pure, solid form that can be reused or sold. It’s the difference between creating more waste and creating more value.

What a custom solution looks like

A custom solution might involve tailoring the number and type of electrochemical cells to match both the flow rate and the metal concentrations of a given stream. It could mean integrating filtration to handle moderate levels of TSS without overengineering. It often involves designing a skid that fits into an existing plant layout or connects seamlessly into a reuse loop.

In every case, the system is designed to deliver exactly what the site needs — not more, not less.

The benefits of going custom

Choosing a custom wastewater system isn’t just about having something unique. It’s about long-term performance and cost. A system designed for your process avoids the hidden inefficiencies of generic solutions. It keeps operating expenses lower, eliminates unnecessary waste streams, and supports compliance without compromise.

Most importantly, it gives facilities confidence that their treatment system will scale with them, instead of needing constant retrofits or workarounds.

Beyond one-size-fits-all

When it comes to wastewater treatment for metals, “off the shelf” rarely works. Streams are too complex, regulations too strict, and costs too high to leave performance up to chance.

At ElectraMet, we specialize in designing systems tailored to the customer — engineered for their stream, their goals, and their future.

If you’re ready to explore what a custom wastewater treatment system could unlock for your facility, let’s start the conversation.