In manufacturing, utilities go beyond electricity and gas—they include essential systems such as process water, wastewater, compressed air, steam, condensate, cooling systems, and process gases. Proper utility water treatment is critical to maintaining equipment longevity, energy efficiency, and environmental compliance, while also ensuring that industrial processes run smoothly.

Water is often referred to as the “universal solvent” because of its ability to dissolve a wide range of materials, including metals, minerals, and organic compounds. While this makes water an essential tool in manufacturing, it also presents challenges: corrosion, scale buildup, biological fouling, and dissolved metal contamination can all negatively impact boilers, cooling towers, heat exchangers, and piping infrastructure.

This guide outlines best practices for managing utility water treatment and ensuring optimal performance across various manufacturing systems.

Key Water Treatment Needs in Manufacturing Utilities

Boiler Water Treatment

• Why It Matters: Boilers rely on high-quality water to generate steam, but impurities can lead to scaling, corrosion, and reduced efficiency.
• Best Practices:
  ✔ Use water softening or deionization to remove hardness (calcium & magnesium).
  ✔ Control dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide to prevent corrosion.
  ✔ Maintain proper pH and alkalinity for system protection.
  ✔ Implement a blowdown program to remove dissolved solids and prevent buildup.
• Special Consideration: Unlike other systems, it may be advantageous for boilers to maintain small levels of minerals such as copper to form a thin, protective layer against corrosion and pitting in pipes and heat transfer surfaces, so not all dissolved metals should be removed.

Cooling Tower Water Treatment

• Why It Matters: Cooling towers recycle water for heat dissipation, but without proper treatment, they are prone to scaling, biological growth, and corrosion.
• Best Practices:
  ✔ Control scale buildup by removing calcium and magnesium before water enters the system.
  ✔ Prevent biological fouling with appropriate biocides or UV treatment.
  ✔ Manage corrosion risk by controlling pH and dissolved oxygen.
  ✔ Implement drift and blowdown management to reduce water loss and prevent contamination.

Process & Wastewater Treatment

• Why It Matters: Many industrial processes generate wastewater that must be treated before reuse or discharge to meet environmental regulations.
• Best Practices:
  ✔ Use filtration, coagulation, or biological treatment to remove contaminants.
  ✔ Monitor and control pH, BOD/COD, and suspended solids for compliance.
  ✔ Recover valuable materials where possible to reduce waste.
• Where ElectraMet Fits: Facilities dealing with dissolved metal contamination in wastewater can benefit from ElectraMet’s metal recovery technology, which selectively removes and recovers copper, manganese, cadmium, lead, tin, gold, silver, and PGMs, reducing compliance costs and creating a circular economy for metal use.

Heat Exchanger & Condensate System Treatment

• Why It Matters: Heat exchangers and condensate return systems rely on clean water to maintain efficiency and prevent scaling, fouling, or corrosion.
• Best Practices:
  ✔ Remove dissolved solids and organics before water enters the system.
  ✔ Use proper chemical treatment to prevent scale and microbial growth.
  ✔ Recover and reuse condensate whenever possible to improve efficiency.

The Role of Dissolved Metal Removal in Utility Water Treatment

Water used in manufacturing utilities interacts with metal surfaces, leading to potential dissolved metal contamination. Whether from piping, heat exchangers, or process reactions, managing metal levels is essential for:

✔ Preventing corrosion and equipment damage
✔ Maintaining compliance with discharge regulations
✔ Optimizing system efficiency and water reuse

While boiler systems may not need ElectraMet directly, many other utility water applications benefit from dissolved metal removal. ElectraMet’s electrochemical technology provides a chemical-free, sustainable solution for removing and recovering metals like copper, manganese, cadmium, lead, tin, gold, silver, and PGMs, helping facilities reduce waste and operating costs.

Conclusion

Proper utility water treatment is essential for maintaining system performance, protecting equipment, and meeting compliance standards in manufacturing facilities. While different systems require different treatment approaches, the best practice is always proactive monitoring and contaminant control.

For process and wastewater applications where dissolved metal removal is critical, ElectraMet provides a highly efficient, sustainable solution. If you’re looking to optimize your utility water treatment strategy, contact us today to learn how we can help.