C2769 - Methven Tapmakers Ltd - Otago Region

Summary
The amount of water used in the plating shop has been reduced by about 42% by installing water meters and training staff. Savings of more than $12,000 per year will be achieved, with a payback period of 17 days.

Business Profile
Manufactures tapware and employs 128 staff.

Type of Project
Water conservation.

Reasons for Project
Water discharges represented a major waste of resources. Discharge fees have also been introduced, providing an incentive to reduce water usage.

The Project

Water conservation

Details	Water is used in large amounts in the preparation and electroplating stages of the operation. Rinse tanks previously had separate water inlets and discharge sources, so there was a lot of wasted water. The number of inlets has been reduced to three and water meters have been placed on all inlets. Tanks have been interlinked so that water can be reused in subsequent tanks if it is not contaminated. Staff have been taught about the value of water. Valves are now turned off when water is not needed. Future projects are proposed to further reduce the amount of waster used by the business. These include filtering discharge water, installing automated pH dosing systems to treat discharges, and reusing all water in the scrubber system of the foundry.
Economics	Installation of the water meters and the linking of tanks cost about $560. There was no loss in production as this was done during a routine shut down period. The system is only in the second month of operation when this case study was written and figures are therefore only approximate. Water supply charges have decreased from $75 to $41 per day, a saving of $34 per day. This equates to approximately $12,000 per year. Savings in discharge costs have not yet been determined. The payback period of the projects will be about 17 days if current savings are achieved.
Benefits	Water consumption decreased by about 42% from 203 m3 to 117 m3 in an equivalent four week period. A resource previously being wasted is being reused. Saving on supply and discharge costs are also reduced.

For additional information contact:
Kevin Marks,
Methven
Tapmakers,
P O Box 847,
Dunedin
Ph 03-4551149
Fax: 03-4554748

For further information about Cleaner Production in the Metal Industry see:

Opus International Consultants (September 1997): Cleaner Production Guide for the Metal Industry- Minimising waste, reducing costs and caring for the environment.