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Have you ever thought about why even the most sophisticated water facilities have trouble from time to time to keep the quality at a certain level? If you are managing a large industrial plant or a small mineral water factory, you know that water treatment is not a ‘set it and forget it’ task. You have to continuously fight against chemistry, biology, and the inevitable wear and tear of the machinery.
The stakes become very high when the situation is out of control. Low water quality may result in parts of the equipment getting worn out, you getting fined by the authorities and, what matters the most, putting public health at risk. The only way to ensure that your business is always operational is to recognize common water treatment issues that haven’t yet become disasters.
Here, we analyze the water treatment problems that most frequently occur in plants in India and, furthermore, the ways of solving them.
The Reality of Industrial Water Treatment Challenges
Running a water plant in India is not without a set of challenges that are quite different from elsewhere. The quality of raw water keeps changing, and the water treatment must meet the sheer volume of highly demanding problems that are coming up daily and have to be solved immediately.
If you plan to build a plant or simply improve your facility, talking to a mineral water plant professional will give you a great advantage as he can map out a system that is safe from the start and free from those risks.
1. Persistent Membrane Fouling
In any reverse osmosis membrane, the R.O. plant is the core of the system. On the other hand, it is also the most fragile one. Membrane fouling is the process when a deposit of one or more contaminants from the external environment such as mineral scale, organic matter, or bacteria is formed on the surface of the membrane.
As a result, the efficiency of the water treatment plant can be seen to drastically drop. To get the same amount of water, more pressure (and consequently more electricity) will be required, and finally, the membrane will be entirely damaged. In most cases, the only methods to prevent this expensive issue are frequent cleaning and correct pre-filtration.
2. Fluctuating Raw Water Quality
The inconsistency of “source water” is the main factor among the primary causes of poor water quality. In many places of India, the water coming into the plant can be different due to the change of the season or local industrial activity.
In case your water purification systems are not equipped to cope with such variations, you will constantly find your chemical dosing to be incorrect, thus leading to under-treated water at times and over-use of expensive chemicals in a wasteful manner at other times.
3. Biological Growth and Biofilms
Bacteria are very good in water, and the most favorite places for them are the dark, damp pipes and tanks. Even if you disinfect, biological growth can still develop “biofilms” – bacteria-protecting slimy layers which are resistant to chlorine and other treatments.
This is among the most vital drinking water safety issues. In case a biofilm grows in your distribution lines, it can contaminate all the water passing through, thus resulting in lab tests failure and product recalls.
4. Scaling and Corrosion
A lot of times, the ground water in India is classified as “hard” which implies it is full of calcium and magnesium. This is the main cause of scaling, the white, crusty stuff that is the result of wires and heaters which are covered with these substances. Conversely, very soft water or even water with the wrong pH can be corrosive in nature and thus, can gradually damage your metal infrastructure.
Furthermore, these two problems, scaling as well as corrosion, are big challenges in water filtration that can, very likely, limit the working time of your equipment to a few years.
Managing Industrial Wastewater Problems
The focus is not only on the water that is coming in but also on the water that is going out. Industrial wastewater problems are the main concern of Indian regulatory authorities. The control of high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) levels and the provision of discharge that complies with environmental standards constitute a heavy operational load.
A large number of factories have decided to install Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems as a new trend to handle such contaminants in water treatment in a more efficient and eco-friendly manner.
Why Treatment Plant Maintenance is Non-Negotiable
There is a frequent occurrence where we see plant owners who intend to cut down expenses by not going through the scheduled service of their plants. It is almost a case of a mistake in every instance. Treatment plant maintenance is the key factor which determines whether the treatment plant will be with you for a long time or not.
Small things such as a worn-out seal, a slightly clogged filter, or a drifting sensor may not stop production today, but they will cause a gradual decrease in quality and eventually, a sudden, catastrophic failure. To anyone who is in the industry, it is of great benefit to be in touch with professionals at Bottling India, as it guarantees you can get the correct spare parts and required technical help at the time when you need them most.
How to Improve Your Plant’s Performance
If you are seeing a lowering of quality or a raising of operating costs, then it is definitely time for you to put your plan into action. Here is a brief checklist to accomplish that:
- Automate Your Dosing: One of the human errors that can lead to chemical imbalances is dosing incorrectly. Automated sensors can make adjustments to dosing in real-time.
- Monitor Your Pressure Gauges: A drastic change in pressure is, typically, the very first indication that your system is either clogged or has a leak.
- Test Your Water Daily: Don’t rely on a monthly lab report. Daily testing done in-house gives you the freedom to spot the changes at the very beginning.
- Invest in Pre-Treatment: The more efficient your pre-filtration is, the more time your costly R.O. membranes will be able to work.
Conclusion
Keeping a water plant functioning effectively requires you to always be one step ahead of the problems. Issues in water treatment will indeed come, but they should not mean the end of your business. If you keep up with maintenance on a regular basis, are very familiar with your water chemistry, and employ top-notch water purification equipment, then you can keep your plant operating with safe and clean water of high quality for a long time.
Whether you are repairing an old system or building a new one, the goal remains the same: efficiency, safety, and reliability.