Dow Finds New Uses for Waste Water in the Netherlands

August 2007

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Abundant yet precious, water is often used just once: for a shower, or a washing machine cycle or a hasty drink from a park fountain. While many of us take its availability for granted, Dow’s production facility in Terneuzen, the Netherlands does not. On February 14, Terneuzen’s municipal household waste water began flowing via a special pipeline to Dow, where it is reused and then used again.

Waste water gets a second and third life at Dow

In collaboration with the Terneuzen district water board and Evides, a local water purifier, Dow accepts 2.6 million gallons of water every 24 hours and purifies more than 70 percent of it. These 1.9 million gallons are then sent to the polishing plant, where the water is upgraded to an even higher quality with virtually zero salt content, and from there, the water is used to generate steam. After use, it’s partly fed back into the polishing plant for reuse; the remainder is used in a cooling tower until it finally evaporates into the atmosphere. Thus, Terneuzen’s waste water gets a second and third life at Dow.

“With this project, we are able to combine sustainable water use from multiple sources on a regional basis with increased reliability in water supply to an industrial complex,” said Dr. Niels Groot, senior improvement specialist. ”This technology supports Dow’s 2015 goal for energy efficiency and conservation.”

Reusing water reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas

Before this project, Evides provided for Dow’s water consumption by desalinating preheated Westerschelde River water. The waste household water used now can be purified under lower pressure than the salt water. This means less energy and fewer chemicals are used, resulting in less CO₂ discharge – in other words, less greenhouse gas.

This kind of innovative thinking and collaborative effort elevates Dow’s conservation efforts, saving water and energy; imagine if every industry close to a city made the commitment to reuse household waste water. As we move into the future, Dow is tapping into the Human Element to find sustainable solutions and to preserve our natural resources.

To learn about Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals, visit Dow Sustainability Goals home page.

 

Related Links:
• Dow Water Solutions
• Dow Human Element website
• Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals