Research and development
Breaking down barriers
Our research and development program is helping industrial, commercial and institutional customers investigate barriers to water conservation and reducing the discharge of contaminants such as salt.
The program comprises customer-specific, metropolitan-wide and industry sector-based projects. Sites include research laboratories, industrial locations and sewage treatment plants.
Research and development activities provide access to cutting-edge research opportunities normally beyond the reach of all but the largest companies.
These projects are conducted in partnership with our customers, universities, research institutions, government agencies and industry associations.
Research partners include:
• RMIT University
• Victoria University
• EPA Victoria
• Victorian Waste Management Association
• Meat and Livestock Association
• Sustainability Victoria
• Plastics and Chemicals Industry Association
• Melbourne Water
• South East Water
• Yarra Valley Water
Examples of research projects include:
- Low-salt cleaning alternatives in the food and beverage industry
- pH neutralisation and trade waste limits
- Western Treatment Plant sampling
- Benchmarking
Low-salt cleaning alternatives in the food and beverage industry
A two-part study is investigating chemicals that can reduce salt in trade waste discharges from clean-in-place systems used in the food and beverage industry.
These systems clean pipes and vessels at the end of each product run and traditionally use cleaning chemicals with a high salt content.
These caustic-based chemicals such as sodium hydroxide are typically used to remove fats, oils, sugars and other caked-on materials.
Alternative cleaning solutions that manufacturers say have a lower salt content include non-caustic products such as citric acid-based cleaning agents.
This $300,000 study is funded by the Smart Water Fund.
In 2005, Deakin University identified commercially available low-salt cleaning chemicals and examined their use in industry.
Researchers from Deakin University and Nanotechnology Victoria are trialling a range of low sodium cleaning chemicals to test their cleaning effectiveness. They will also be investigating methods to recycle cleaning chemicals for reuse.
Clean In Place - A Review of Current Technology and its Use in the Food and Beverage Industry
Testing the limits of pH in trade waste
City West Water is working with Victoria University and RMIT University on research projects examining the attributes of pH neutralisation and trade waste limits.
These studies have implications for many of our industrial customers which are required to neutralise trade waste to stay within pH limits.
When pH levels are lower than 6 and higher than 10, sewers can be corroded and dangerous hydrogen sulphide and ammonia gases generated.
A Victoria University master's student has completed research into the possibility of replacing sodium hydroxide and other high-salt caustic neutralising agents with low-salt alternatives such as magnesium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.
A computer model has been developed to estimate the costs involved in neutralising trade waste and to compare the cost differences of several neutralising chemicals.
The RMIT University project uses laboratory and site trials to analyse the ‘in sewer’ effects of changes to trade waste pH limits. An RMIT University doctoral student is also using sampling and mathematical modelling to assess safety implications of varying the pH discharge range with certain types of trade waste.
Neutralising Salt Chemistry report
Sampling sewage at the Western Treatment Plant
An intensive sampling program was conducted at the Western Treatment Plant to review the characteristics of sewage entering the plant.
The sampling aims to provide a clearer picture of the extent to which total dissolved solids (salt) reduce opportunities for water recycling. It is part of a larger study involving the reduction of total dissolved solids through adjustment of pH discharge limits.
Hourly samples were taken and 44 parameters analysed, including pH, acidity, alkalinity, total dissolved solids, ammonia, sulphide and heavy metals.
Characterisation of Raw Sewage inputs at Western Treatment Plant - Sampling results report
Benchmarking – How to measure success?
In conjunction with South East Water and Yarra Valley Water, City West Water has engaged a consultant to undertake a Benchmarking Best Practice for Water Use in the Commercial and Industrial Sector project.
The study aims to establish benchmarks that identify best practice in the range of industries and activities found in metropolitan Melbourne. These benchmarks will be used to assist our commercial and industrial customers to develop City West WaterMAP™’s and ResourceMAP's.
To enhance and assist our water and resource conservation programs further, an indication of best practice benchmarks for individual industries and activities is required.
This project was completed in October 2006 and we are currently working on a project that ensures this data is frequently updated and evolves following customer feedback.
Click here to view sector based fact sheets.
More examples of research projects include:
- Metal finishing businesses look to clean up
- The benefits of cleaner salt
- Demineralisation Technologies: Systems Assessment and Cost Model Development
Metal finishing businesses look to clean up
Electroplating firms and other metal finishing businesses are working to minimise the loss of valuable metals and reduce contaminants in trade waste as part of a wide-ranging partnership study exploring cleaner production processes.
The study also aims to reduce consumption of drinking water in metal finishing, and minimise trade waste and other waste discharges.
The partnership involves metal finishing companies, City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne Water, EPA Victoria, and Hyder Consulting.
Some 25 small to medium-size electroplaters from across Melbourne are involved in site visits, workshops and consultations.
A key objective is to reduce the amount of valuable metals lost through the trade waste and solid waste streams.
Minimising the loss of metals in trade waste discharges also reduces the amount of heavy metals in biosolids at sewage treatment plants, increasing the options for biosolid reuse and water recycling.
The benefits of cleaner salt
An investigation at the Orica chloralkali plant at Laverton has the potential to reduce salt discharge to sewer by two tonnes a day.
The plant electrolyses common salt, to produce sodium hydroxide and chlorine gas for industry.
Significant amounts of salt are discharged because of sulphate impurities, which have to be ‘bled out’ of the process.
Consultants working with Orica and City West Water are investigating a way to remove the sulphate impurities to allow reuse of the salt in the process and recover the sodium sulphate as a saleable product.
Pilot-scale trials will help to identify the optimal processes required to recover raw materials from the waste stream.
Demineralisation Technologies: Systems Assessment and Cost Model Development
City West Water supplies high quality drinking water to its customers in Melbourne’s CBD and inner and western suburbs. But, as you would know, trace minerals can be found in the water supply which can cause problems in many industrial processes. To prevent these issues, the water needs to be demineralised which requires the removal of any potentially problematic components.
We recently engaged Earth Tech Engineering to investigate the different technologies used to demineralise water and to evaluate these technologies based on capital and operating costs and the discharge of waste streams to trade waste.
The investigation found that there were three technologies used by industry, water softening with ion exchange, water demineralisation with ion exchange and water demineralisation using reverse osmosis and that each of these technologies was particularly effective to certain applications.
For further information on the report please click here.
A cost model was also developed by Earth Tech Engineering for off the shelf demineralisation systems, and was applied to a number of our customers. This was required to gain insight as to the capital, operating and environmental costs associated with the various systems. By replacing the water softening system and converting the system to reverse osmosis significant reductions in total dissolved solids were achieved. More information on the cost model can be found by clicking here.