Water treatment can be a tricky and nuanced category to purchase for due to the different offerings in the marketplace. On the surface, the costs can seem to add up quickly.
Industrial water treatment is when the properties of water systems used for heat transfer are adjusted, through mechanical or chemical means, for the purpose of preventing the waste of water, energy, and materials.
The goal of a water treatment vendor is to provide the equipment, chemical products, and services necessary. This is done to prolong equipment life, prevent failures, and lower the overall operating costs including utilities.
These four key facts about water treatment will give you the information to more effectively purchase for your organization.
When purchasing water treatment services, there are some operating parameters that are within our control. These can include condensate return ratios, deaerator effectiveness, and cycles of concentration.
Think of these parameters like shutting off all water taps when they are not in use or turning off the lights when you are not in a room.
This is exactly why fixed-rate contracts are not advantageous. Increasing operating costs highlights these bad practices and becomes the driver to correct these controllable factors. This leads to decreased costs across multiple categories, decreased impact on the environment, and increased efficiency.
Some operating parameters are NOT within our control. There is a relationship between the number of cooling degree days during the cooling season and water treatment cost. There is also a relationship between increased production and the cost of water treatment.
Developing budget ranges that are flexible while being accountable will ensure all parties are working towards generating overall savings. Quarterly and annual budget review points are recommended to keep costs as low as possible.
Although many of the active ingredients are similar, every water treatment vendor has their own proprietary recipe for their products. This means that the concentration of the active ingredients are different. Additionally, the amount of each product needed to treat the same system will be different.
Meaning, the price per liter of treatment product is an irrelevant measure of comparison.
Applicable measurements are cost to treat 1000 U.S. gallons of water and cost to treat one million pounds of steam.
However, even these measurements are not cut and dry. There are many technical operating parameters that will drastically affect these measurements.
Many of the technical operating parameters that affect the cost of treating 1,000 U.S gallons of water need to be assumed for budgeting purposes. Therefore, the evaluation of any water vendor’s budget include a thorough assessment and agreement of the assumed operating parameters.
The correct application of treatment products into your water systems should be consistently maintained within the prescribed control limits. It is what will ultimately ensure the desired results. That is why a service program is built into the cost that will assist in applying products into your systems.
The type and level of service program that will bring the best value to your organization is somewhat subjective. It will depend on your industry and the perceived needs at your facility.
Water treatment companies have curated service offerings and developed company processes that will help their key industries succeed. Each vendor’s approach may have pros and cons for your particular organization. This is why it is not advised to rely on creating a detailed scope of work in an attempt to put all service programs in a box.
Think of this like writing a detailed description of an iPhone, and then asking Samsung to meet that spec. The two companies have completely different approaches to meeting a similar goal. Some users prefer one approach over the other.
Instead, consider designing an evaluation process that encourages creativity and innovation. This can be done by allowing water treatment companies to showcase their approach to meeting your company’s objectives.
From their service approach and procedures to their corporate culture and policies, there’s a best fit for every organization.
Service programs’ goal is to assist your facilities/maintenance staff in consistently maintaining the water quality parameters within the control limits. Including your staff in the evaluation process is critical to ensure strong buy-in and trust in the water treatment partner. Your facilities/maintenance staff are typically best suited to evaluate the perceived value of the proposed features of the service program and weigh their significance in relation to the overall cost.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about water treatment management is that the associated cost avoidance is orders of magnitude larger than the value of the program itself. This means that saving a few thousand dollars a year by choosing a water treatment vendor that offers a service program that does not perfectly fit your organization’s needs could easily bleed hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in a combination of other categories.
Penny wise and dollar foolish.
Therefore, the evaluation of water treatment costs should always be a part of a bigger picture.
There should always be a direct link to cost avoidance in other categories when executed properly.
If the costs in the following categories are increasing, take a closer look at your water treatment service program. Evaluate if it is truly the best fit for your organization:
Knowing these few key facts about water treatment will assist any procurement team in working with their facilities/maintenance team to select a water treatment partner that provides the best overall value to the bottom line of their shared organization.
Looking for more information? DuBois’ industry experts are ready to help with all your water treatment services.
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