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Water management in commercial laundries
Water, a vital resource.
Water is a precious and finite resource that is often overlooked. Recent global challenges, from the pandemic to rising living costs, have diverted attention from the importance of water conservation. Yet, with climate change bringing extreme weather and population growth increasing demand, prioritizing water management is crucial. Researchers predict that by 2050, nearly half the world's population will face water scarcity.
At Ecolab, we believe in the power of water conservation to ensure everyone has access to this vital resource.
Ecolab 3R approach for commercial laundries
This principle applies to commercial laundries. Following Ecolab’s multi-step approach to water management — Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle — is the best way to optimize water usage in commercial laundries with lowest investment.
Reduce by optimizing Washing Processes and Water Consumption
Our initial focus is on optimizing the wash process and reducing water consumption through the implementation of innovative washing solutions and advanced machine setups. By utilizing high-efficiency chemicals that facilitate quicker rinsing and leveraging our extensive expertise to precisely manage the overall water flow, we achieve lowest consumptions on tunnel washers and washer-extractors while maintaining washing and rinsing quality.
Reuse water
At Ecolab, we’ve made saving water simple and smart. Our systems capture, filter, and intelligently reuse water in the process, all while keeping colors separate and efficiently distributing it across machines. Our solution, while cutting your laundry’s water usage by up to 50% without compromising on quality and cleanliness, is easy to install, pays for itself quickly, and reduces your operational costs.
Comprehensive Water Recycling
The ultimate step of our water management strategy is water recycling through effluent treatment and recirculation. Given the higher costs associated with this process, it is essential to first focus on reducing and reusing process water volumes. This approach minimizes both investment and ongoing operational costs.
Achieve lower water consumption by prioritizing the 'reuse' phase before moving to the recycling stage
Ecolab’s multi-step approach allows us to develop customized solutions based on individual laundry needs.
How water and energy are interlinked
Adopting a nexus approach especially highlights the importance of the water-energy component. We see increasingly that operations cannot adequately decarbonize without understanding the essential role of water, particularly as an energy transfer medium.
In the commercial laundry industry, a straightforward principle holds true: the less water we need to heat, the less energy we consume. While we look ahead to a future powered by “free” energy from finishing areas or renewable sources, water still needs to undergo pre-treatment, pumping, and post-treatment. Consequently, the cheapest and most eco-friendly water is the water you don't use.
The following case study showcases significant reductions in total water and energy costs achieved through Ecolab’s solutions, along with enhanced textile hygiene and whiteness.
Case study: water and energy cost reduction with improved hygienic and whiteness textile quality at a European Commercial Laundry
A commercial laundry in Europe processes 20 tons of workwear daily, operating two tunnels and multiple washer extractors. Ecolab was tasked to reduce water and energy consumption while improving the hygienic quality and whiteness of the textiles.To address these challenges, we leveraged our in-depth knowledge of laundry water management by integrating our process water filtration solution and our digitally managed press water reuse system into the wash process. This solution, featuring precise color management, resulted in significant cost savings while maintaining textile whiteness.
Our solution led to better rinsing quality and lower freshwater use in tunnels for the customer. Plus, our innovative approach allowed filtered water reuse in washer-extractors, boosting further water savings.
By recovering energy in the wash cycle and reducing freshwater consumption, operational costs were significantly reduced. Ecolab’s solutions resulted in saving 4.5 liters of water per kilogram of laundry, achieving approximately 40% freshwater savings. Additionally, energy savings reached 0.15 kWh per kilogram of laundry, equating to about 10% energy reduction. This translated into avoiding 140 tons of CO2 emissions annually and water and energy savings of close to €100,000* a year for this single laundry.
*Based on an energy tariff of €70/MWh and a water tariff of €1.78/m3.