Water Pinch Success Story at Solutia's Krummrich Plant

Abstract

A site-wide water conservation and wastewater minimization study complementing the previous energy study was undertaken by a consulting engineering company specializing in Pinch Analysis for Solutia’s W.G. Krummrich plant in Sauget, Illinois. The 1995 fresh water intake and wastewater effluent for the site were approximately 2400 gpm and 2000 gpm, respectively. The effluent from the plant was treated off-site by two publicly-owned treatment works (POTWs). The total annual cost to Solutia for city water intake and effluent treatment was about $8.5 million/yr. The major objective of the Water Pinch study was to identify practical, technically feasible projects to reduce city water intake and wastewater effluent at the plant, so as to reduce annual operating costs. Twenty-three specific projects were identified from the water Pinch study that would reduce the city water intake by 520 gpm (21%) and wastewater effluent by 580 gpm (29%). Two of these projects involved the recovery of product that was being lost in the wastewater effluent. Annual cost savings to Solutia (post 2001) were estimated to be over $1.6 million/yr from wastewater conservation projects, and $2.5 million/yr from renegotiation of the tariff structure, for a total savings of 48%.