Service water
Process water (often referred to as service water or industrial water called) is water that a specific technical, commercial, agricultural or serves home-business application. In contrast to drinking water, process water is not intended for human consumption, but it should meet a certain minimum level of hygiene . In any case, it must meet the technological requirements of the respective process. For example, the cooling water must be such that the cooling units are not clogged with algae or lime. In some cases, the water has to be purified very extensively (e.g. fully demineralized water for the operation of steam turbines ).
The term used water, which is still often heard today, is technically fuzzy and should be avoided in the interests of precise expression. The term process water does not appear in the German Drinking Water Ordinance of May 21, 2001 and it is usually avoided in the official languages of Austria and Switzerland .
Manufacturers and consulting engineers of process water technology are united in the “Fachvereinigung Betriebs- und Regenwassernutzen eV” (fbr).
Separation of industrial and drinking water supplies
Separate operating and drinking water supplies are particularly common in industry . In the communal area, there is usually no provision for a service water supply that is separate from the drinking water. However, an increasing number of private households are installing such installations on their own initiative. It already makes sense today to provide a service water supply when building new buildings or modernizing them . This could then with increasing water and wastewater costs with gray water z. B. to flush toilets and with rainwater can also be used for washing clothes. If the costs are taken into account realistically, there are usually no cost savings for individual residential buildings under the current framework conditions. For hotel complexes or newly built settlements, however, economic viability can be expected.
Basically, it must be taken into account that the amount of the best drinking water that is actually required makes up only a fraction of the total water consumption . If a second water system is installed for residential buildings , the greatly reduced consumption of drinking water causes only a small turnover. Therefore, the water in the pipes can heat up, which makes it easier for germs to develop and the tap water can lose its quality as drinking water.
See also
- water-tank
- Water distribution system , water treatment
- Hot water , process heat , frost protection
- Extinguishing water , extinguishing water supply