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newsletter spring/summer 2000 |
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Site Visit
Story-Got Milk? Or Other Water Waste?
Story:
Imagine getting a call out of nowhere that ends up helping
you discover ways to reduce water use at your company. That's
what happened to Pride of Main Street Dairy in Sauk Centre
when, MnTAP food processing specialist, John Polanski called.
MnTAP recognizes that biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD) and phosphorus loading in wastewater are problems
for dairies. In an effort to help, John contacted fluid dairies
around the state to see who might be interested in assistance.
"At first when John called I didn't have
any interest," said Marv Hinnenkamp, plant manager at Pride
of Main Street. "Then we started to discuss reducing water
and
I thought it would be interesting to see what we could come
up with."
Over the course of eight meetings in eight
months, John helped the seven-employee company discover ways
to reduce water use.
Results: The company decided to remove
an old, leaking half pint filling machine. In order to reduce
product loss when unloading cream from tanker trucks, the
dairy started using air to flush excess cream from the hose
into a storage silo. Now no residual product empties down
the drain, causing increased BOD.
"A dairy uses a lot of water," said Hinnenkamp.
"We've taken our water use from 70-some thousand gallons down
to the mid-40s." Between water and sewer costs, the dairy
is saving over $3,000 a year.
Prevention Tips: Think about establishing
a team to identify ways to reduce waste at your facility.
Input with a different perspective can shed new light on entrenched
waste-producing practices.
Hinnenkamp notes that employees now pay
attention to turning off the lights and the boiler as soon
as they are not needed. Staff are much more aware of waste
and trying to prevent it as a result of working with John.
Request a visit from a MnTAP engineer or
scientist to get suggestions customized for your operation
or to set up a pollution prevention team, call 612.624.1300.
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