The industry term for containers used to hold frac fluids is ‘pits.’ Pits have many different functions such as storing produced water, oil, and treatment fluids, as well as containing the burn off of waste oil and emergency overflows. The most important aspect of a pit is its ability to safely store these fluids because if these fluids are not contained, the results can be disastrous for the surrounding environment and the people that live near the oil drill wells. If these fluids are not effectively contained, they can seep directly into the surface water and shallow groundwater. Not only is rectifying the problem a lengthy, costly endeavor but it also affects the health and overall well-being of entire peoples and species.

So, how can we continue to drill for oil while also ensuring that these dangerous fluids do not infiltrate our water supply? The first line of defense against disastrous, widespread pollution is the pit lining. These are extra layers of protection against losing fluid. Additionally, many states have begun mandating that pits used for long-term containment of these kinds of frac fluids be stored away from sources of surface water. The hope is that these pits will be too far away to taint the water supply in case there is accidental fluid discharge.

Before these fluids are stored in the pits, they come out of the ground after hydraulic fracturing as ‘flowback.’ In the same way, frac fluids need to be stored responsibly and the flowback must be handled carefully. Otherwise, the environmental consequences are disastrous. Thanks to improvements in fracturing technology, we are finding newer, safer ways to handle the fluids, as well as, finding different ways to repurpose them. Managed irrigation, for example, is a promising future use for recycled frac fluids. Whether it is for containing or repurposing frac fluids, they must be handled carefully.

Do more for the environment with your Frac Fluid Management Plan. Call Water Cleaning Services at 888.689.7858 for more information.

Before discussing the numerous uses and benefits of using grey water, let’s first talk about what grey water is and is not. Grey water is lightly used water by house appliances like sinks, tubs, and washing machines. It may have small amounts of dirt, grease, hair, or food. More importantly, though, it is NOT water that’s come into contact with feces.

So, what can we do to utilize this grey water, instead of allowing it to become polluting run-off? Well, the easiest way is the use it as your irrigation water in your yard or garden. To plants and the soil they live in, this gently used water is full of necessary, beneficial nutrients. In a sense, grey water is a kind of recycled fertilizer. In contrast, it is dangerous if humans (or animals, for that matter) consume this or it finds its way into the local water supply. That is when grey water becomes pollution, instead of a beneficial way to irrigate a garden or a yard.

Grey water can be piped directly outside. You can use it to water all kinds of foliage from ornamental perennials to fruit trees. As long as the grey water does not come into contact with the fruits or vegetables on the plant, it is perfectly safe to use on plants that grow produce. In order to ensure that the grey water stays ‘gently’ or ‘lightly’ used, make sure that the cleaners that you are using are plant-friendly. For example, cleaners with boron or chlorine bleach should not be used if you are planning to reuse the grey water that your home appliances create as a byproduct. Additionally, grey water must permeate the soil deeply. Allowing it to pool or puddle up on the surface allows it to become stagnant and dangerous. When it does permeate the soil, though, it can reconnect your yard or garden back to a natural water cycle.

Do more for the environment. Make use of the gently used grey water by using it as an irrigation source, instead of letting it pollute our environment. Call Water Cleaning Services at 888.689.7858 for more information.

Our society takes access to safe clean drinking water for granted due to the fact that we assume everyone around us has the same access to clean drinking water as we do, but that is not the case whatsoever. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 3 million every year die due to lack of access to safe drinking water. Unfortunately, more and more reports are concluding that water pipes are becoming contaminated and Water Treatment Plants all over the world are needing to do something to curb preventative diseases and deaths.

There are quite a few reasons why many people are dying due to unsafe drinking water. In addition to lack of a water treatment plant in these communities, according to the WHO:

-1.4 million children of all ages die due to diarrhea

-500,000 have died due to Malaria

– 860,000 children die from malnutrition

-280,000 people have died from drowning in attempts to get access to clean water.

Fortunately, there are efforts to prevent deaths and sicknesses from spreading rapidly in these areas. According to the WHO, access to the “simple latrines” provided by water treatment plants all over the world “prevents drinking water contamination from human waste and reduces infections”. Water treatment plants also suggest that hand washing with soap and clean water can also prevent deaths as well.

Also, another method used by water treatment plants is effectively managing the environment lowers the chances of malaria and other viruses spread by animals living in the water, bugs, and insects.

Water Treatment Plants like Water Cleaning Services located in Midland, TX go through a process that ensures safe and clean drinking water. The process at Water Cleaning Services includes:

-Treating Fractured Returned Fluids

– Flowback Procedure

– Air Rig Drilling Water and Solids Recovery

Visit Water Cleaning services “The Process” page to learn more about the methods they use to clean water in Midland, Texas.

Today’s topic is Grey water.  What exactly is grey water, you may ask?  The simple answer is the somewhat clean water that remains left over after a bath, from your dishes, or washing machine.  It’s all the water that just goes down the drain after you use it. Luckily, the world is beginning to understand that this water we let go has plenty of use left in it!  Let’s explore its uses!

 

How Can I Use Grey water?

 

Obviously, we wouldn’t drink the grey water or wash in it again.  Then what could it possibly be used for?  The number one answer for this is to water your plants!  Grey water provides an amazing alternative to using perfectly clean water from your hose to douse your plants in.  Not only does this help, little by little, in saving the Earth, it assists in saving on your water bill each month as well.

 

What is Warm-up Water?

 

This is related to grey water in the sense that it basically comes before the grey.  Have you ever stood in the shower for more than a minute, cowering in the corner from the icy-cold stream spewing from the faucet?  This water, the water you’re avoiding until it gets warmer, is warm-up water.  Catch it in a large bowl as you wait, and save it for reuse!

 

Greywater Can Be Incorporated into Your Home’s Water System.

 

Assuming it’s allowed in your home (by the rule of a complex or city), the possibility of adding and maintaining a grey water system in your home is a perfectly viable option.  There are ways to tweak your plumbing to create a grey water catch – whether you want to do this with your tub, sink, or washing machine is entirely up to you.  In the most simplistic terms, you would be detaching your pipes from simply releasing the water as waste, and instead catch it in a bucket to use as you please.

 

Dedicate yourself little by little to improving the Earth we stand on!  And if you need to reclaim water in your area, give Water Cleaning Services a call at 888.689.7858 today.

Did you know that most households use around 280 gallons of water a day? With a staggering number like that, you’d think the tap was going to run dry any day now. On top of that, there are more ways to use and create wastewater than turning on a faucet in your home. Industries like natural gas and oil use billions of gallons of water every year. Clean water is a precious resource in our world and being able to reclaim that water is good for people and the environment.

However, with water reclamation, science has found ways of reusing water that has already gone down the drain.

On the other hand, there are more ways to use and create wastewater than turning on a faucet in your home. Industries like natural gas and oil use billions of gallons of water every year. Clean water is a precious resource in our world and being able to reclaim that water is good for people and the environment.

Types of Water

To understand water reclamation, it’s important to first understand the different types of water that exist. In terms of usefulness and cleanliness, there are three types of water and the water that flows in and out of your home will be in one of these stages coming in and another going out.

First, the water that enters a home or comes out of a tap is called white water. Don’t put on your life jacket and get out your paddle just yet, white water coming out of your tap is a bit different than rushing rapids. This refers to the clean, potable, contaminant free water that is coming out of your tap.

Blackwater is what most people think about when someone talks about wastewater. This refers to the soiled water that is being flushed down the toilet which contains fecal matter. There is much being done around the world to reclaim black water at wastewater treatment plants and in the lab.

However, a large portion of waste water is what is called grey water. Grey water is wastewater that does not include significant amounts of fecal matter but, because of small traces of effluent, chemicals, and bacteria, still isn’t potable. This includes water that you use to wash your hands, mop the floor, or do a load of laundry. There are many grey water systems that can reclaim this type of water.

How Big Industries Use Water

Of course, oil and gas industries us a large amount of water when fracturing. Water is mixed with sand and chemicals to create a fracking fluid that helps reduce corrosion in wells, prevents clogs and bacteria growth, stops wells and fractures from closing, and lubricates extraction. The problem is, water used in this way can be lost completely or it can often be returned with potentially harmful chemicals and contaminants. What can be done about that? Fracking Wastewater Treatment

The goal for water reclamation for oil and gas industry jobs is to keep the water in a closed loop so it can be kept and controlled. As a water reclamation company, the process Water Cleaning Services goes through to achieve 75 to 80 percent freshwater recovery per flowback job includes state-of-the-art equipment like an electrocoagulation (EC) unit, two reverse osmosis (RO) units and 3 to 4 tanks. This allows us to maintain proper PH and total dissolved solid levels which help us get the most efficiency out of reverse osmosis. For more, please visit our process page to read about the treatment of fracturing fluid, flowback procedure, and air rig drilling water recovery.