Concrete Washout Water Best Practices

September 11, 2021
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Water is a precious resource that we all must work together to protect. That includes following water restrictions that are designed to conserve water and recycling water when we can. It also includes implementing sustainable solutions on the job. Following the concrete washout water best practices we are about to mention is a step in the right direction. You can take it one step further by bringing a portable wastewater filtration system onto every jobsite with you so you can ensure you’re not wasting any water.

Use as little water as possible.

When washing out the concrete drum and tools associated with the job, use as little water as possible. There’s no need to completely soak or drench the equipment. Use as much as is needed to get the equipment clean, and no more. The less water used, the easier it is to allow water evaporation to take place. Then you can simply dispose of the solids.

 

Keep in mind that in some cases, you may not be able to clean certain equipment, like your chute, at a jobsite due to environmental restrictions.

 

Collect washout water in a designated space.

Washout water should be collected in a designated container that is not at risk of leaking and entering waterways. Most often, this rinse out water is pumped back into the drum or cement trucks are equipped with containers. The washout water is brought back to the plant or shop to be treated or used to make fresh concrete.

 

Don’t dispose of washout water into a stream, river, or other body of water.

It goes without saying, but you shouldn’t dispose of untreated concrete washout water into waterways. Do not dump water near a waterway in which the wastewater could seep from the ground into the waterway and pollute the body of water. The Clean Water Act aims to keep our waterways clean by putting restrictions on disposal without a permit. In some instances, you may be advised that you can dump a small amount of wastewater. However, we would advise against this and instead encourage you to utilize a portable filtration system onsite. More on this later…keep reading.

 

Train your team.

This may be the most important step of all–train your team! It doesn’t help to know best practices for washout and disposal if they aren’t being used.

 

Invest in a portable solution.

Investing in a portable wastewater solution, like the Full Circle Water MudHen, is the best way to ensure that you are safely treating and disposing of concrete washout water. It also eliminates a number of problems you may have with washout water, like bringing washout water from the jobsite to your facility. What happens when your drum or container is full? This isn’t something you’ll need to worry about if you can clean your water onsite. And depending on the job, you may not be able to use washout water in your batch of concrete, so you’ll have to treat the water anyway.

 

Constantly hauling washout water to a treatment facility can get expensive–why not just treat the water yourself? Portable wastewater filtration systems like the MudHen or our trailer plants move with you. They are designed to work in the field with no fuss, and our portable trailer plants have everything you need for chemical dosing, pH balancing, and more onsite.

 

If you’re ready to take the next step and invest in a portable filter press, fill out our contact form and we will reach out to you with more information.


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