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<br />. <br /> <br />Project Description and Summary <br /> <br />The City of Golden and Coors Ceramics Company decided to work together toward a <br />common goal of water conservation with the assistance of the Colorado Water Conservation <br />Board. This agreement was reached last spring as the interest and concerns of both parties and <br />the means to accomplish this goal all fell into place. The project was a cooperative effort, <br />outlined and agreed to ahead of time by all parties. Representatives of the City would oversee <br />and monitor progress of the project as it was implemented by representatives of Coors Ceramics. <br /> <br />The water use study was conducted by Mr. Henry DeBooy, a retired Coors engineer who <br />has many years experience and familiarity with the operations and equipment of the plant. <br />Potential water savings were looked at in the following areas: <br />-water loss in washing and rinsing operations; <br />-water loss in the equipment cooling processes; <br />-general housekeeping practices; <br />-redundant piping in the plumbing system and <br />- water use through all phases of product manufacturing. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />It was determined that the single most effective way to reduce potable water consumption was to <br />modify the existing cooling system serving equipment in the west half of the plant. This <br />equipment includes: <br />- various capacity kilns; <br />- multi-ton extruders; <br />- multi-ton hydraulic presses; <br />- air conditioning units. <br /> <br />Presently this system uses potable water at an estimated average of 16 to 18 gallons per minute, <br />or approximately 750,000 gallons per month. The average was derived from flow data of <br />incoming water and outgoing wastewater, from equipment specification rates, the number of <br />machines being cooled at one time and the number of hours per day the equipment is run. Based <br />on current utility billing rates, operation of the flow through system costs the industry $34,836 <br />per year. This is approximately 14.6% of the total cost of water for the entire plant. <br /> <br />Grant funds were applied to the engineering and research costs associated with the cooling water <br />part of the project. Total cost estimate for this phase is $20,000. <br /> <br />The Coors Ceramics Company received approval and is currently proceeding with purchase and <br />installation of a closed loop cooling water system. Estimated completion date is February 6, <br />1998. (See enclosed timeline). Once operational, the new system should realize a guaranteed <br />savings of the total amount of cooling water presently being used under the flow through system. <br />Coors personnel will monitor flow rates prior to and after the system is on line. This follow up <br />data along with project information will be available and on file with the City of Golden <br />Environmental Services Division, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2 <br />