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<br />'0"{)'0"3"3"9 <br /> <br />CHAPTER 2. INDUSTRIAL WATER <br /> <br />Present Use <br /> <br />Records on Industrial water use are sketchy. The most complete <br />data is avai lable from a survey made by the Nebraska Department of <br />Health in 1968 as a part of the water pollution control program. Data <br />was obtained from 563 firms. This section is based upon an analysis <br />of that data. <br /> <br />One hundred-two of the firms surveyed were sand and gravel produ- <br />cers. Water usage by these plants was not obtained during the survey <br />nor were estimates subsequently made. Nearly al I the water required <br />for their operations is returned to the source of supply. <br /> <br />Some water use data were obtained on the remaining 461 plants. <br />Three hundred-fifty one of these are engaged in food processing with <br />meat producers heading the list with 263 plants. The plants varv in <br />size from an average ki I I of a few head of livestock a week to over <br />4,000 head per day. Nearly 200 have an average ki I I of less than 5 <br />head per day, many serving a single retai I outlet. Fourteen firms <br />report an average ki I I in excess of 500 head per day. The smal I plants <br />are loca-teo -tnro\lgno\l"'t -the S"'ta-te "hI Ie "'the large ?\a!\ts are locateo <br />near population centers or in areas where liv9stock feeding operations <br />are concentrated. <br /> <br />Fifty-one firms process dairy products. These are scattered through- <br />out the State In about the same intensity as population. Other food is <br />processed in 37 plants, four of which are sugar processors. Sugar <br />processing requires large amounts of water during the operating season <br />of four months. All the sugar processing plants now operating are <br />located in the North Platte Val ley. The other 33 food processing plants <br />are distributed widely over the State, with a number located in and <br />near Omaha. <br /> <br />Eight fertil izer manufacturing plants have located in the State <br />during recent years. Five of these are located in the Big Blue River <br />Basin. They require moderate to large quantities of water depending <br />upon the type of operation. <br /> <br />Over 330 industrIal firms obtain their wa-ter requirements from <br />municipal systems. Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Norfolk, McCook, and <br />Nebraska City furnish the water requirements for ~st of the industrial <br />firms in their communities. The remaining 130 firms have private wel Is <br />and/or surface diversions to meet their requirements. A summary of <br />industrial firms by basins, source of water supplies, and amount of <br />water provided from private systems is shown in Table 6. The water <br />usage was estimated for each firm by ap?lying a liberal water use rate <br />to the plant capacity. It was assumed that water requirements for <br />industrial firms connected to municipal systems are included in the <br />municipal requirements shown in Chapter 1. <br /> <br />18 <br />