Salvaging Reject Water in Dialysis

Setting/Patient Group: Dialysis Unit

Issue to be addressed:

 Considerable volumes of reject water is lost-to-drain from the production of the dialysate during treatment system, confirmed through the use of simple flow meters. Around 250 litres of ‘reject water’ result from the production of the dialysate required for one treatment.

Intervention:

• Measure volume of reject water being lost-to-drain using flow meters.
• Install a system to recover the reject water at a rate of 800 litres per hour, which can then be recycled for alternative uses such as laundry, sanitation, or low-pressure boiler feed. 

Outcome:

Social

• Reducing water stress

Environmental

• A potential volume of 4,492,000 litres per year of reject water is salvaged each
• Estimated Carbon savings of approximately 764.88 kg CO2e per year

Economic

• Estimated annual financial savings £ 10,481.62 from salvaging reject water
• An added benefit is that the softened water facilitates less detergent use.

Key learning point 

We advocate that every renal unit both in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe considers salvaging reject water as it offers a major opportunity to reduce not only the ecological footprint of the provision of kidney care, but also the financial cost associated with it. It is also important to ensure that the use to which the reject water is put is supported by a back-up mains supply to cover any interruptions.