The Donges refinery in France uses over 3 million cubic meters of water in a year. To limit the amount of water tapped from the Cambon water table to meet plant needs, work was begun two years to identify alternative resources and recycling options. A variety of initiatives have been deployed to curb the use of potable water for non-potable applications, which will have the added benefit of freeing the refinery from fluctuations in the cost of potable water. The project consists of:

• Treating boiler water by reverse osmosis. With its excellent purification efficiency, the process will save 150,000 cubic meters of potable water a year and will also enable the use of recycled water. Currently being installed, the osmosis units are scheduled for commissioning in June 2006.
• Modifying the refinery installations to separate rainwater and oily water from processes at the source. Starting in April 2006, oily water is recycled after tertiary treatment, generating a recycling potential of 300,000 cubic meters a year on the osmosis units.
• In winter, pumping of overflow from the Brivet marsh (southern part of the Brière marsh) drainage basin through the Priory canal for subsequent discharge into the estuary. According to studies conducted with the Syndicat des Marais, the marsh conservation agency, the potential is evaluated at 300,000 cubic meters a year. An environmental impact assessment for the wetlands ecosystem has to be performed to confirm the project’s feasibility.
• Designing an industrial wastewater network—currently in the basic engineering phase—to carry effluent from an urban treatment plant. The project is being conducted jointly with other manufacturers in the area, in close cooperation with the local water board.