Water Resources Management
FENC water conservation implementations deliver results in the recycling and reclamation of domestic and industrial wastewater.
Water saving measures and performance
Water conservation efforts at FENC focus on reducing water loss caused by the wind drift and evaporation at the cooling tower. With production management and control, the Company aims to increase the concentration of recirculating cooling water, reduce water consumption and construct water recycling and reuse systems to achieve water conservation.The Company’s production business formulates water management plan (including water recycling system) coverage rate of 100%.
Water Conservation Project in 2022
Actual Investment | Water Saved | Percentage of Water Saving | |
Petrochemical | 28,159 | 281,388 | 2% |
Polyester | 11,554 | 275,016 | 5% |
Textile | 82,996 | 718,248 | 23% |
The Company | 122,709 | 1,274,652 | 6% |
| Note：Water saved is calculated by before the project with the same facility and same production procedure. |
The knitting and dyeing plant of FEPV installed a water recycling system in 2022. The system transforms recycled effluent, which is first treated to reach level A discharge standards, into purified water through the RO system. The purified water is then looped back towards the dyeing and finishing process, which reduces water consumption by 596,848 kiloliters annually.
Kuanyin Dyeing and Finishing Plant replaced five low liquor ratio dyeing machines in 2022. Conventional dyeing machines rely on water circulation to operate. The new smart high-temperature dyeing machine with speed control is powered by conveyer belts, which reduces water and energy consumption. The replacement saves NT$1.57 million in water expenses and conserves 45,828 kiloliters of water consumption annually.
Water Recycling and Reuse
Recycled water quantity in 2022 is consistent with that from the previous year at a FENC-wide water recycling rate at 98%.
Water Recycling Rate
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Petrochemical | 98% | 98% | 98% |
| Polyester | 99% | 99% | 99% |
| Textile | 91% | 91% | 93% |
| The Company | 98% | 98% | 98% |
Note: Water recycling rate = total water recycled and reused ÷ (total water withdrawal + total water recycled and reused) × 100% |
Water Recycled and Reused
Unit: megaliter
Circulating Water | Recycled Water | Other | Total Water Recycled and Reused | ||||
Cooling Water | Other | Recycled Water Excluding Reclaimed Water | Reclaimed Water | ||||
| Petrochemical | 2020 | 728,309 | 15,577 | 359 | 2,083 | 292 | 746,620 |
2021 | 704,250 | 16,067 | 346 | 1,782 | 266 | 722,711 | |
2022 | 700,497 | 14,668 | 284 | 1,140 | 262 | 716,851 | |
| Polyester | 2020 | 476,094 | 893 | 896 | 154 | 0 | 478,037 |
2021 | 502,117 | 836 | 741 | 178 | 0 | 503,872 | |
2022 | 491,854 | 859 | 660 | 210 | 0 | 491,367 | |
| Textile | 2020 | 34,858 | 0 | 997 | 928 | 0 | 36,783 |
2021 | 33,106 | 0 | 1,054 | 1,405 | 0 | 35,565 | |
2022 | 39,274 | 0 | 448 | 1,548 | 0 | 41,270 | |
| Total | 2020 | 1,239,261 | 16,470 | 2,252 | 3,165 | 292 | 1,261,440 |
2021 | 1,239,473 | 16,903 | 2,141 | 3,365 | 266 | 1,262,148 | |
2022 | 1,231,625 | 15,527 | 1,392 | 2,898 | 262 | 1,251,704 | |
| Note: 1. Recirculating water refers to water that cannot be discharged after being used within a water unit and is recirculated within the same water unit for reuse. 2. Recycled water refers to water units recycled after being used, discharged and recycled. 3. Other recirculating water includes water from the boiler, production process, turbine condensate and low pressure condensate. Recirculating water at Hsinpu Chemical Fiber Plant and OPTC is from the boiler. At OPTC and WHFE, the recirculating water is recovered from the production process. At OPSC, the turbine condensate and low pressure condensate are the sources of recirculating water. 4. The “Other” category includes produced water which enters the company premise as a result of the production process. |
1. Rainwater Recycling
- Plant 1 of OPTC recycles water through the stormwater pond within its when the testing results meet all water quality standards. Water sources for the pond include water overflown from water features and rainwater within the plant, recycled water from rinsing operation during the later production stages and replacement water from the temporary pond. In 2022, water recycled through this stormwater pond reached approximately 199,000 kiloliters.
- OPSC added a rainwater recycling facility which pumps the water collected in the rainwater pond to the in-house wastewater treatment facility for recycling and reuse. The plant recycled approximately 12,900 kiloliters of rainwater in 2022.
- FEAV takes advantage of the six-month monsoon season in Vietnam. With approximately 15 rainy days a month and 23 kiloliters recycled daily, the plant recycled a total of 2,070kiloliters of water in 2022. The plant also installed a rainwater collection pond with 100kiloliters in capacity in September. It is projected that 5,000 to 9,000 kiloliters of rainwater will be recycled in 2023, and purposes for the recycled water include toilet flushing, landscape irrigation and cleaning canteen floors.
2. Recycling and Reuse
- FEIS recycles the condensate from air compressors, air conditioning and steam. Each year, the plant recycles 50,000 kiloliters of the condensate and saves approximately NT$670,000 in water charges.
3.Reclaimed Water Reuse
- OPSC installed a reclaimed water recycling system. The effluent is treated at the in-house treatment facility and then reused as part of the water supply. The system recycled approximately 750,000 kiloliters of water in 2022.
- Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant used to collect wastewater through a stage one underground collection pond and discharge it directly to the wastewater treatment plant without recycling or reuse. In 2022, the plant retrofitted the wastewater collection pond, separating the storage tank into a wastewater pond and a recycling pond, where the condensate is recycled and looped back to the cooling tower. The plant recycles approximately 1,095 kiloliters of water annually. Its effluent is treated at the in-house treatment facility and then discharged to Shulin River. When the water quality meets testing standards, the effluent is recycled through the RO system and reused for sanitary purposes and for recharging the cooling tower.
Avid Support for Governmental Policies
To support governmental policies and reduce corporate water consumption, all FENC production sites implement the water resources management system, utilizing water conservation technologies and reusing water resources to help the government achieve water conservation goals. OPTC signed a reclaimed water contract with Taoyuan City Government in support of circular economy. Phase one is scheduled for completion in 2024 and OPTC will be consuming approximately 15,000 kiloliters of reclaimed water daily.
