Environmental awareness and sustainability in Australia is fast becoming a critical aspect of doing business and companies must take this into account when working on projects that may have damaging effects on the environment.

In the construction industry, concrete placement often produces bi-products such as water containing high pH levels and solids. When this is discharged onsite in an uncontrolled manner and into the local water systems, it can have potentially harmful impacts.

Condev Construction understand this hazard when operating with an environmentally sensitive building product such as concrete and have continuously strived to work to world’s best practice with environmental processes, designs and equipment. Hence, Condev Construction sought the assistance and expertise of PR Water, in search of a solution to some of these environmental issues they were facing.

  • Lyndon Jones, Water Solutions Manager at PR Water said “We were approached by Condev Construction to find a solution to the high pH levels and solids issues they have onsite and immediately PR Water put forward the Roadside Concrete Wash Water unit.”
  • “PR Water is the Authorised Australian Distributor for Siltbuster Water Solution products and as a result we have access to equipment and expertise from the UK’s leading authority on water treatment and silt pollution prevention for the construction industry.”

The RCW has been specifically designed to capture and treat waste water generated as a result of the process of washing concrete delivery trucks. Traditionally many companies simply hose the contents of the concrete trucks and discharge the contaminated water containing high Alkaline (high pH), causing detrimental damage to the environment.

  • The RCW eliminates this from occurring with its two stage process whereby the contaminated water is separated and dewatered of concrete solids waste and then its automatic carbon dioxide pH adjustment system neutralises the high pH wastewater down to approximately 6.5 to 8.5 pH, a safe level for discharge into the environment.
  • Battery operated, compact and requiring minimal manual input, the RCW enables Cement Trucks to easily and conveniently drive alongside the RCW and wash there cement chute.
  • The process of eliminating the pH and solids is performed without any further steps by the Truck driver who simply lets the RCW do its thing.

Paul Fullwood Compliance Manager at Condev Construction said “In Australia the concrete industry produces 8.9 million tonnes of cement and 23.9 Million cubic metres of pre-mixed concrete every year. On average a concrete truck chute wash generates 20 litres of high pH wash water and 5 litres of waste concrete, so the capabilities of the RCW is critical.”

Although the high pH problem is not new, companies like Condev Construction actively investigate and implement more effective ways of eliminating and preventing environmental issues such as the one discussed earlier and by doing so are ensuring generations to come can enjoy a healthy and sustainable world to live in.

Visit our YouTube page to view videos on the RCW and other equipment.