Proposals were sought for demonstrations of innovative approaches to more efficient use of water and its associated energy in surface finishing and repair industrial operations on DoD installations. This effort seeked to reduce water use or allow safe and cost-effective reuse in all phases of these operations, include cleaning, coating removal, surface preparation, and coating application.

Demonstrations with the following characteristics were preferable:

• Adaptability and applicability across DoD installations to include Army Maintenance Depots, Marine Corps Logistics Bases, Air Force Air Logistics Centers, Naval Fleet Readiness Centers, and Naval Shipyards.
• High calculable water and associated energy savings, in addition to cost savings, as a direct result of the technology.
• Potential for high savings-to-investment ratio (SIR) and short simple payback for deployment after the demonstration.
• A clear pathway to technology adoption.

Industrial operations associated with repair and coating at DoD depots typically involve intensive water use. Examples include dip tanks for washing and preparation prior to coating or plating, as well as water used for cleaning after applications of chemical strippers. The waste water from these applications may contain acids, alkalis, heavy metals, oxidized metals and other chemical residues that must then be treated in energy intensive processes.

DoD sustainability goals require the reduction in the use of both potable and non-potable water. Specific goals are being developed to measure and reduce the use of industrial water. Achieving these goals will require the demonstration of cost-effective and safe alternatives to current DoD practice.