An industrial water-treatment quotation can only be as useful as the information behind it. Sending suppliers a request for “a water-treatment plant” without feedwater data, operating requirements or a target water specification often produces proposals that cannot be compared properly and may not solve the actual process requirement.
A strong industrial water-treatment RFQ should define the source water, available water analysis, required flow and daily output, operating hours, target water quality, application, utilities, site constraints and discharge requirements. These inputs allow suppliers and engineering teams to evaluate the treatment process instead of guessing from capacity alone.
Why Industrial Water Treatment RFQs Need More Than Capacity
Capacity is important, but it is only one part of the specification.
A system producing the same nominal volume of treated water can require a very different treatment train depending on:
- feedwater chemistry;
- suspended-solids loading;
- hardness and scaling tendency;
- dissolved salts;
- required finished-water quality;
- process operating hours;
- peak demand;
- available storage;
- site utilities; and
- waste-stream constraints.
That is why equipment should not be selected from a flow figure in isolation.
- Define the Industrial Application
The first section of an RFQ should explain where the treated water will be used.
Potential applications may include:
- process-water preparation;
- equipment wash water;
- boiler or cooling-system make-up where applicable;
- manufacturing processes;
- food or production facilities where project standards apply;
- utility-water systems;
- reuse applications;
- general industrial services; or
- another process-specific requirement.
The phrase “industrial water” does not define the required quality. The end use should determine the treatment objective.
- Identify the Feedwater Source
State clearly where the incoming water originates.
Examples include:
- municipal supply;
- groundwater;
- borewell water;
- surface water;
- seawater;
- brackish water;
- process water;
- treated wastewater; or
- a combination of sources.
If the source changes seasonally or the facility may switch between sources, include that information as well. A system designed around one water condition may require different treatment provisions if the feedwater changes materially.
- Provide a Relevant Water Analysis
A recent laboratory analysis is one of the most useful documents an industrial buyer can include with an RFQ.
The exact parameters required depend on the water source and application, but the objective is to give the technical team enough information to understand what treatment challenges are present.
Depending on the project, relevant information can include:
- total dissolved solids;
- conductivity;
- hardness;
- alkalinity;
- pH;
- chloride;
- sulphate;
- silica;
- iron and manganese;
- turbidity;
- suspended solids;
- organic loading where relevant;
- microbiological parameters where relevant; and
- other process-specific contaminants.
This is not a universal laboratory schedule. The test programme should match the source and treatment objective.
Engineering procurement insight: If the water analysis is missing, suppliers may be forced to make assumptions. Those assumptions can differ between quotations, meaning two apparently similar offers may actually be based on different feedwater conditions.
- Define Flow, Daily Output and Operating Hours Separately
These three values should not be confused.
Flow rate describes how quickly water needs to be treated at a particular operating condition.
Daily output describes the total amount of treated water required over a day.
Operating hours indicate how long the plant is expected to run to meet that demand.
A facility with significant storage may be able to produce water over a longer period, while a process with direct high-flow demand may require a different arrangement.
Where the demand changes throughout the day, provide the load profile if available.
- Specify the Required Treated-Water Quality
The RFQ should state what quality the system is expected to deliver.
Where possible, define measurable water-quality parameters rather than subjective descriptions such as:
- “very clean water”;
- “high-quality water”;
- “pure process water”; or
- “best water quality”.
If the treated water feeds equipment supplied by another OEM, obtain that equipment’s inlet-water specification where possible.
The treatment system can then be evaluated against a defined process requirement.
- Do Not Specify RO Unless the Requirement Justifies It
Industrial buyers often request an RO plant because reverse osmosis is widely recognised. However, an RFQ should allow the treatment requirement to drive the technology decision.
A complete treatment train could involve:
- media or cartridge filtration;
- activated carbon;
- water softening;
- ultrafiltration;
- reverse osmosis;
- ion exchange;
- chemical dosing;
- disinfection; or
- other treatment processes.
RO may be appropriate when dissolved constituents need to be reduced, but it should not automatically replace a proper water-quality assessment.
RBC Engineering’s broader water treatment equipment information provides the main commercial route for industrial and utility treatment requirements.
- Include Pretreatment in the Scope Discussion
Where membranes or other sensitive downstream processes are involved, pretreatment can be central to reliable operation.
The purpose of pretreatment is to condition feedwater before the main treatment stage. Depending on the water, this could involve controlling suspended material, hardness, oxidants, scale-forming constituents or other conditions that affect downstream equipment.
Buyers should therefore ask whether the proposal includes:
- all required pretreatment stages;
- associated pumps;
- filters and vessels;
- chemical dosing where needed;
- instrumentation;
- control logic;
- backwashing provisions; and
- maintenance access.
- Explain Site Utilities and Constraints
A technically suitable process still has to fit the real facility.
Provide information on:
- available electrical supply;
- water pressure at the feed point;
- available floor area;
- height restrictions;
- indoor or outdoor installation;
- ambient conditions;
- access for delivery and replacement;
- drainage;
- chemical-storage limitations;
- existing tanks;
- pipe connection points; and
- future expansion expectations.
If the equipment must be installed inside an operating plant, include shutdown, access or working-hour restrictions that may affect installation and commissioning.
- Define Reject, Backwash and Waste-Stream Requirements
Every treatment process has material and water balances that need to be understood.
Depending on the selected technology, the system may produce:
- filter backwash;
- RO concentrate;
- regeneration waste;
- chemical-cleaning waste;
- sludge; or
- another treatment residual.
The RFQ should tell the supplier what discharge or collection infrastructure is available and identify any known project constraints.
Do not assume these streams can simply be sent to the nearest drain.
- Define Monitoring and Automation Requirements
Industrial plants may require anything from basic local indication to more advanced monitoring and control.
Depending on the project, the RFQ can identify requirements for:
- flow measurement;
- pressure monitoring;
- conductivity monitoring;
- tank-level control;
- alarms;
- automatic flushing;
- chemical-dosing interlocks;
- local control panels;
- remote monitoring; or
- integration with a wider plant control system where required.
Do not request unnecessary automation simply because it appears sophisticated. Controls should support the actual operating model.
- Clarify Commissioning and Handover Scope
The RFQ should state what is expected after equipment delivery.
This can include:
- installation supervision or installation scope;
- pre-commissioning checks;
- initial start-up;
- equipment settings;
- operator familiarisation;
- water sampling or performance verification where required;
- operation and maintenance documentation;
- recommended consumables;
- spare-parts information; and
- handover documentation.
RBC Engineering’s current engineering services information includes installation, maintenance and repair support for water-treatment systems.
Industrial Water Treatment RFQ Summary
| RFQ Input | Information to Provide |
| Application | What the treated water will be used for. |
| Feedwater | Source and available laboratory analysis. |
| Demand | Flow, daily output and operating hours. |
| Output quality | Required treated-water parameters. |
| Site | Space, environment, access and utilities. |
| Controls | Monitoring, alarms and integration requirements. |
| Waste streams | Reject, backwash or discharge constraints. |
| Commercial scope | Supply, installation, commissioning, training and maintenance requirements. |
RBC Engineering project insight: The best industrial RFQ does not try to perform the supplier’s engineering in advance. It defines the operating requirement clearly enough for technically different proposals to be evaluated against the same project conditions.
What to Include in Your Project Enquiry
- project and facility location;
- industrial process or application;
- feedwater source;
- laboratory water analysis;
- required flow;
- daily treated-water requirement;
- operating hours;
- target water quality;
- storage requirements;
- site footprint;
- available electrical and utility services;
- indoor or outdoor installation;
- automation requirements;
- reject or discharge information;
- existing treatment equipment;
- future expansion requirements; and
- required installation, commissioning and maintenance scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is most important in an industrial water-treatment RFQ?
The most important inputs are feedwater quality, required output quality, flow, daily production, operating hours and the intended application. Site constraints and waste-stream requirements should also be included.
Can suppliers quote an industrial RO plant without a water analysis?
A preliminary budget discussion may be possible, but a final technical selection should not rely on capacity alone. Feedwater chemistry affects pretreatment, membrane selection, cleaning requirements and overall system configuration.
Should I specify a treatment technology in my RFQ?
If your consultant or process specification already defines the technology, include it. Otherwise, defining the treatment objective may allow suppliers to propose the most appropriate process rather than forcing an unsuitable technology.
Why should operating hours be included?
Operating hours help establish how plant production capacity relates to daily water demand and storage. They also provide useful information about the expected duty of pumps, membranes, filters and other equipment.
Should an RFQ include reject-water requirements?
Yes. If a treatment process creates concentrate, backwash or another residual stream, the project needs to consider how it will be handled. This can affect plant layout and overall scope.
What documents should be requested at handover?
Requirements vary by project, but buyers commonly need operating instructions, maintenance information, equipment data, recommended consumables and spare-parts details. Project-specific commissioning or test records should also be defined where required.
Discuss Your Industrial Water Treatment Requirements
If your facility requires an industrial water-treatment system, prepare the available water analysis, required production, target quality and site information before requesting a final equipment proposal. Contact RBC Engineering to discuss your water-treatment requirements and the technical information needed for the next stage.