Cost inputs to collect
- Expected shifts and bottles per hour
- Wash, rinse and drying stages required
- Operator time and changeover frequency
- Consumable, water, air and energy assumptions
- Maintenance access and cleaning routine
Utilities planning
Bottle washer water, utilities and drainage guide
A bottle washer is only useful if the site services can support the selected wash stages, output and dry-off requirement.
Confirm utilities against the actual washer configuration
Water, energy and drainage figures should not be guessed. They depend on the selected machine, bottle size, number of stages, output, drying method, water quality and any filtration or reuse arrangement. Use verified manufacturer figures where available and mark unknown values for confirmation at quotation stage.
| Service | What to confirm | Why it affects the project |
|---|---|---|
| Water supply | Availability, pressure, flow, quality and any treatment requirement | Impacts wash consistency and installation planning |
| Drainage | Capacity, connection point, discharge route and site restrictions | Prevents overflow, layout issues and unexpected civil work |
| Compressed air | Required pressure and flow where drying or pneumatic functions are used | Affects dry-off result and cycle stability |
| Power | Voltage, phase, available load and isolator position | Must match the selected machine and controls |
Water reuse and lifecycle cost without unsupported claims
Water-reuse or lifecycle-cost planning can be valuable, but it needs transparent assumptions. Record expected bottles per hour, operating hours, water cost, discharge cost, energy cost, operator time, chemical use and maintenance expectations. Without verified figures, present the calculation structure rather than a generic environmental claim.
- Define the operating hours and line speed
- Separate clean-water use from recirculated or reused water where applicable
- Confirm whether filtration, settling or treatment is required
- Check whether drainage or discharge rules apply on site
Information to send before layout approval
Provide a sketch of where the washer will sit, available services, drain positions, ceiling height, door access, operator side and downstream equipment. If the washer connects to a filler, capper, labeller or conveyor, confirm transfer heights and control interfaces early.
Useful related pages: LU-WB12 automatic washer, wash-and-dry route and send project details.
FAQ
Buyer questions
Can the site publish exact water consumption for every bottle washer?
Only where verified for a defined machine and process. Water use varies with the configuration, bottle size, wash stages and operating conditions.
What drainage details are useful for a bottle washer quote?
Drain location, available fall, connection type, capacity, discharge restrictions and whether any product residue, detergent or caustic process may affect disposal.
Is water reuse always suitable?
Not necessarily. Water reuse depends on residue type, cleaning standard, filtration, water quality, hygiene requirements and site acceptance criteria.
When should compressed air be checked?
Check compressed air when drying, bottle blow-off, pneumatic handling or control functions are part of the selected machine route.
Need this checked against real bottles?
Send bottle photos, dimensions, residue details and the required wash result so Lancing can compare the right machine route.
Send project detailsLifecycle inputs
Build water-reuse and lifecycle-cost comparisons from project inputs, not generic savings claims.
A bottle washer can only be costed properly once the selected route, water quality, output pattern and drainage route are known. Water reuse may be attractive for some applications, but it must be reviewed around filtration, contamination load, rinse quality, cleaning access and local site controls rather than presented as a universal saving.
Water-reuse checks
- Residue or label contamination entering the washer
- Filter or settling requirement where applicable
- Whether final rinse quality affects the product
- Drainage and disposal route for dirty water
- Validation evidence needed before approval
Use the lifecycle cost and water-reuse guide when the business case includes water, operator time, drainage or sustainability reporting.
UK water and discharge boundary
Confirm water suitability and the legal discharge route before freezing the layout.
Incoming water quality, final-rinse requirements, recirculation and drainage are separate decisions. A machine can only be specified correctly when the site identifies which streams contact the bottle, which are reused and where each stream is permitted to discharge.
Water-quality questions
- Source and any site treatment
- Quality requirement for the final product-contact rinse
- Hardness, suspended solids and conditions that could cause spotting or deposits
- Sampling points and monitoring responsibility
- Backflow protection and separation from non-potable/reuse circuits
Drainage and effluent questions
- Expected streams: rinse water, wash liquor, labels, adhesive and solids
- Trade-effluent consent or environmental-permit responsibilities
- Drain capacity, fall, access and bunding
- Segregation and capture before discharge
- Safe emptying, cleaning and maintenance route
See the detailed water-quality and trade-effluent guide for UK authoritative links and a responsibility checklist.