Plant Utilities worked example

Utility Water Treatment Cost at 99% water routed through treatment: a worked example

This scenario runs the utility water treatment cost calculation on the strong side: 99% water routed through treatment, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when reviewing utility water treatment cost for a utility budget, maintenance priority, capacity check, energy project, or production support plan.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Treated water volume: 900 kgal (unchanged)
  • Chemical and softener cost: 3.8 $ / kgal (unchanged)
  • Water routed through treatment: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 95)
  • Lab testing and regeneration cost: 450 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total utility water treatment cost = treated water volume × chemical and softener cost × water routed through treatment + lab testing and regeneration cost) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3,836 $ for total utility water treatment cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4.26 $ / item for cost per item or period.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3,386 $ for variable utility water treatment cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 450 $ for fixed utility adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where water routed through treatment sits at 95% and the headline result is 3,699 $, this scenario comes in 3.7% above the baseline at 3,836 $.
  • Use it for monthly consumables budgeting, when comparing treatment vendors, or when a rise in cost-per-kgal hints at a dosing or feedwater-quality problem. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Total utility water treatment cost: 3,836 $ (headline result)
  • Cost per item or period: 4.26 $ / item
  • Variable utility water treatment cost: 3,386 $
  • Fixed utility adder: 450 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Utility Water Treatment Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.