productwater

Product water is a term used across industries to describe water that is generated as a product stream or purified to a specification for sale or use. In water treatment and desalination, product water is the purified output produced by processes such as reverse osmosis, distillation, or deionization. This water is intended for distribution or use in industrial processes and may be described by grade (potable, process, or pharmaceutical) depending on quality targets. Key characteristics include low dissolved solids, low organic content, and controlled chemistry.

Beyond purification, product water may describe water generated by reactions or separation steps. In chemical processing, some processes release water as a product; the stream is evaluated as product water when it meets specification for reuse or sale. In power plants and steam systems, treated condensate returned to the boiler is often called product water after polishing to target quality, enabling reuse in the boiler feedwater loop.

In desalination and general water-treatment operations, product water is the cleaned water produced for distribution, while the concentrate or reject stream carries the impurities. Product water quality is managed by pretreatment, membrane selection, and polishing steps to meet required standards for the intended use.

Quality metrics for product water include conductivity or resistivity, total dissolved solids, silica, chlorides, organic content, and microbial indicators. Standards vary by application; potable product water must meet drinking-water regulations, while process-grade water emphasizes corrosion control and compatibility with equipment.

Economics depend on recovery rate, energy consumption, and pretreatment requirements; higher purity can expand usable applications but raise costs. See also desalination, boiler feedwater, potable water, and condensate polishing.