2. Developments in water management technologies for paper mills

Water management in paper mills concerns the following categories of water:

• clear water, which is extracted from the natural environment. It is pumped from groundwater or from rivers running alongside the plants. It undergoes physico-chemical treatment before being decanted or filtered (usually through a sand filter);

• process water, which is the drainage water from the manufacturing fabric, loaded with fibers, fines and fillers. Its concentration in suspended solids can reach several grams per liter. It is also known as "water under the cloth", "bonded water" or "white water";

• and effluents.

The development of water management technologies for paper mills can be divided into three periods