Powder Coating Wash Water Recycling in Dallas-Fort Worth

3 days ago

3 min read

Updated: 24 hours ago

Dallas · Fort Worth · Arlington · Alliance · Denton

Why recycle your wash water instead of hauling it?

CPR Systems builds closed-loop, zero-discharge pretreatment systems for Dallas-Fort Worth powder coaters and metal fabricators. Wash, filter and reuse your cleaner/coater and rinse water instead of paying to haul it or permit it.

Zero discharge: no process wash water to the sewer or a hauler.
Chemistry recycled: single-step cleaner/coater is captured, filtered and reused.
Running in Texas: CPR systems operate in Terrell, Victoria, Austin, Houston, Wichita Falls and Brookston, TX.

What is a Dallas-area fabricator expecting to save?

A Dallas-area metal fabricator started up a CPR system in October 2026 running a Caterpillar-approved pretreatment process. The shop was spending over $150,000 a year on thinner and had five people wiping parts by hand. The owner expects the closed loop to bring that down to one operator and under $5,000 a year in chemistry. Read the full story.

Why are DFW wash lines getting more scrutiny?

New plants around Fort Worth and the Alliance corridor are pulling in suppliers who need finishing capacity. Every new wash line also means a new conversation with the local wastewater utility.

City of Dallas: Dallas Water Utilities requires significant industrial users to obtain and maintain an industrial waste discharge permit, with inspections and sampling.
City of Fort Worth: Fort Worth Pretreatment Services requires new facilities to apply for a wastewater permit at least 90 days before discharging process wastewater.
With a closed loop: your wash water never leaves the building, so there is no process discharge to permit, sample or haul.

How do Dallas and Fort Worth compare?

	Dallas	Fort Worth	CPR closed loop
Who permits you	Dallas Water Utilities Pretreatment Program	Fort Worth Pretreatment Services	No wash water discharge to permit
Who needs a permit	Significant industrial users, including categorical metal finishers	Significant industrial users	Check with your utility about documenting zero-discharge status
When to start	Contact the program before construction	Apply at least 90 days before discharging	Spray wand systems typically set up in 2 days, including training
Ongoing	Inspections, sampling, reporting	Permit conditions, monitoring, renewal 90 days before expiry	Filter changes and chemistry checks

More detail: Powder coating wash water disposal in Texas: TCEQ and pretreatment rules

How does the CPR closed loop work?

Wash: hot, high-pressure spray with a single-step phosphate cleaner/coater.
Capture: the wash bay floor collects every gallon of solution.
Filter and reclaim: solids and oils are removed; the chemistry stays in solution.
Reuse and rinse: clean solution returns to the wand, followed by the rinse your spec calls for, and a seal coat where required.

See the systems: manual spray wand systems and automated stage washers.

Can Caterpillar suppliers in North Texas recycle their pretreatment?

Yes. Caterpillar approves more than one pretreatment process. CPR systems can run a CAT-approved iron phosphate with a tap water rinse, or the higher tier with an approved phosphate, RO rinse and seal coat. Either way the chemistry is reclaimed in the loop to cut water use, chemical spend and waste hauling. Our newest Dallas-area install runs the CAT-approved tap-rinse process today. We support suppliers around CAT operations in Fort Worth, DeSoto, Denison, Sherman and Mabank.

Who do we work with in DFW?

Powder coating job shops: cut hauling costs and permit headaches on every rack you run.
Metal fabricators: replace solvent wiping and bring powder coating in-house, with control over finish quality and lead time.
OEM finishing lines: add or expand a wash line without adding a discharge.
Suppliers to new plants: get finishing capacity in place as AllianceTexas and Fort Worth plants ramp.

Which parts of the Metroplex do we serve?

Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Garland, Irving, Carrollton, Denton, Terrell and the Alliance corridor, with installs and support across Texas. Red pins show CPR systems in operation; gold pins show our DFW service area.

Frequently asked questions

Does a small powder coating shop need a permit in Dallas?

Usually, yes. Under EPA's definition, users subject to categorical standards such as metal finishing count as significant industrial users regardless of flow, and Dallas requires significant industrial users to hold a permit.

How early do I need to apply for a Fort Worth wastewater permit?

At least 90 days before you start discharging process wastewater, and at least 90 days before an existing permit expires.

Can a closed loop meet Caterpillar pretreatment requirements?

Yes. CPR systems can run either CAT-approved process: an iron phosphate with a tap water rinse, or the higher tier with an RO rinse and seal coat. A Dallas-area fabricator runs the tap-rinse process on a CPR system today.