The modern refineries typically release cooling water cleaner than the water they take in, if they have any release at all.
I was mainly referring to the smell.
“The modern refineries typically release cooling water cleaner than the water they take in, if they have any release at all.”
Nope.
Industrial cooling tower water systems constantly release a percentage of the circulated water as purge. The purge controls the build up of contaminants in the closed system.
That’s exactly what you do to your car glycol cooling system. The “purge” is intermittent every thousands or miles or number of years, recommended by the manufacturer. Draining, flushing and replacing with fresh 50% glycol fill.
Some plants use potable water for cooling tower systems. No way that the cooling water will come out cleaner. IOW, good for human consumption as the same potable water used to fill cooling systems.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/pdfs/cooling3.pdf
Once-through cooling water systems such as river water and seawater are different animals.