Dewatering equipment uses centrifugal motion and vacuum to separate solids from water. Dewatering equipment is widely used in waste management to reduce solids handling and disposal costs that are charged based on unit weight. Weight percentages of water in solid wastes bound to landfills or raw wastewater sludges can double or triple costs for removal and treatment.

Dewatering systems can be cheaper than heat-drying systems, depending on the solid type and size of the operation. This is because the cost of powering an oven or microwave may be higher than the cost of powering a motor or a pump. Dewatering systems can also be more easily integrated into a production line. Dewatering is generally used as a preliminary method in applications that require high levels of water extraction. This is then followed by heat drying or digestion.