Just implementing small measures to improve oil cleanliness can have a dramatic impact on equipment life.  For example, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), a 70% reduction in engine wear was obtained by filtering engine oil at 15 microns instead of 40 microns.  In an industrial application, reducing particles larger than 10 microns from 1,000 per liter to 100 per liter can effectively increase the operating life of a machine to over five times the normal operating life span.

Water is another critical contaminant.  It is a primary lubricant degrader.  Its destructive force is augmented when it is combined with iron or copper in systems.  Water causes breakdown due to oxidation and precipitation of oil additives.  In addition, an oil's viscosity can be changed which can cause increased wear and protective failure.  This can also lead to corrosion and fatigue.  Even very small amounts of water can have a serious impact on an operating system.