About the author:
Sara Myers is associate editor of iWWD. Myers can be reached at [email protected].
From the time I started at Industrial Water & Wastes Digest to now, food and beverage applications have been some of the most interesting content I have come across.
I have written about numerous topics ranging from eggs to candy to drinking water.
One topic I have written about more than a handful of times is the use of the treated wastewater in breweries, and in March, Heineken pledged to reduce water use. In water stressed areas around the world, the company plans to replenish and treat all the water it uses for brewing by 2030.
Water is important for brewing beer, which is 95% water, but lowering water usage will not be enough. The brewer urged major water users across industries to focus on replenishing the water they use.
Last September, in Boise, Idaho, Pure Water Brew Boise launched a pilot program that converts wastewater into drinking water that will be given to five local breweries. The process to turn wastewater into drinking water provided Barbarian Brewing, Lost Grove Brewing, Longdrop Cider and Mad Swede Brewing water for the event.
The process begins with ultrafiltration to eliminate 99.99% of bacteria, followed by reverse osmosis to remove metals, minerals and salts. Next, the wastewater undergoes ultraviolet disinfection and advanced oxidation. Samples are tested during every step of the process. Finally, chlorine is added to the treated wastewater before it is sent to the breweries.
While there are not any articles pertaining to beer in this Food & Beverage special edition of iWWD, there are a number of articles relating to aeration, pumps and odor control. Are there any food and beverage applications we have not covered that you would like to see? Let us know by sending an email to [email protected] or emailing me directly at [email protected].