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Author Topic: Determining Wastewater Info  (Read 2377 times)

Offline scorpiusllc

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Determining Wastewater Info
« on: December 25, 2012, 12:01:08 pm »
Hi all,
Getting ready to open up a 3BBL brewery in southern CO and have been trying to get more information on determining estimated BOD, TSS, TDS, etc. counts. The waste water manager is new to the position in our town and is looking for me to provide all the information on what we expect to be sending down the drain since he is unfamiliar with the brewing process. I have been asking around with all the brewers I know and no other brewery I have talked to has ever had to present this information to their waste water plant manager. Does any one have a source or matrix on determining estimated BOD and TSS counts? Ultimately I think that with the small brewery we are opening we will not be sending a lot down the drain compared to the big breweries out there, so basically I just need to educate the guy. But first I need to educate myself...
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Offline nateo

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Re: Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2012, 04:21:49 pm »
http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?26708-Brewery-Waste-Water&highlight=waste+water+tds+bod

Not sure about water usage for an operation that small. I think estimating would be pretty hard, since there are a lot of variables.
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Offline scorpiusllc

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Re: Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2012, 05:32:01 pm »
We are estimating about 130 BBL for the first year, so that was the number I was planning to go off of.
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Offline Thirsty_Monk

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Re: Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2012, 05:41:07 pm »
My municipality does not want anything below 6 and above 9 pH go down the drain. They want that you neutralize acids and caustic before you send it down the drain. You are also supposed to flush the drain with fresh water after disposal. I am not supposed to have more then 25 gallons of caustic / acid in site.
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Offline scorpiusllc

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Re: Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2012, 07:17:57 pm »
Interesting. What size brewhouse do you have? Where are you located?
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Offline In The Sand

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Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2012, 07:39:35 pm »
You can send a sample of cleaning solutions or other matrices you will be flushing down the municipal sewage system to an analytical laboratory. If you PM me I can recommend a lab. The tests are inexpensive.
Trey W.

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2013, 07:01:57 am »
Do you think it would help or hurt to show the waste water manager around the brewery?

If its a smaller community, I think it would be beneficial to make the connection and show him that brewing is not a large threat to a municipal waste water system.

However - working in larger cities in industrial utilities/wastewater, we opt for a "Don't ask, Don't Tell" policy. We give the minimum info required and try to avoid visits from inspectors or city officials.

I'd be interested to hear the current pros' take on it.
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Offline boulderbrewer

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Re: Determining Wastewater Info
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2013, 09:35:22 pm »
You may need a strainer in the brewery figure that into your costs