From Beer to Bills - Understanding the Impact of Brewery Discharges and Effective Approaches for Consideration

摘要

In many cities across the United States there has been significant growth in the number of craft breweries and distilleries. Portland, Maine a city of 67,000 residents, has recently experienced a boom in craft breweries, distilleries, kombucheries, and wineries. These establishments can have higher strength waste streams that have regulatory and equity implications for wastewater utilities. From a regulatory standpoint, these entities are often not included in local Industrial Pretreatment Programs (IPP), but their significant strength waste streams can negatively impact or disrupt treatment operations. From an equity standpoint, their smaller scale can often result in their exclusion from extra strength surcharges or cost of service rates. As these types of establishments become more numerous across the United States, managers need to adopt appropriate measures for charging these customers, as well as understanding their impact on overall wastewater treatment operations.