To manage water effectively, craft brewers need data.
Building the Baseline
The first step in developing a brewery water management plan is to establish a baseline of 'current state' key metrics related to brewery 'Ins, Outs and In-Betweens', such as:
- How much water is used for the full brewery operation,
- How much water is used at various points in the facility,
(See Use Less Water) - How much wastewater exits the facility, and
- The composition and strength of the wastewater exiting the brewery.
(See Keep Stuff Out of the Drain)
Using this starting baseline, you can:
- Identify priority areas for improvement
- Measure the results achieved from making the improvements
Operational Details
To connect facility activities with the water and wastewater data, you need to maintain an operational log of when activities take place, such as brewing, tank transfers, and equipment cleaning.
- This information is used to match water use data with what the water was used for.
The log should also note any details related to situations that deviate from standard operating procedures or practices. (i.e. a spill)
