Filtration system a fit for brewery waste streams

Problem: A craft brewery in the Adirondack region of New York was building a larger facility and needed a solution for their wastewater streams while keeping space available for further expansion as well as 100% reserve area for the leachfield. The tasting room has 100 seats with 30 employees and a 6,100-gpd brewery. The brewery produces high waste streams, and the drainfield needed a total capacity of 7,000 gpd. The site has well-draining soils of 1.2 gpd by square foot.

Solution: Waste streams in the brewing process are managed and separated to help control waste and contaminant strength by side-streaming things such as spent grains, yeast and off-spec beer. A membrane bioreactor was designed to reduce waste strength from 3,000 mg/L BOD and 500 mg/L TSS to less than 180 mg/L BOD and less than 80 mg/L TSS. Effluent from the brewery then goes to a 3,000-gallon pump station where it is distributed to an Eljen GSFF, or Geotextile Sand Filter, drainfield. Effluent from the tasting room goes to a 2,000-gallon septic tank and then also goes out to the drainfield. Champlain Contracting installed the system designed by Chazen Engineering, which is comprised of nine laterals of 27 Eljen GSF B43 modules. Effluent is further treated as it goes through the GSF modules and through ASTM C33 sand before being dispersed through the native soil.

Result: The new brewery is open, and the designed system is treating the wastewater as expected. 800-444-1359; www.eljen.com.