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What happens when a new beer-making enterprise announces a desire to set up shop in a city or town? How can municipal staff plan for the impact to wastewater infrastructure, particularly in terms of new development and maintenance costs?
WithersRavenel shares an engineer’s perspective on the influx of craft breweries in North Carolina in an article entitled “The Beer Explosion and Its Implications for Wastewater Treatment and Pretreatment Coordinators.” We take a look at a hypothetical craft brewer to determine the effects of increased wastewater discharge on both wastewater quantity and quality, and we outline potential consequences for violating the Clean Water Act. We describe the steps for developing a pretreament program to prevent or reduce the introduction of pollutants into the wastewater system. We also provide resources for municipalities who need additional guidance or support implementing a pretreatment program.
The full issue of NC Currents can be found here. Our article begins on page 103.
NC Currents is a quarterly publication by the North Carolina American Water Works Association & North Carolina Water Environment Association. Their mission is to enrich the expertise of water professionals in North Carolina.