Water recycling has become essential in drought-stricken California, and a San Francisco-based company is partnering with a brewery to explore the possibilities.
They have created a beer made from wastewater, which is something that some people could enjoy if they are looking for an eco-friendly drink but want to avoid going the fecal sludge water route of Bill Gates.
Epic OneWater Brew: An Innovative Response to Water Crisis
The Epic OneWater Brew is made from recycled wastewater collected from household activities like laundry, dishes, showers, and sinks, Futurism reported. Created by San Francisco water recycling firm Epic Cleantec and Devil's Canyon Brewing Company, the beer is a kölsch-style and is made from recycled greywater taken from a 40-story apartment building.
Epic Cleantec's CEO Aaron Tartakovsky said in an interview with The Guardian that the beer is a way to help people understand the potential of water reuse. The beer has proven to be "pleasant" and "crisp," according to the Guardian newspaper.
The beer was chosen because a kölsch-style beer would be more palatable for people than an IPA. Tartakovsky says he was apprehensive about the initial reaction to the beer but went on to say that 99% of people who tried it became excited. Tartakovsky said the beer might be safer than other beers because of the rigorous testing process needed in the recycling process.
The Epic OneWater Brew is an innovative response to the water crisis. It might serve to educate people about how recycled greywater can be used and demonstrates that it is possible to be creative with the use of recycled greywater and reduce waste production.
While a kölsch-style beer might not be to everyone's taste, the negative effect of pouring millions of liters of greywater into oceans should outweigh any hesitancy about trying the beer.
San Francisco's Water Reuse Policy and the Recycled Wastewater Beer
As per Epic Cleantec, buildings around the world are responsible for consuming 14% of all potable water and reusing almost none, but the company wants to change this. One way to showcase the potential of water reuse is by using it to make beer.
San Francisco has become an industry leader in water reuse, creating legislation that requires all developments over 100,000 square feet to install an onsite water reuse system. This model has been adopted by other cities looking to conserve water.
Epic Brewery is now operating San Francisco's first approved greywater reuse system, which has allowed them to produce the first beer in the world using purified wastewater from a high-rise residential building. They have announced this as an exciting milestone, and it is no coincidence that they announced this at the Greenbuild event.
Although it may seem bizarre to use recycled wastewater to make beer, San Francisco's water standards are so high that the water that the brewery uses is of the same quality as drinking water.
It is hoped that by continuing to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional beer production, Epic brewery will encourage other companies to consider and adapt their practices to reflect these sustainable aims.
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