Veolia's technologies set to transform wastewater into resources at historic Belgian brewery

Veolia Water Technologies has been chosen by the Omer Vander Ghinste Brewery for the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at its historic brewery close to Kortrijk, Belgium.

Veolia’s extension of the WWTP is designed to support the brewery’s growing operational needs while significantly reducing its environmental footprint. The comprehensive upgrade incorporates advanced technologies, including a ZeeWeed™ 500 membrane bioreactor system, anaerobic Biobed® Advanced EGSB and CaptuRO™, a high-recovery reverse osmosis system.

The bio-factory concept, where wastewater is transformed into valuable resources, is at the heart of this project. Veolia’s EGSB technology plays a pivotal role in producing high-quality biogas from  wastewater. This green source of renewable energy is subsequently processed and used to heat water and buildings, creating a sustainable energy recovery cycle that annually prevents the emission of 548 tons of CO2.

In addition, the advanced CaptuRO technology ensures that 70% of the water used in the brewing process is efficiently and securely recycled and reused for cooling water, bottle washing and cleaning of vessels, saving a volume of freshwater equivalent to the annual consumption of close to 3,000 Belgian residents. This approach not only minimizes waste but also exemplifies Veolia’s vision for a circular economy in the industrial sector.

Anne Le Guennec, Senior Executive VP for Worldwide Water Technologies at Veolia, commented:

“We are very proud to collaborate with the historic Omer Vander Ghinste brewery on this project that perfectly illustrates how our advanced technologies can improve both the sustainability and efficiency of an industrial site. By allowing 70% of water reuse and creating a renewable energy cycle, we demonstrate that ecological innovation can go hand in hand with operational efficiency, in connection with our GreenUp strategic plan.”