Wye Valley Brewery Effluent Treatment

EFFLUENT BACKGROUND

Wye Valley Brewery, located in Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, produce a range of original craft beers including HPA, 1985 and Butty Bach.

In 2014, MSA Environmental were commissioned to undertake an effluent options review as many of the key brewery effluent treatment plant items were operating beyond their working life and were in poor condition. Wye Valley were not sure whether to replace some tanks or install a new form of treatment and were in need of assistance from effluent treatment specialists.

SCOPE

MSA initially undertook an effluent plant review to assess the ETP performance and identify feasible upgrade options.

As part of this work, we assessed the current effluent treatment plant (ETP) performance and identified feasible effluent treatment upgrade options to meet the needs of the site and future expansion plans. The study recommended a partial replacement of the existing ETP. The modifications included new screening, a new Balance Tank, a new Aeration Tank (with low energy diffused aeration system) and a Selector Tank.

Following this study, in 2015 MSA were commissioned to produce a functional design specification for the selected upgrade works, with the project successfully won and completed by FLI CAP (previously CAP Technology) in 2016.

Following reinstatement of MSA’s support in the form of a Retained Consultancy Agreement (RCA) in 2022, it was determined that, due to expansion beyond that originally forecast, the plant was operating beyond its design capacity and was in need of further upgrade to meet both the current and future needs.

Once again MSA were commissioned to conduct a comprehensive effluent strategy review to assess the likely implications of planned future expansion over the next 5 years and identify the options available to the site to increase treatment capacity.

Wye Valley are currently reviewing what the most suitable solution is and we hope we can continue to assist them in the future.