Water Audit of Breweries: A Case Study of a Modern Brewery in Ghana

Journal Title: Universal Journal of Environmental Research and Technology - Year 2013, Vol 3, Issue 2

Abstract

A modern brewery code named brewery X has been in operation for over four decades in Ghana, producing beer and other drinks in bottles. During this period freshwater consumption, wastewater flows and pollution loads have increased significantly with increasing production, resulting in permissible discharge limit concerns. Considerable volumes of wastewater high in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved solids (DS) as well as suspended solids (SS) are produced as a result of washing the vessels and equipment used for brewery X’ batch operations. A three phase approach involving a pre-audit, an audit and a post audit stage was employed in the study. Samples collected from brewery X’ effluent discharge point was subjected to laboratory analysis using standard methods to ascertain the exact concentrations of effluent parameters after which graphPad Prism 5 was used to analyze the data. Means for the main pollution indicators showed significant differences (P<0.005) in comparison with the EPA’s permissible discharge limits for food and beverage processing companies. Total fresh water consumed and wastewater generated amounted to 532,693m3 and 449,835m3 respectively with water to beer ratio of 7hl/1hl. There is great variability in the nature of the effluent from brewery X and would need equalization to abate the pollution of water bodies.

Authors and Affiliations

Kenneth Bedu-Addo, William Gariba Akanwariwiak, Isaac Frimpong Mensa-Bonsu

Keywords

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  • EP ID EP31820
  • DOI -
  • Views 359
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How To Cite

Kenneth Bedu-Addo, William Gariba Akanwariwiak, Isaac Frimpong Mensa-Bonsu (2013). Water Audit of Breweries: A Case Study of a Modern Brewery in Ghana. Universal Journal of Environmental Research and Technology, 3(2), -. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-31820