World Water Day: Minister Zuhal Demir visits water treatment plant AB InBev Brewery

Pioneers in water purification

The minister visited the installations and tasted a purified brewery waste water. That water is used, completely in line with the Flemish Blue Deal, for technical applications in the brewery. Since 2021, the Leuven brewery, in collaboration with Azulatis (the former business unit industry of the Watergroep), has been pursuing around 400,000 m³ of water, good for 160 Olympic swimming pools, into pure drinkable water. There are conversations for further expansion. Minister Zuhal Demir was shown around the brewery by brewer's director Alexander Soenen and Hans Goossens, director-general of the water group. Both the Blue Deal of Minister Demir and all partners present strongly encourage the reuse of water and the efficient use of various water flows. Minister of the environment, Demir: “Circular water use is one of the answers to today's drought problems and the future. Every drop of water that we can reuse is a drop that we do not have to pump out from the ground. Leading companies such as AB InBev are part of the beacons of tomorrow's water policy. To encourage other companies, I free up 4 million euros to support partnerships between a minimum of 3 companies in their search for new ways of saving and water reuse, "says Flemish Minister of Environment Zuhal Demir.

Alexander Soenen, brewer's director of the Stella Artois Brouwerij: “We can be part of the solution and take our responsibility as the greatest brewer here. Together with the expertise of the water group, we already took the step in 2015 to purify water to a drinking level. Now it's time to go one step further and to expand the capacity from 200,000 m³ per year to 400,000 m³ per year, good for 160 Olympic swimming pools. Every drop counts, as a brewer we are indebted to nature. We optimize our water use and also give back the rest of the production water used to the Dyle. ”

This project fits perfectly within the vision of a sustainable and climate -robust water supply. Companies get 'customized water', through water reuse projects and the upgrading of waste water.

The collaboration between AB InBev and the Watergroep dates from 2015. Then the first feasibility studies were carried out to turn brewery waste water to water again. Small -scale water was recycled in 2016 and since 2019 the volume of drinkable water purified water was 200,000 m³ per year. Thanks to a recent investment, this now goes to 400,000 m³ per year. There are also conversations for a new upscaling in the future.

Nikki Janssens, process technologist at Azulatis explains: “Often our customers are companies from the food and beverage sector or chemical companies. We check which available sustainable water sources are present and convert them into the desired final quality. Usually this is drinking water quality, where extra requirements are often set on the basis of the customer's production process. At AB InBev we built the installation together with the Flemish technology partner Waterleau. Azulatis is responsible for the design and operation of the installation. "

Water important beer ingredient

The recycled drinking water receives a certificate from the water group and is used in the brewery for technical applications. The rest of the production water used is also purified to the Dyle. During the hot summer months, the brewer also pours water on the green services of the city and the province and works together with the Boerenbond to also offer the farmers water. The sustainable reuse of water and even drinkable water through the installation of recycling systems is essential for AB InBev. “For a brewer, water reuse is naturally an important theme since water makes the most important beer ingredient. In addition to reuse, we also have processes on water efficiency and optimization of water flows. We also pour water to the local green services every summer and also work together with farmers, it is a subject that is close to our heart, ”clarifies Soenen.

Now also Jupille

Since 2019, the Jupille brewery has also been using the reuse system and the volume of water was raised to 400,000 m³ last year. Steven van Belleghem, brewery manager in Jupille, is enthusiastic: “After the successful procedure in the brewery in Leuven, it is fantastic that Jupille also implements the system to purify until drinking water. Without water, not beer, it's that simple. "