Everyone looks forward to weekends to enjoy pizza, movies, and beer with friends and family. Though there are more than 100 types of beers in the world, I am sure you haven’t heard about grey water beer. Yeah, you heard it right, eco-friendly recycled water beer from Epic OneWater Brew is made from graywater. This Kölsch-style ale is made with recycled grey water from San Francisco’s Fifteen Fifty high-rise, which has a pioneering grey water reuse system. Although it can’t be sold commercially due to regulations, the beer represents sustainable innovation. Maybe, in coming years it will be available on the market, but will you try it?
In an incredible collaboration, Epic Cleantec and Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co. have joined forces to bring us the remarkable Epic OneWater Brew. This sensational Kölsch-style ale is truly one-of-a-kind, as it is made using recycled grey water sourced from the Fifteen Fifty, a magnificent 40-storey luxury high-rise in San Francisco.
According to Epic Cleantec’s website, the building is equipped with an innovative grey water reuse system that is designed to recycle an impressive 7,500 gallons (about 28390.58 L) of water per day, reaching a total of up to 2.75 million gallons (about 10409877.5 L) per year. Notably, this exceptional system holds the remarkable distinction of being the very first approved and operational grey water reuse system in San Francisco.
The grey water used for brewing is sourced exclusively from laundry and showers and undergoes rigorous treatment before being recycled for toilet and urinal flushing within the building.
In September, Epic Cleantec successfully delivered an impressive 2,000 gallons (about 7570.82 L) of recycled water to Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co., marking the beginning of a remarkable two-week journey in which this water underwent an innovative magnificent transformation into beer.
While this beer unfortunately remains inaccessible for purchase due to regulatory constraints on the use of recycled wastewater in commercial beverages, it represents a fascinating innovation that embodies the sustainable principles and forward-thinking vision of both Epic Cleantec and Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co.
Also See: 14 Sustainable Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper Alternatives
I guess this is why eco-friendly recycled water beer from Epic OneWater Brew is listed as the most influential invention of 2023.
How is Wastewater Purified?
Wastewater is purified through a process called wastewater treatment. This process involves several steps to remove impurities and contaminants from the wastewater, making it safe to be released back into the environment.
Epic Cleantec’s website states that they employ a cutting-edge system, OneWater™ System for greywater recycling system in San Francisco to handle wastewater. The process involves on-site storage, followed by an intricate filtration and cleaning procedure using membrane filtration, UV treatment, and chlorine disinfection. This method effectively eradicates impurities and contaminants from the water. Through this recycling process, the treated water becomes suitable for various applications on-site, such as irrigation, toilet and urinal flushing, and laundry.
Due to their efforts to save, recycle, and reuse water, Epic Cleantec featured on an episode of CNN’s “Going Green” series, that highlights the most precious resource of Earth, water.
Is Recycled Wastewater Safe to Drink?
Recycled water, contrary to popular belief, is not lower in quality, as stated by Epic Cleantec. The company claims that recycled water is safe to drink and often purer than other commonly consumed water sources after undergoing advanced treatment processes.
According to the company, the greywater recycled water is treated to an extremely high level of purity that meets and even exceeds the standards of federal drinking water quality.
There is research by Stanford University to back up the company’s claim. The researchers made a discovery in 2022 – recycled wastewater is not only a more reliable source of water but also less hazardous compared to other conventional sources like rivers and groundwater.
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford, William Mitch said in this regard, “We expected that potable reuse waters would be cleaner, in some cases, than conventional drinking water due to the fact that much more extensive treatment is conducted for them.”
“But we were surprised that in some cases the quality of the reuse water, particularly the reverse-osmosis-treated waters, was comparable to groundwater, which is traditionally considered the highest quality water,” Professor Mitch further added.
Also See: BBDO Guerrero & Plain B Bring Dissolving Shampoo Bottles for a Greener Tomorrow
About Epic Cleantec
They revolutionize the water industry by promoting a distributed, circular approach. Their innovative OneWater™ System, the wastewater recycling technology allows them to recover and reuse wastewater resources, such as water, nutrients, energy, and carbon. Instead of considering it as “waste,” they transform wastewater into an infinite source of valuable uses. And Epic OneWater Brew’s environmentally friendly beer is one of their innovative transformations of wastewater.
Epic Cleantec, a leader in the field of onsite water reuse, has emerged from collaborating with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. Nationally recognized and respected by key players in real estate, they possess a wealth of multidisciplinary expertise in water and wastewater infrastructure, engineering, building science, and public policy. Their mission is to develop systems that guarantee universal access to clean water and dependable sanitation for future generations.
Eco-friendly recycled water beer from Epic OneWater Brew is a sustainable initiative and the company says, “At Epic Cleantec, we believe there is no such thing as wastewater, only wasted water.”
About the Founder
Aaron Tartakovsky has an impressive background in federal politics and is actively involved in shaping public policy at the local, state, and national levels. He possesses a keen awareness that the convergence of cutting-edge technology, innovative governance, and intelligent regulation has the potential to ignite transformative progress worldwide. Before joining Epic, Aaron held the position of Director of Business Development and Marketing at CB Engineers. During his tenure, he established the company’s esteemed R&D division.
Source: This beer is made from recycled wastewater and is completely safe to consume
