Process Water

[swatts]

I'm getting started in WA state and am in the early process of permitting. The city/county is asking that I answer the questions below. Can anyone give me general percentages from their process? My raw materials may include but will not be limited to fruit, barley, wheat.

1. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD):

2. Total Organic Carbon (TOC):

3. Total Suspended Solids (TSS):

[Scott @ Twenty2Vodka]

I can't help you with those specifics, just curious on your situation. My question is what triggered this request? Zoning? General area rules that everyone must figure out? Funding source? We almost went the SBA route to secure our $$, and with it came loads of environmentally-focused paperwork that disappeared when we eliminated them (the SBA) from the equation. And it wasn't just paperwork for us, but also our bank, and 3rd party lender (a development commission up here).

Also, are they just asking for the values for their information/records, or will certain thresholds put you into new (often more expensive) categories?

good luck,

-Scott

[Brian]

The ranges of BOD, TSS, TOC can be quite high. You need to remember that your "waste" is not truly a WASTE but in essence is a fertilizer. It will probably contain about 50% of the nutrient values of cattle manure and most certainly will require pH modification, too.

All the BOD would need to be added in some external processing device to get to levels that MAY not require a penalty payment if they enter a Public Waste Water Treatment system without the benefit of processing.

If you have the opportunity of being an agricultural operation or can be associated with one, you could have a farmer certify an "agronomic need" for your "fertilizer" and disperse it in accordance with your local/state zoning requirements. Human waste is nothing in comparison to distillery waste.

Ignore, dodge, obfuscate your waste issue at your peril!!

Best,

Brian

I'm getting started in WA state and am in the early process of permitting. The city/county is asking that I answer the questions below. Can anyone give me general percentages from their process? My raw materials may include but will not be limited to fruit, barley, wheat.

1. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD):

2. Total Organic Carbon (TOC):

3. Total Suspended Solids (TSS):

[coop]

I can't help you with those specifics, just curious on your situation. My question is what triggered this request? Zoning? General area rules that everyone must figure out? Funding source? We almost went the SBA route to secure our $$, and with it came loads of environmentally-focused paperwork that disappeared when we eliminated them (the SBA) from the equation. And it wasn't just paperwork for us, but also our bank, and 3rd party lender (a development commission up here).

Also, are they just asking for the values for their information/records, or will certain thresholds put you into new (often more expensive) categories?

good luck,

-Scott

My guess would be you are on a sewer system? If so they want to know just what and how much you will be dumping into that system. Everything that goes down the drain effects sewer treatment. They are full of good bugs that help break up and consume solids. If you let them know how much volume you will be dumping it will help them. Also let them know that you will be adding some yeast to the system, they like yeast as it helps the bugs grow and multiply. Let them know that the your discharge will have been sterilized before dumping. It will also help if you separate what ever you are using from the liquid first before dumping. The solids is what they have to process out of their system. Coop

[db distilling]

I build food and beverage plants for a living and see this question pop up every time I permit a new facility. Your city/county is looking for a mg/L measurement of each of these components in your waste stream. However since you are not operating yet it is tough to have a lab analyze a sample of your process waste/CIP or COP water. For BOD most city/county facilities like to see a measurement below 600 mg/L, this number may be more or less depending on sewer size and whether or not you are on a gravity type system or a force main(pumping station). It can be a very tough area to get thru because of the lack of data available on your waste stream. I usually find that they will work with me for the permitting stage if I am upfront with them and let them know that I will test when the facility becomes operational.

[JohninWV]

I've fought the sewer folks for a while.

After reviewing locations for our facility, and checking with the sewer department multiple times to make sure there were no issues, we selected a site and broke ground. Once we had about $350K into the site, building, etc, they put a ban on all new industrial connections going to the local sewer. They classified us as industrial.

After several calls to the DEP and some time with our lawyer (about $2500 worth of legal time and extra permit fees), they allowed us to do a permit modification but with strict regulations. The local sewer is having lots of issues with heavy metals....but we're making beverage alcohol.....so?????

I'm held to less than 350 mg/l BOC which is pretty strict and they make us test every month. They look for heavy metals, temperature, BOD, carbon, etc. It's very tight on us and it's an extra $400/month of testing as well.

Needless to say, we are very careful what we put down the drain.....for them and for us since we pump all of our sewage. All of our grain goes into metal IBCs and is given to a local farmer for feed and/or compost. So, it's just cooling water and a bit of cleaning water going down the drain. We do not sewer yeast or grain, except residual from cleaning.

Anyway, I ran into the same problem and I didn't have the data needed prior to production either. I made a nice sheet that told them what I was doing and I'd be happy to share it with you. Send me a PM.