Investigating water and wastewater reuse and recycling opportunities

Meat processing facilities consume significant amounts of water to process meat into edible product for human consumption.

The requirement to operate under stringent food safety regulations coupled with the potentially catastrophic impact of a food poising incident dictates that large amounts of water must be consumed for cleaning and sanitation purposes. Water must be a potable standard when used in direct contact with meat or indirect contact via surfaces and machines in contact with meat product.

Water availability in Australia is far from guaranteed. Australia has one of the most variable climates of any continent and during times of drought there is a strong pressure from the community for industry to demonstrate best practice water consumption. This includes water reuse and recycling options that can help with security of supply. For meat processors, this creates a challenging situation of balancing community concerns for food safety, competing demands for water and environmental stewardship.