Fluence’s solutions help beverage manufacturers increase efficiency and reduce their water footprint

The bottled beverage industry is a leader, satisfying global demand with billions of units annually. Yet, this large-scale enterprise hinges on a surprisingly delicate resource: water. The industry’s heavy reliance on water resources poses a significant challenge to sustainability.

The water use ratio (WUR) is a key metric used to measure the efficiency of water use in the industry. It is defined as the total amount of water used in the entire production process — including water used in cleaning, bottling, and cooling — compared to the total volume of the final bottled product that is ready for sale.

Monitoring and optimizing the WUR helps companies keep track of water conservation efforts, thereby minimizing their impact on local water resources. Many companies use WUR as a key performance indicator in their sustainability reporting to demonstrate their commitment to responsible water management.

Fluence offers advanced beverage processing solutions that empower manufacturers to dramatically reduce their water footprint while optimizing operations. By addressing the industry’s most pressing water challenges, we’re helping to ensure a sustainable future for both businesses and the planet.

What challenges does the bottled beverage industry face, and how can Fluence’s technologies help companies conserve water and improve sustainability?

Fluence’s Advanced Water Treatment Technologies

Fluence offers a range of water treatment solutions that can be used in the beverage industry, including:

Ultrafiltration (UF): Ultrafiltration is a process that uses a semipermeable membrane, typically with a pore size ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 microns, to separate particles. The membrane allows water and low-molecular-weight solutes to pass through while retaining larger molecules like proteins, bacteria, and suspended solids. For certain types of beverages, such as clear juices, flavored waters, and teas, UF helps achieve desired clarity by removing haze-causing particles and microorganisms. This results in a visually appealing product with an extended shelf life. Ultrafiltration is used as a pretreatment to remove suspended solids, organic matter, endotoxins, and pathogenic microorganisms from feed water before undergoing further treatment with processes such as reverse osmosis.

Reverse osmosis (RO): Reverse osmosis is another water treatment process that removes impurities by forcing water through a semipermeable membrane, although the pore size is much smaller, usually about 0.0001 microns. Advanced RO systems are designed to maximize water recovery, reducing the amount of wastewater produced during the treatment process, and thereby contributing to sustainability goals. Reverse osmosis ensures that water used in production is of a consistently high quality. RO helps manufacturers meet quality standards, achieve consistency in their products, and reduce environmental impact through efficient water use.

Activated carbon filtration: Activated carbon filters are widely used in the beverage industry for water purification and beverage production. They play a crucial role in improving the taste, odor, and overall quality of water used in production. Activated carbon is often used as a pretreatment step before RO. Removing chlorine and other chemicals protects sensitive RO membranes from damage and prolongs their lifespan.

Ozonation: Ozonation is a water treatment process widely used in the beverage industry for disinfection and improving the overall quality of the water used in beverage production. This process involves the use of ozone (O₃), a powerful oxidizing agent, to eliminate organic compounds from source water. These contaminants may include pesticides, herbicides, and other organic pollutants, pathogenic microorganisms, and undesirable tastes or odors. Once ozone has completed its disinfecting process, it naturally decomposes into oxygen, leaving no chemical residue. Ozonation is often used in combination with other water treatment methods, such as filtration, UV disinfection, and activated carbon, to achieve a comprehensive purification process. This multi-barrier approach ensures that the final product is of the highest quality. Ozonated water is often used to rinse bottles and other packaging materials before bottling, ensuring that the containers are free from any microbial contamination.

Case Study: Montevideo Refrescos, Uruguay

Montevideo Refrescos, acquired by Coca-Cola Femsa in 2018, is the sole bottler responsible for Coca-Cola products in Uruguay, serving 3.4 million consumers with 26,000 points of sale.

To meet growing demand, the company needed to expand its water treatment plant to increase production capacity by 45 m³/h. Fluence designed a water treatment system that optimized water usage, maximized water reuse potential, and ensured quality throughout production.

The treated water production process designed by Fluence followed the “multiple barriers” concept required by the client, using several stages including enhanced filtration, disinfection, alkalinity reduction, activated carbon purification, polishing, and finally, UV treatment.

The system achieved overall efficiency rates greater than 86%, excluding losses from backwashes and sanitation, due to the high recovery rates of the ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis stages, of 96% and 90%, respectively.

By implementing on-site water treatment, the manufacturers of bottled drinks can improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, support environmental sustainability, and enhance product quality, while also ensuring compliance with industry standards. Fluence’s wide range of sustainable water treatment and water reuse technologies can help your company conserve water and put you on the path to sustainable water management. Contact Fluence’s team of water experts to discuss your unique challenges and learn more about water treatment solutions.