Metro Vancouver Increases Wastewater Regulation Of The Growing Microbrewery Industry

British Columbia has long been a beer lover's paradise, with a number of local breweries renowned for their special brews. In the last decade, microbreweries have flourished across Vancouver and craft beer has become a large portion of the local market share.

The industry's growth has led to concerns about increased stress on Vancouver's sewer system. Wastewater from all breweries (consisting of spent grains, fruit, yeast and cleaning and sterilization water) can obstruct the flow of and interfere with the operation and performance of sewer and sewage facilities. Although smaller brewing operations do not discharge the same volume as larger brewing operations, the effluent strength leaving their facilities is much the same. While large-scale brewing operations in Vancouver require a Waste Discharge Permit, until recently, the wastewater leaving smaller brewing operations was (for the most part) unregulated when compared to their larger-scale competition.