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Only about 3% of Earth’s water is fresh water, and just over 30% of that is accessible as groundwater or surface water. Though water sustains all life, it is a finite resource that must be used wisely. The food and beverage processing sectors, which rely heavily on water for daily operations, have a significant responsibility to lead the way in water stewardship as industries worldwide face growing challenges caused by water scarcity.

Understanding the True Costs of Water in Food and Beverage Processing

When discussing water management for processors, it’s crucial to first understand the true cost of water. In the food and beverage processing industry, water is not only a raw ingredient but is also vital for food preparation, production and sanitation, so consumption adds up quickly.

The water-energy nexus further compounds the cost of water. Processes like cooking, pasteurization and cleaning require heating the water, which requires an expenditure of energy to raise its temperature. Similarly, processes like pumping, mixing and cooling require additional energy. Consequently, as water usage increases, so does energy consumption. Overconsumption of water not only raises costs for businesses but can also negatively affect local habitats and communities. While water scarcity is a global issue, its impact is often felt most acutely at the regional or local level. Some areas have abundant water, while others struggle with scarcity or quality. This makes careful consideration of water use essential, as the true cost of consumption does not have one set of boundaries.

Cassie Zwart is the portfolio director of Diversey’s F&B knowledge-based services. She has more than 16 years of experience in development and supporting services that aim to continually improve food safety and operational efficiency in food and beverage plants, helping companies stay competitive and meet changing environmental demands.

Transforming Water Management: Practical Steps for Processors

According to the Ceres organization, the $6 trillion global food and beverage sector is at the heart of the global water crisis. While processors are tasked with delivering safe and affordable products, minimizing water use is equally important.

Facilities should begin by assessing their current water consumption—how much they use, the quality of incoming water and even the quality of wastewater leaving the facility. Conducting a trend analysis of historical water consumption, costs and production can provide a baseline understanding of a facility’s water use behavior and reveal areas for improvement.

Processors should also evaluate their local water supply to understand where it comes from—whether it is surface or well water, the depth of the wells and the quality of that water. This is key because a facility’s location and local watershed can dictate the urgency and scope of its water goals.

Once a thorough understanding of water consumption and water sources is achieved, facilities can systematically pursue methods of reducing, reusing and recycling water.

In terms of reduction, identify processes that consume more water than necessary and optimize them. After optimization, look to areas of production where water could be reused elsewhere. For example, the final rinse in a bottlewasher or clean-in-place (CIP) process often retains its water quality, so that water could serve as a pre-rinse elsewhere.

Finally, consider recycling water. Though this process is oftentimes capital-intensive, wastewater treatment is already necessary for food and beverage processors, so improving current processes to recycle water for non-potable uses can offer significant advantages.

Once all opportunities have been identified, develop an implementation plan that prioritizes the highest water-consuming processes to ensure the greatest impact on water reduction initiatives.

Water Quality at the Intersection of Efficiency and Food Safety

As the industry seeks ways to reduce water consumption, water quality in food and beverage processing also plays a critical role in long-term success. Effectively treating reject water through methods of sedimentation, coagulation and chemical treatment to disinfect and purify the water can help enhance operational efficiency and boost safety.

Operational efficiency is closely tied to the cost of water, energy and time, making water management a key factor in overall efficiency. In one case, high-quality water helps prevent excessive scaling and fouling in equipment, ultimately helping extend machinery lifespan and reducing the need for frequent maintenance. This, in turn, boosts process efficiency and minimizes downtime. Clean water also heats and cools more quickly, requiring less energy to reach target temperatures, leading to additional energy savings.

Even more important than efficiency is the role of water quality in maintaining food safety standards. Water is a key component in cleaning and sanitizing processes, so it must be free from harmful microorganisms. Contaminated water can introduce pathogens into the processing environment, risking product contamination and potential foodborne illness outbreaks—risks no processor can afford. Applications that require a certain quality of water can use chemistry to lengthen usage and contribute to a safer workplace for employees.

Unlocking the Value of Every Drop

Water is a fundamental ingredient in the beverage industry, making water stewardship a longstanding priority for this sector. While food processors are joining these conversations, many still have significant progress to make in meeting sustainability goals on their water journey. Fortunately, advancements in connectivity are transforming how we visualize and analyze data in the digital space, paving the way for processors to make thoughtful and informed decisions about their approach to water stewardship at all levels.

Historically, data has been used to monitor and track water usage. However, the rise of cloud analytics allows us to go beyond visual control charts to uncover more informative trends, such as identifying usage drift, aligning actual and expected consumption, and understanding the relational impact of production decisions on water usage.

By adopting advanced water treatment technologies and consistently measuring progress in water use, processors can minimize waste, maximize water’s potential for multiple cycles of use, and optimize processes to save time and energy—while quantifying these improvements in real time. Ultimately, water use in food and beverage processing goes beyond consumption; it embodies responsible stewardship, ensuring every drop delivers maximum value.