As a result of tighter regulations and rising surcharges, more and more processors are assuming responsibility for treating --and in some cases recycling -- the wastewater generated by their plants.

Here's a fact that many food processors know but tend to ignore: Water down the drain is money down the drain.

Compared to other industries, processors consume tremendous amounts of water. And as a result of HACCP and other recent food safety initiatives, they are consuming more of it than ever. Some poultry plants, for instance, currently use as much as two gallons of water to process a single bird. Multiply that by weekly production in a million-bird plant and it becomes clear just how quickly the gallons -- and the water bills -- add up.