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Dairy recycles half of it’s wastewater

A Scottish dairy is now recycling half of it’s waste water as part of an environmental drive across the business. The Bridgwater dairy is aiming to reach it’s water reduction target of 25% across the network of dairies by 2015.

Elga Process Water, a subsidiary of Veolia is using a waste water treating process to help recycle waste water produced by Robert Wiseman Dairies by processing waste water using reverse osmosis. The waste water is then recovered and can be used for use in the dairy.

The dairy which supplies 30% of the UK’s milk can process 1.25m litres of milk every day, with it’s Bridgwater dairy producing about 400m3 per day of process waste water, this water was originally treated and then poured into the local waterways. However using the reverse osmosis system 200m3 per day of it’s process waste water is now recovered and recycled for use in the dairy.

Elga’s MegaRO reverse osmosis technology uses a membrane to remove 99% of residual COD, dissolve salts and bacteria from the treated waste water to produce water of quality at least equal to the mains supply.According to Elga the low pressure membranes and high efficiency pumps means the system is energy efficient and low energy, which helps not only reduce the carbon emissions but also operating costs.

The plants has been in operation for 10 months and Robert Wiseman Dairies is in discussions with Elga about a potential second plant to help recover a further 80m3 per day of the waste water.

Robert Wiseman Dairies project manager Eleanor Walton said “Because the operating cost of the MegaRO is low, the recovered water actually costs less than mains water even after including capital costs. We expect to get a payback on the investment of £ 130,000 in about two and a half years.