Australia: Foster’s breweries cut potable water use as decade-long drought continues

As the decade-long drought in this region of Australia continues, Foster’s Group Ltd., brewer of the Foster’s Lager beer brand, is reducing the amount of water it uses at its Abbotsford and Yatala breweries, WaterTech reported November 16.

Foster’s announced on that its water sustainability plan calls for continuing to look for new ways to save water at both its breweries. For example, at its Yatala Brewery, 2.3 liters of water is used to produce each liter of beer. This compares with an international standard of 4 liters to 5 liters, according to the company.

While drinking water is used for beer and everything that touches beer, the Abbotsford Brewery uses recycled water for external keg washing, vacuum pumps, cooling towers and boilers, according to a November 16 Herald Sun article.

Foster’s spokesman Noel Jago said in the article, “We believe we are the most water-efficient major brewery in the world, by a considerable margin.”

16 November, 2007