A water treatment plant in Oregon has set its sites on turning purified sewer water into beer. Clean Water Services runs four wastewater treatment plants in the Portland area and recently asked the state for permission to give its recycled sewage water to a group of home brewers referring to themselves as “The Oregon Brew Crew.” According to OPB, the beer would only be served at local events.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is holding a public hearing on the proposal Feb. 12 in Portland. If it’s approved by the commission in April, Clean Water Services will still need additional state approvals for an amended Recycled Water Reuse Plan before the brews are cleared for drinking.
Avis Newell of DEQ says it’s the first time the state has considered allowing people to drink treated wastewater. Oregon rules allow recycled wastewater to be used for irrigation, industrial processes and groundwater recharge. They require additional approvals for human consumption to make sure all safety concerns are addressed.
Just last year, Clean Water Services organized a brewing competition featuring beer made with roughly 30 percent purified wastewater. Locals are already referring to this home brew process as “sewage brewage,” leaving even Triumph The Insult Comic Dog with possibly nothing left to poop on.
(Source: OPB)