Food and Beverage
Wastewater Treatment
Engineering
Food processing plant water treatment and beverage industry environmental compliance for facilities across the United States.
Industrial Pretreatment Expertise for
FOOD and BEVERAGE PROCESSING
Food and beverage wastewater doesn’t behave like a typical industrial waste stream. Washing, processing and sanitation cycles generate wastewater high in sugars, fats, proteins and other organic material, driving elevated Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels that can overwhelm a municipal system if they aren’t managed correctly, and seasonal production peaks plus frequent sanitation cycles add further complexity. McFadden Engineering provides food processing plant water treatment, industrial pretreatment for food and beverage and environmental compliance for plant operations and EHS teams that need a permitting consultant who understands how their specific process generates waste, not a generic industrial template.
QUESTIONS CLIENTS SHOULD CONSIDER
If any of these sound familiar, that’s exactly the kind of problem our engineering approach is built to solve.
MCFADDEN ENGINEERING
WHAT MAKES FOOD and BEVERAGE WASTEWATER Different
Food and beverage wastewater is generated primarily during washing, processing and sanitation, carrying sugars, fats, proteins and other organic material that push BOD levels well above a typical industrial stream. Left unmanaged, these loads can overwhelm a municipal treatment system, and the challenge compounds during seasonal production peaks and frequent sanitation cycles, when a facility’s wastewater characteristics shift from day to day rather than holding steady. The McFadden Engineering team designs food processing plant water treatment systems around a facility’s production patterns.
High BOD, fats, oils and grease (FOG) and protein loads driven by washing and sanitation cycles
Seasonal production peaks or batch-driven flow variability
NPDES permitting, pretreatment evaluation and reuse permit alternatives for food and beverage clients
Pretreatment and compliance planning for facilities discharging to a municipal system
FOOD AND BEVERAGE APPLICATIONS and PROCESS SOLUTIONS
Seafood and Shellfish Processing
Seafood and shellfish processing generates high-strength organic wastewater from cleaning, shucking and processing operations, along with strong seasonal variability tied to harvest cycles. McFadden designs treatment systems, including patented OxyShark® installations, sized to handle this kind of variable, high-organic-load flow.
Poultry and Meat Processing
Poultry and meat processing wastewater carries high concentrations of fats, oils, grease and organic solids. McFadden Engineering designs treatment systems sized to a facility’s specific processing volume and waste characteristics, whether the goal is direct discharge, reuse or compliant connection to a municipal system.
Beverage and Brewery Wastewater
Beverage production and brewing generate high-strength organic wastewater with significant seasonal and batch-driven variability. McFadden’s high-flow OxyShark® systems are engineered for exactly this kind of application, named directly among OxyShark®’s high-flow use cases, handling variable, high-organic-load flows within a smaller footprint than a conventional treatment plant.
Commercial Wash-Down and Sanitation Water
Every food and beverage facility generates wash-down and sanitation water in addition to direct process wastewater. McFadden designs treatment and reuse systems that address this water stream alongside a facility’s primary process wastewater, reducing both discharge volume and water costs.
How Can McFadden Help Your Facility?
We offer food and beverage industry expertise to design, permit and support the water and wastewater systems your operation depends on, sized to your real production pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. McFadden designs food processing plant water treatment systems around a facility’s actual production pattern, including seasonal peaks and batch-driven sanitation cycles, rather than assuming a steady average flow.
Yes. McFadden evaluates pretreatment requirements and supports facilities working through significant industrial user (SIU) agreements and other local pretreatment program requirements when discharging to a municipal system.
McFadden Engineering systems are engineered to be deployable, in some cases installed in a matter of days for smaller flows, which gives food and beverage facilities facing a tight compliance deadline a faster path than a conventional treatment plant rebuild.