Waterleau x Martens

SUSTAINABLE BREWERY WATER INNOVATION PROGRAMME

Waterleau has redesigned Martens Brewery’s wastewater treatment plant under a design-build-finance-operate model, with a 10-year financing agreement. The redesigned plant includes advanced treatment technologies such as high-rate anaerobic towers, aerobic treatment, high-recovery reverse osmosis (RO), and a heating-cooling circuit with a heat pump. The high-recovery RO membranes enable 90% of the effluent to be reused as process water, making Martens the most water-efficient brewery in Europe, requiring only 1.2 liters of water per liter of beer produced. The anaerobic towers facilitate energy efficiency by treating high organic loads and generating 1750 Nm3/day of biogas, which powers a combined heat & power unit. The partnership introduces the WaterLease model, offering a capex-free upgrade and focusing financial resources on brewing capacity expansion. Waterleau will operate the plant, incorporating the SmartLab digital suite for remote monitoring and optimization.