At a Glance

A major beverage producer faced rising costs and operational risk from diverting high-BOD and high-TSS wastewater generated during protein shake production for offsite disposal. By installing a single 40-foot Aquacycl BETT® system, the facility treated high-strength flows onsite, eliminated wastewater hauling, and achieved a 5-month ROI while supporting continued production growth.

 

1.3 MG

Wastewater treated on site

200

t-CO2e Mitigated emissions

5

Month ROI

The Situation

A major beverage producer faced a persistent challenge with managing high-BOD and high-TSS (high biological oxygen demand and high total suspended solids) slurries from protein shake production. These high-strength flows created significant challenges for the existing biological treatment system and had to be diverted for alternative off-site disposal, resulting in monthly hauling costs of up to $50,000. This not only escalated operational expenses but also introduced significant operational risks and environmental impact, conflicting with the company’s ambitious sustainability goals.  

As the facility expanded production and introduced new product lines, high-strength flows became more frequent. The result? Mounting monthly costs, logistical headaches, and even the threat of production halts due to limited wastewater storage capacity. 

  • High-BOD and high-TSS wastewater from protein shake production
  • Up to $50,000 per month in off-site hauling costs
  • Limited capacity of the existing biological treatment system
  • Increased risk as production volumes and product lines expanded

The Solution

While the facility’s already existing MBBR handled the majority of wastewater from all production processes, the system could not process high-BOD and high-
TSS flows (BOD > 8,000 mg/L and TSS > 20,000 mg/L). The facility needed a compact, flexible system that could manage these flows and normalize the feed into the existing treatment infrastructure.

They turned to Aquacycl’s BETT® system, a modular, high-efficiency solution built to adapt to high variability in wastewater flows and effectively treat high-BOD and high-TSS wastewater. A single 40-foot unit was installed, allowing high-strength flows to be captured and treated on-site as they occurred. Treated effluent could then be safely blended with the MBBR, eliminating the need for off-site hauling.

  • Single 40-foot BETT® system treating high-strength wastewater onsite
  • Over 1.3 million gallons of wastewater treated in the first 12 months
  • Up to 96% BOD removal and 100% TSS removal achieved
  • 7,700+lbs of BOD removed during the first year of operation
  • 5-month ROI realized by eliminating off-site hauling
  • 200 t-CO2e emissions mitigated by reducing trucking and using a low-energy process

The Results

The BETT® system was specifically engineered to handle variable volumes and compositions of high-strength wastewater. During the first 12 months of operation, the system demonstrated remarkable performance:

Volume and Load Treatment:
-Over 1.3 million gallons of wastewater were processed, removing over 57,700 lbs. of BOD (25,909 kg-BOD), with a peak removal capacity reaching 2,534 lbs. of BOD per day (1,152 kg-BOD).

Benefits

With these results, the company has already deployed a second BETT® system to another production site for this same customer to accommodate the growing production volumes. The scalability of the Aquacycl solution ensures that the beverage producer can continue to expand its operations without the worry of unpredictable wastewater management costs or compliance risks.

Key Results

  • 5-month ROI achieved by eliminating off-site hauling
  • Over 1.3 million gallons of wastewater treated on-site
  • More than 57,700 lbs of BOD removed in the first year
  • Up to 96% BOD removal and 100% TSS removal

Predictability of wastewater treatment costs

  • Reduced reliance on variable hauling and disposal fees
  • Stable, predictable treatment costs aligned with production
  • Minimized exposure to unexpected surcharges and penalties

Impact

  • 200 t-CO2e emissions mitigated by reducing trucking and using a low-energy process
  • Lower overall environmental footprint from onsite treatment
  • Supported corporate sustainability and emissions reduction goals

Peace of Mind

  • The guaranteed performance, hands-off operations and 24/7 remote monitoring and control provided peace-of-mind, without requiring additional personnel
  • Consistent treatment performance during variable production
  • Scalable system supporting future growth without added complexity

Next Steps

With consistent treatment performance, guaranteed effluent quality, and a responsive support team, Aquacycl has become a trusted partner in the Beverage Company’s sustainability journey. Together, they’re transforming a costly challenge into a competitive advantage—saving money, protecting the environment, and ensuring
resilient operations.

The company also saw another opportunity to partner with Aquacycl to solve a different wastewater challenge, and brought them into another facility with high-sulfur streams causing odors. They have installed SulfideFix to eliminate H2S in their equalization tank.