Arizona Brewery to Use Purified Wastewater in Beer

A Gilbert, Arizona brewery is preparing to use purified, recycled wastewater when brewing its beer.

The move comes as Arizona is facing an ongoing drought and water crisis at the Colorado River. Desert Monks Brewing Co. owner says this move is all about water conservation and, of course, making the best testing beer.

The Advanced Water Treatment plant at Scottsdale Water makes all this possible as it can purify wastewater within 24 hours. This purification makes the wastewater safe for drinking, although it currently isn’t used in the city’s drinking water, but that could change according to Brian Bieseneyer, Executive Director of Scottsdale Water.

“In the next two to three years, by 2025 to 2026, we will be using our ultra-purified water and putting that into our drinking water system here in Scottsdale,” said Brian Bieseneyer. However, the department will have to go through a permitting process with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality first.

Sommer Decker, one of the owners of Desert Monks Brewing Co., attended demonstrations of the ultra-purified wastewater at Scottsdale Water. She liked the quality of the water so much that she wants to use it permanently.

Desert Monks Brewing Co. will pay for the water and the transportation to the brewery starting this month.

“It is about the beer,” said Decker. “We have found that this water, it is so clean. It’s such a clean slate to start brewing our beer with that really allows the flavor of the beer to showcase itself without any other things that come with the water we would otherwise get.”

Beers made with purified wastewater will be available on tap this summer, according to Decker.

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