Background

A major multinational brewery located near Port Elizabeth was facing a significant challenge: elevated ammonia levels in its anaerobic digester effluent, reaching over 28 mg NH₃-N/L. This effluent, although partially treated, was not suitable for either reuse or discharge into municipal water systems due to strict regulatory thresholds.

The Challenge

The brewery needed a cost-effective, sustainable solution to:

• Reduce ammonia and ammonium concentrations to safe levels

• Improve wastewater reuse potential

• Support circular sustainability goals through resource recovery

• Cut down water usage and disposal costs

Solution: Waboost Wacognis GEA 10

In June 2022, AR Africa and Waboost installed the Wacognis GEA 10 ultrafine bubble aeration system as the final component in the brewery’s anaerobic digestion process. The goal was to enhance the biological oxidation of ammonia and ammonium to nitrite and nitrate through increased dissolved oxygen availability and microbial stimulation.

Results

1. Ammonia Reduction

• Initial concentration: > 28 mg NH₃-N/L

• Post-treatment concentration: < 0.2 mg NH₃-N/L

• Achieved regulatory compliance for reuse and safe discharge

2. Effluent Reuse & Crop Irrigation

• Treated effluent was used to irrigate crops through a constructed wetland, transforming waste into an agricultural resource

• High-quality water yielded healthy crop growth, proving the viability of water reuse on-site

3. Water Savings

• Up to 175,000 liters per day of water savings by recycling effluent back into operations and irrigation

• Reduced overall site water demand and reliance on external sources

Conclusion

The Waboost Wacognis GEA 10 system delivered a game-changing upgrade to the brewery's wastewater management strategy. By turning a persistent ammonia challenge into a sustainable solution, the system enabled circular reuse of effluent, supported agricultural production, and reduced the site's overall environmental footprint.

This case illustrates the power of oxygen ultrafine bubble technology in industrial settings, showing how advanced water treatment can create operational resilience, cost savings, and environmental stewardship—all in one.