Oregon Regulators Approve Plans to Make Beer Out of Sewage Water

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission recently approved the use of recycled sewage water to brew beer, the Oregon Public Broadcasting’s environmental news organization EarthFix reports.

Brewed via a purification process developed by Oregon’s Clean Water Services, the beer would not be available for commercial or retail use, and the finished product would still need to undergo tests to make sure it is safe to drink. And it won’t be on tap at any bars. It would only be served at tasting events hosted by its manufacturers, the home brewing club Oregon Brew Crew, and other water professional society functions.

In 2014, Oregon’s Clean Water services hosted a brewing competition to challenge beer enthusiasts to make beer out of “30 percent purified wastewater,” according to EarthFix. Overall, the point of developing this beer is to encourage innovative uses of the wastewater and spark a nationwide conversation about conserving water in creative ways in the midst of news about severe water shortages along the West Coast, a spokesperson for Clean Water Services told the news outlet.

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