In the food processing industry, which faces increasing pressure to improve efficiency, meet regulatory demands, and demonstrate environmental responsibility, water remains one of the most undervalued inputs. Every day, millions of liters used in Clean-In-Place (CIP) systems are discharged as wastewater without recovering their potential. This linear model of water use has become obsolete. In water-stressed regions, where every cubic meter counts, maintaining this approach is not only inefficient; it is unsustainable.
This project presents a shift in paradigm. By implementing a dedicated system to treat and reuse water from CIP processes, it closes the water loop within the plant, converting a constant waste stream into a safe and traceable source of recycled water for reintegration into operations. The treatment train, based on physical separation, ultrafiltration, advanced oxidation, and chlorine-free disinfection, reduces freshwater intake by up to 60%, while significantly lowering organic load and discharge volumes. In practical terms, this is equivalent to the annual water consumption of more than 300 households or over 12,000 m³ of net annual savings. Every liter regenerated is one less extracted from natural sources.
Located in a food processing plant in central Mexico, the project operates in a region under increasing pressure on groundwater reserves and subject to growing environmental regulations. While responding to a concrete operational need, the solution also sets a replicable model for the broader agri-food sector. All stakeholders, from the plant operator and technology provider to the project structurer and third-party verifier, ensure strong governance and transparent monitoring. The project fully complies with the principles of additionality, intentionality, and digital traceability as defined by the VWBA 2.0 framework. By generating verifiable net water benefits using Reduced Withdrawal, it aligns with the Water Positive strategy and offers a compelling narrative for an industry thirsty for bold, forward-thinking solutions.
In many food processing facilities, CIP systems, essential for ensuring hygiene and food safety, consume large volumes of water in repetitive cleaning cycles that are entirely discharged afterward. This widespread practice represents a significant technical and environmental loss, especially in regions where water is expensive, scarce, or tightly regulated. This project addresses that challenge with a strategic opportunity: to transform post-CIP water into a reusable operational resource, eliminating residual chemicals, reducing discharge volumes, and increasing circularity across production lines.
The solution implemented at this site enables the recovery, treatment, and reuse of CIP water through a robust, multi-stage process: primary sedimentation, microfiltration, advanced oxidation, and chlorine-free disinfection. This treatment train allows the water to be safely reused for non-potable purposes within the plant, such as pre-washing, solid transport, or even select CIP cycles where final rinse quality is not required. The system enables the recovery of over 12,000 m³ of water per year, with an equivalent reduction in freshwater abstraction.
The benefits are immediate and multidimensional: cost savings on water and energy, reduced wastewater volumes, improved compliance with tightening environmental standards, and an enhanced ESG profile for the company. The solution also reduces chemical consumption and improves traceability throughout the cleaning process. Developed by the plant operator in partnership with a specialized water treatment provider and a VWBA-aligned project structurer, the system is equipped with inline quality sensors, alarms, and automated reporting for external validation.
This project offers a unique opportunity for food industry leaders seeking to stay ahead of regulations, position themselves as sustainability pioneers, and capture reputational value in markets where environmental performance is no longer optional, it’s expected. Acting now means turning a cost center into a source of savings, a compliance burden into a competitive edge, and a good practice into a compelling success story.
The proposed technological solution involves the integration of a physical-chemical treatment system to stabilize the water from the final rinse phase of CIP processes, enabling its safe and efficient reintegration into the industrial cleaning circuit. The system is based on the integration of three complementary processes:
Once the chlorine has fulfilled its biocidal function, it is removed through an integrated dechlorination process using activated carbon filters tailored to each plant’s design. This step is essential to prevent any negative effects of chlorine on subsequent process stages or equipment materials. After treatment and dechlorination, the regenerated water reaches the required microbiological, physicochemical, and operational quality for reuse as technical water in new CIP cycles, specifically in initial stages such as pre-rinsing or intermediate rinsing.
This solution enables a structural and measurable reduction in freshwater intake while maintaining the highest food safety standards required by the industry.
The solution is modular and flexible, designed to fit both large-scale processing facilities and medium-sized installations. Implementation begins with a technical assessment of the existing CIP system, including average water volumes used, retention times, operating temperatures, and the physicochemical characteristics of the residual water generated. Based on this analysis, a tailored in-line treatment system is designed and integrated into the circuit without disrupting ongoing production.
The system captures final rinse water at a specific point in the CIP line and routes it to an autonomous treatment unit that operates continuously. This unit includes a modular electroporation chamber, an advanced oxidation reactor, and an electrolytic cell for chlorine generation. After treatment, the water passes through a dechlorination module using activated carbon filters or chemical neutralization, depending on plant design.
Treated water is stored in an intermediate technical tank and reinjected into the system for use in early stages of the next cleaning cycle. The system operates with real-time monitoring of parameters such as redox potential (ORP), turbidity, conductivity, temperature, and free chlorine concentration. This ensures that the reused water consistently meets quality standards defined by food industry health regulations.
The implementation plan includes a pilot phase under real operating conditions, followed by technical training for operational and maintenance staff, microbiological and physicochemical validation of results, and formal commissioning. An intensive monitoring protocol is established during the initial months to ensure operational stability and allow for parameter adjustments if needed.
The project is executed in close collaboration between the plant’s engineering team, the specialized water treatment technology provider, and an independent entity responsible for verifying the water benefits generated. All operational data and performance metrics are integrated into a digital monitoring platform and aligned with sustainability reporting systems based on international frameworks such as CDP, SBTi, or GRI.
The objective of this intervention is to redesign the water cycle within the CIP operations of food industry facilities by incorporating a technology that enables the capture, treatment, and reuse of water from final rinse phases. Operationally, the system can recover between 20% and 40% of the total CIP water volume, depending on the plant’s characteristics and the type of product being processed. Once treated to ensure microbiological and physicochemical stability, this recovered water is temporarily stored in an intermediate tank and reused in new cycles as pre-rinse water.
This approach displaces the need for new water intake from external sources, thus reducing net consumption and pressure on local supply systems. The technology stands out for its sanitary safety, scalability across different plant sizes, and adaptability to various industrial configurations. Its applicability has been validated across multiple food subsectors, including dairy plants, beverage factories, breweries, meat processing plants, and industrial bakeries.
As more companies adopt such solutions, they contribute to a circular water model where water is no longer a single-use input but a reusable resource within the production process. This paradigm shift yields positive impacts not only on water balance but also on efficiency, sustainability, and environmental compliance indicators across organizations.
