Brewer in Kitchener, Ont. recognized for water-saving work

Carlsberg Canada, formally Waterloo Brewing, is making every drop count. CTV’s Karis Mapp explains.

A brewery in Kitchener, Ont. is awash in praise for making strides to reduce their water use.

The Region of Waterloo has recognized Carlsberg Canada with their annual Water Efficiency Excellence Award on Oct. 22.

Carlsberg Canada acquired Waterloo Brewing in 2023, combining the two brands at their facility at 400 Bingemans Centre Drive. That building was flagged as the region’s fourth highest water user during that same year, prompting the company to bring in new technology to track their usage.

Once they were able to monitor how their water was being used, they noticed the beer pasteurization process was an area of concern.

“In order to make sure there’s no microbiological issues with [the beer], we actually heat it up to a temperature and then cool it back down just to make sure it’s totally safe for the consumer,” Hannah Fiander, Carlsberg Canada’s head of business development and engineering, explained. “That is a very water-intensive process.”

The company got to work making changes, and by 2024, Carlsberg Canada had reduced their year-over-year water use at the Kitchener facility by 100,000 cubic metres. That is roughly the equivalent of 40 Olympic-sized pools full of water.

“We commend Carlsberg on their efforts to reduce their water consumption,” Regional Chair Karen Redman said in a news release. “When large volume water users take steps to reduce their water use, it benefits the whole community and serves as a great example of how these investments lead to wins for people.”

It was no small feat for the local brewer.

“We are extremely proud because it relates so much to what we want to do,” Per Damgaard, Carlsberg Canada’s managing director, said.

“More than 90 per cent of a beer consists of water,” he explained. “That’s why it’s so important to be aware of how we are actually using the raw materials.”

Representatives for the region said the work will benefit the community as a whole.

“The region is the largest community in Canada to rely primarily on groundwater as its drinking water source,” Dan Meagher, the region’s supervisor of water efficiency, innovation and programs, said.

“Every drop counts, and as we grow and continue to add homes and businesses, it’s that much more important that we use as little as we can when we need to.”