Water consumption and effluent generation in a small dairy industry

The dairy industry is an important segment of the food industry and its contribution in terms of water course pollution is important. Thus, it is necessary and mandatory to reduce the volume of the effluents it generates as well as to conduct a previous treatment of its liquid dejects. This work aimed to determine water consumption and effluent generation in a small dairy. Monitoring was carried out aimed at observing mainly the production process, residues generated, amount of water and effluents generated in each processing line. The dairy's water consumption coefficient is 3.2 L. L-1 of processed milk and the effluent generation coefficient is 3.5 L. L-1 of processed milk. It was concluded that, although the dairy's water consumption coefficient mean is a value very close to those found in the literature data and public organs, small changes in behavior and awareness can reduce this value, so as to decrease the energy waste and volume of the effluent generated, without harming sanitation along the process.