Different cultures worldwide can share many common traits including religion, language, beliefs, etc. The enjoyment of beer is without a doubt a common trait among many cultures. Beer is far more than just a drink. Beer can shape a country’s economy and industry by providing jobs and other opportunities. Namibia Breweries Limited in Windhoek is an establishment that aims to provide quality beer and business practices that will maintain good local community relations, and keep consumers wanting more.
Stacked cans of Amstel Lager are ready for packing at Namibia Breweries Limited factory in Windhoek, Namibia. These cans are shipped from the factory to destinations worldwide to meet consumer demands.
Namibia Breweries Limited, also known as NBL, is the leading brewery in Southern Africa. It has a network of partners including Heineken. Water is the largest component of beer and is essential to the process. However, countries such as Namibia have many issues when it comes to natural resources. Namibia is regularly afflicted by droughts, which is why the urban areas like Windhoek rely on dams to provide a majority of their water.
Water restrictions in Windhoek are causing some businesses to downsize operations and others to relocate. Water intensive manufacturers are complying with the restrictions through efficient methods of conservation. In 2015, NLB reduced their water use by 2 percent on average of each unit of final product. NLB accomplished this feat by implementing a water reclamation project at their package plant. Overall, the project saved approximately 11,000 cubic meters of water proving to be a success after only being implemented in February of that same year.
There are several parts of the water reclamation process. Rinse water is reclaimed for use in other washing processes. Caustic soda lye used in cleaning-in-place systems is reused until it has lost its potency. When potency is lost, the lye is sent to a sedimentation tank where it will separate from the dirty sediments. The remaining liquid is then refreshed with new lye to the correct cleaning concentration and reused.
NBL receives its water from the Von Bach Dam. This dam along with Swakoppoort and Omatako provide water to the city of Windhoek. Cities such as Windhoek rely heavily on these resources. These sources have been sufficient in recent history, but they are still closely regulated to ensure reserves do not fall within emergency water supply levels.
Many rural areas in Namibia are still left without stable water sources, making it difficult for communities to survive. NBL has taken many strides to preserve the natural water resources of the local community in Windhoek. They have proven to be an important contributor to Namibia’s growing economy. Initiatives such as the water reclamation project ensure NBL maintains a vital role in the country of Namibia.
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