Thu, 19 Mar 2020 8:18 pm EDT
PITTSBURGH--Evoqua Water Technologies, an industry leader in mission-critical water treatment solutions, today named Bush Brothers & Company as the recipient of the 2020 Evoqua Water Sustainability Award. The award recognizes Evoqua customers for their excellence in water stewardship, including those using new or existing technologies in innovative, sustainable ways and companies that have made significant strides in water reduction.
Bush Brothers & Company, America’s largest manufacturer of prepared beans, has been recognized for Evoqua’s annual award after demonstrating multiple noteworthy improvements in its water sustainability efforts. The family owned business has been operating in the small community of Chestnut Hill, Tennessee for more than 110 years, and consistently aims to reduce its impact on the community. For example, when the area was facing water scarcity and drought concerns, Bush Brothers & Company took action to lessen their facility’s strain on limited water resources through a two-phase water reuse project.
BUSH’S® Process Water Reuse Facility currently receives and biologically treats wastewater generated from bean rehydration & cleaning, batching of sauces, and plant sanitation operations. The overall system design incorporates sustainability benefits that are highlighted by waste bean solids captured and used for cattle feed, use of anaerobic biogas as boiler fuel, land irrigation of treated water to replenish the water table, and reuse of treated water for non-food contact utility applications. The primary treatment plant operation utilizes multiple Evoqua dissolved air flotation units and the water reuse design utilized Evoqua reverse osmosis units prior to final reuse at utility applications. The technologies and methods currently operating at the Bush Brothers & Company facility are a case study for water intensive industry to maximize reuse and minimize environmental footprint.
“A reflection of our purpose to transform water and enrich life, the Evoqua Sustainability Award proudly celebrates the dedication and innovation of customers deploying technologies and operating practices to reach their sustainability goals,” said Ron Keating, CEO at Evoqua. “Bush Brothers & Company’s achievements in reducing and reusing water and creating sustainable energy have made it an exemplary company and we’re honored to be part of its sustainability journey.”
“Bush Brothers & Company is proud to be selected by Evoqua for an award that recognizes the devotion that our people put toward creating a sustainable business, reducing our impact on the environment and improving our community,” said Al Williams, President and CEO at Bush Brothers & Company.
Each year, the award is given to celebrate World Water Day, which occurs annually on March 22. Evoqua employees nominate sustainable companies from its 38,000-customer base for exhibiting excellent water stewardship and demonstrating sustainable efforts in their strategies around community impact, water and energy efficiency and environmental protection. Other finalists included Bellefonte Borough Authority and Austin Energy.
Bellefonte Borough Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, recently completed a sustainability project to protect a critical community resource: Spring Creek. The stream is densely populated with fish and wildlife and runs through the heart of the county. In partnership with Evoqua and Nittany Engineering & Associates (a division of Century Engineering Inc.), BBA lessened its impact, for today and tomorrow, on the stream through a reduction in discharge pollutants.
Municipal utility Austin Energy provides district cooling - done by pumping chilled water through a network of underground pipes from centralized facilities – for various areas throughout Austin. Austin Energy partnered with Evoqua to improve energy efficiency of the system through quality improvements of the water circulating through the cooling towers. The company improved energy efficiency of the cooling system by 10-15%, resulting in 4.5 million gallons per year of water savings.
About Bush Brothers & Company
BUSH'S® is all about family, friends that feel like family, and a certain Secret Family Recipe. When you enjoy our beans (doesn't matter if they're baked beans, black beans, pinto beans, great northern beans...you get the picture), you can trust that they're the very best. Because we wouldn't serve your family anything less. Since we got our start more than 110 years ago in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, Bush Brothers & Company has always maintained that quality is the best policy. We pursue excellence and exceptional taste in our beans, sauces and everything we do. That's why, from mouthwatering baked beans to satisfying bean recipes, you're cooking up the best with BUSH'S BEST®. For more information, visit www.bushbeans.com.
Bush’s and Bush’s Best are registered trademarks of Bush Brothers & Company
About Evoqua Water Technologies
Evoqua Water Technologies is a leading provider of mission critical water and wastewater treatment solutions, offering a broad portfolio of products, services and expertise to support industrial, municipal and recreational customers who value water. Evoqua has worked to protect water, the environment and its employees for more than 100 years, earning a reputation for quality, safety and reliability around the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company operates in more than 150 locations across nine countries. Serving more than 38,000 customers and 200,000 installations worldwide, our employees are united by a common purpose: Transforming Water. Enriching Life®.
About DESOTEC
DESOTEC, founded in 1990, is the leading European provider of mobile filtration solutions through a unique and circular service concept, which helps protect the planet by enabling clean water, air, and soil. DESOTEC's customer base is constantly growing thanks to a strong focus on 24/7 service and a commitment to design and deliver the best solution in close dialogue with the customer. Through in-depth expertise of industrial applications and continuous investment in mobile filters, reactivation capacity and well-positioned hubs, DESOTEC ensures that the industry can meet the increasing regulations for a better and cleaner environment. Private equity funds managed by Blackstone acquired DESOTEC in 2021. Further information is available at www.desotec.com.
About Blackstone
Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $951 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com.
