After almost a year of planning, Buffalo Trace Distillery has broken ground on its own wastewater reclamation facility as a direct result of its increased distilled spirits production. Comprised of a moving bed biofilm reactor, the new treatment facility will allow wastewater to be treated efficiently and maintain water quality standards. The facility is expected to be completed in June of 2022 and is estimated to cost $43 million.
The new reclamation facility will treat and disinfect process waste clean enough to release into the Penitentiary Branch, which leads to the Kentucky River —ensuring both remain high-quality waters. Not only will this be beneficial for community downstream of the facility, but this unique wastewater reclamation facility will relieve the city of Frankfort’s Sewer Department of any additional burden and keep treatment operations independent.
Buffalo Trace has worked with the city of Frankfort for many years on the treatment of its wastewater, but the needs of the Distillery have increased. This expansion is just one part of its $1.2 billion expansion project, which started in 2016.