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Hydroflux Industrial > Technology & Solutions > Solutions > Meat and Poultry

Process Water and Wastewater Treatment for the Meat and Poultry Industry

Hydroflux provides specialised process water and wastewater treatment solutions tailored to the meat and poultry industries, ensuring compliance, sustainability, and operational efficiency. From process water treatment to advanced trade waste management, our solutions help meat and poultry processors maintain high-quality water standards while meeting stringent hygiene and environmental regulations.

For process water treatment, our expertise includes Multimedia Filtration (MMF), Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), ion exchange, demineralisation systems, Ultrafiltration (UF), Nanofiltration (NF), and Reverse Osmosis (RO). Whether treating bore water or ensuring water quality for processing, Hydroflux delivers tailored solutions to meet industry requirements.

With decades of experience in wastewater treatment, Hydroflux designs and delivers customised systems incorporating Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF), anaerobic and aerobic biological processes, and sludge management. We specialise in removing fats, oils, grease (FOG), suspended solids, organics, nutrients, and even dissolved salts, ensuring wastewater is treated efficiently before discharge or reuse.

Our solutions support meat and poultry processors in optimising water use, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing overall operational performance.

View the photo gallery below for examples of plants Hydroflux has constructed for the Meat and Poultry industry

Wastewater Treatment – Ensuring Compliance and Sustainability

Hydroflux has extensive experience in wastewater treatment for meat and poultry processors across both urban and rural locations, covering primary production, further processing, and rendering. The choice of treatment plant depends on where the wastewater is being discharged.

Regardless of the discharge requirements, Hydroflux has the expertise to design and construct suitable treatment plants, ensuring compliance and sustainability. We also provide advanced systems that enable non-potable or potable water reuse, maximising resource recovery and operational efficiency.

Optimised Solutions for Performance, Cost, and Sustainability

Hydroflux evaluates each project individually, considering performance requirements, CAPEX, and OPEX to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective solution. We assess wastewater characteristics, discharge regulations, space constraints, and operational sustainability to optimise system design.

Trade Waste Discharge

For urban processors discharging wastewater to the sewer as trade waste, Hydroflux typically provides an automated rotary screening system followed by a HyDAF unit to ensure compliance with discharge requirements.

The diagram illustrates a typical wastewater treatment process for urban sites discharging to a local sewage treatment plant. We primarily use process equipment, including the HyDAF Dissolved Air Flotation system from our proprietary range, and offer complete turnkey design and construction solutions.

Each wastewater treatment system is designed with a tailored chemical treatment program to achieve the required level of treatment, which may include pH control, coagulation, and flocculation, either individually or in combination. With increasing regulations and the rising cost of sludge disposal, Hydroflux will often also incorporate sludge dewatering into the overall process.

Environmental Discharge

For processing facilities in rural areas where wastewater is discharged to the environment via irrigation or to rivers and streams under EPA licenses, or in regions where council regulations are strict, a wastewater treatment plant incorporating a biological process is essential for the removal of organics and nutrients.

After pre-treatment, which may include screening and a non-chemical Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system for solids and grease removal, wastewater is directed to an aerobic process such as a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), or Activated Sludge system—all of which can be designed and constructed by Hydroflux. Where suitable, anaerobic ponds can be installed upstream of the aerobic system to reduce organic load while generating sustainable biogas. If required, additional tertiary treatment, such as filtration or disinfection, is incorporated to ensure compliance with environmental discharge standards.

Hydroflux’s Proprietary Wastewater Treatment Systems for Meat and Poultry Processors

Dissolved Air flotation

Dissolved air flotation (DAF) is the most commonly used wastewater treatment method for meat and poultry processing facilities, offering efficient removal of suspended solids, oils, and greases. Hydroflux provides a comprehensive range of HyDAF systems tailored to suit any meat or poultry application be it primary production, further processing, rendering or a combination of all three. Every Hydroflux DAF system is precisely sized using a proven in-house engineering tool, ensuring optimal performance based on flow rates and solids loading.

Hydroflux’s comprehensive range of dissolved air flotation units ranges from 10 kL/hr to over 300 kL/hr and can be configured with several options for automated settled sludge removal to further streamline operation and maintenance.

Biological Processes

Hydroflux designs tailored biological treatment solutions based on factors such as available space, treatment objectives, and discharge requirements. Our portfolio includes:

  • Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR)
  • Membrane Bioreactors (MBR)
  • Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR)
  • Conventional activated sludge processes (tank or pond-based)

For high-strength wastewater with elevated COD levels, Hydroflux can design and construct High-rate anaerobic reactors or covered anaerobic ponds, which provide a cost-effective and sustainable solution by offering energy recovery.

With expertise in all aerobic and anaerobic biological treatment processes, Hydroflux designs each system based on performance requirements, regulatory compliance, and available space, ensuring the most efficient and cost-effective solution.

Sludge Dewatering

Sludge dewatering is a critical aspect of a wastewater treatment plant to handle both primary sludge and secondary waste-activated sludge (WAS), and Hydroflux carefully evaluates sludge handling as a separate process to determine the most viable solution. Hydroflux selects the most suitable dewatering technology from its extensive product rang,e which includes:

  • Screw Presses – Preferred for their energy efficiency, minimal maintenance, and high dry solids output
  • Centrifuges – Effective for high-volume sludge processing and 3-phase separation abilities
  • Belt Presses – Suitable for high volume continuous sludge dewatering operations

Tailored Process Water Treatment Solutions for the Meat and Poultry Sector

Hydroflux provides tailored process water treatment systems that meet the strict hygiene, quality, and regulatory standards required for meat and poultry processors. With extensive experience, Hydroflux ensures that processors have access to high-quality, reliable, and sustainable process water to support their operations.

Hydroflux provides a comprehensive range of hygienic and non-hygienic process water treatment solutions designed to meet the specific needs of meat and poultry processors, including:

  • Multimedia Filtration (MMF) – Removes suspended solids and particulates
  • Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Filtration – Eliminates organic compounds, chlorine, and taste/odour issues
  • Ion Exchange Systems – Softens water by removing hardness-causing minerals
  • Ultra Filtration (UF) – Utilises hollow fibre membranes to remove suspended and colloidal solids
  • NX Nano Filtration (NF)  – Employs advanced crossflow NX membranes to eliminate suspended solids and targeted dissolved contaminants
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO) – A high-pressure filtration process that removes dissolved contaminants, including salts, organic compounds, and other dissolved impurities

Comprehensive Design and Construct Services

Hydroflux provides comprehensive design, construction, and support services for meat and poultry processing facilities needing new, or upgraded process water and wastewater treatment plant, or simply require operational expertise.

Our turnkey solutions cover everything from custom system design and equipment selection to full-scale construction, installation, and commissioning. We offer ongoing support, including preventative maintenance programs, operator training, chemical optimisation, and 24/7 technical assistance. With remote monitoring through HyCONNECT™, we provide real-time diagnostics and troubleshooting, ensuring long-term performance, minimal downtime, and cost-effective operation for every plant.

End-to-End Wastewater Treatment Solutions with Expert Project Execution

With a team of qualified civil, mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineers, as well as experienced project managers, site supervisors, commissioning engineers, and service technicians, Hydroflux offers flexible contract options, ranging from equipment design and supply to full turnkey installations with expert execution at every stage. All projects are conducted under externally approved occupational health and safety and environmental management systems.

Our offices across Australia provide a strong local presence, ensuring seamless project management from design through to installation. Additionally, Hydroflux offers post-installation routine service contracts to maintain system performance and longevity.

Below is a 3D drawing of a treatment plant recently constructed for a food processing plant in SA comprising primary screening, paunch handling, steriliser water heat exchangers, HyDAF dissolved air flotation, sludge dewatering, a covered anaerobic lagoon, an aerated storm water collection lagoon and biogas handling.

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Comprehensive Support for Meat and Poultry Processing Water & Wastewater Treatment Plants

Hydroflux is a trusted partner for the meat and poultry industries, providing end-to-end water and wastewater treatment solutions. Beyond system design and installation, Hydroflux offers chemical optimisation, preventative maintenance, biological plant modelling, and remote monitoring, ensuring long-term reliability and performance for every plant.

Chemical Optimisation

Hydroflux offers a comprehensive range of proprietary chemicals, including coagulants, antiscalants, acids/alkalis, oxidising/reducing agents, and proprietary cleaning and sanitising products. These chemicals are formulated to optimise process water feed conditioning before and after treatment or enhance the performance of your wastewater treatment plant. Our chemists work closely with the project delivery team to develop a site-specific chemical program that ensures maximum treatment efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Preventative Maintenance & Service

To guarantee consistent performance from day one, Hydroflux provides customised service and maintenance programs. Our engineers and technicians discuss preventative maintenance strategies during the construction phase, offering routine service, periodic overhauls, and full plant operation support. Our service team is available 24/7 to respond to unforeseen breakdowns, ensuring uninterrupted plant operation.

Remote Monitoring

All Hydroflux process water treatment plants come equipped with our proprietary HyCONNECT™ remote monitoring system, providing instant online technical support and troubleshooting. For remote locations with limited connectivity, we offer specialty monitoring solutions to ensure continuous system oversight. No matter where your facility is located, Hydroflux specialists are just a call away, ready to assist with real-time diagnostics and performance optimisation.

Sustainable Solutions

As Australia’s first certified carbon-neutral water and wastewater chemical supply and service business, we focus on sustainability. Developing and delivering sustainable solutions for treatment plant operation and maintenance is at the core of what we do. Our equipment is the most sustainable in the ANZ-Pacific market and is also carbon-neutral. Click here to find out what this means for you.