City Brewery to install floating reactor cover; temporary flare to be rented during work

City Brewery representatives told the Board of Public Works on June 23 that the brewery will replace the reactor cover with a floating cover expected to be delivered in late August or early September, with installation in early fall, and will use a rental flare during the work until a purchased third flare is delivered.

Jared (city staff) summarized why the board was briefed: in April 2024 the city issued a compliance order under the industrial pretreatment program to City Brewery requiring repairs, a hydrogen sulfide study and a schedule for replacing the reactor cover to control odors and protect the municipal wastewater treatment plant. City staff said industrial pretreatment permits set limits on BOD, TSS, ammonia, phosphorus and hydrogen sulfide as tools to manage the wastewater treatment system; City Brewery accounts for roughly 17% of the treatment plant's influent loading, staff said.

Matthew "Matt" Sweet, representing City Brewery, said engineers identified structural challenges with the original cover design and the brewery redesigned the project to use a floating cover, which he said reduces structural issues and improves the seal. "We decided to go with the floating cover," Sweet said, adding that the cover's insulation should help reactor efficiency in winter.

Sweet said the floating cover has been ordered and is expected on site around August, with early fall installation targeted. Because the permanent third flare will arrive later, the brewery plans to rent a temporary flare during demolition and installation to maintain safe negative pressure and to manage methane produced by the reactor.

City staff emphasized this item was presented as an update; no board action was required at the meeting.