Opening a craft brewery is one thing. Getting the plumbing right behind the scenes is another.
Brewing operations generate significant volumes of trade waste. This includes spent grain, rinse water, cleaning chemicals, yeast byproducts and general kitchen wastewater. All of it needs somewhere compliant to go. Without proper brewery plumbing from the start, a new venue faces compliance problems at the worst possible time.
A Brisbane craft brewery faced exactly this challenge. As part of a new venue fit-out, they needed a complete trade waste solution. The scope covered internal above-slab drainage, trade waste pipework, atmospheric venting, and cold water supply to the kitchen. Additionally, the work had to integrate with an existing holding tank. The site also required zero roof penetrations, which shaped the entire approach.
Citi Industries delivered the full scope.
Project Overview
This brewery fit-out came with a specific constraint from day one: no roof penetrations.
The venue needed a complete plumbing system built around an existing holding tank. This covered internal above-slab trade waste drainage, trade waste pipework, atmospheric venting, and cold water supply to the kitchen. That constraint shaped the entire approach.
Key project objectives included:
- Trade waste plumbing installation connecting the holding tank
- Internal above-slab drainage for trade waste throughout the venue
- All vents routed to atmosphere via the rear building face, over the gutter
- A 15mm RPZD backflow prevention valve on the cold water supply
- Cold water supply connection to the kitchen
Challenges
Craft breweries with commercial kitchens fall under Queensland’s trade waste requirements. Brewing operations, cleaning processes, and kitchen activities all generate wastewater. This wastewater must flow through compliant infrastructure before it enters the sewer network.
Queensland Urban Utilities guidelines are clear. Businesses need approved hydraulic plans and compliant pre-treatment infrastructure before they can discharge trade waste.
For this venue, the team designed the internal drainage layout to capture trade waste from all fixtures. Every drainage line, junction, and vent required precise positioning. The existing slab dictated the constraints for achieving correct falls and flow paths.
Two further requirements shaped the scope. First, roof penetrations were not permitted. This meant venting had to run up the rear face of the building to the atmosphere. The route went over the gutter without compromising the building fabric. Second, backflow prevention on the cold water supply was mandatory. An RPZD valve protects the potable supply from cross-contamination where water lines run alongside trade waste infrastructure.
Key challenges included:
- Designing internal above-slab drainage with correct falls and flow paths, within slab constraints
- Routing all vents to atmosphere via the rear building face, with no roof penetrations
- Connecting trade waste pipework correctly to the existing holding tank
- Installing backflow prevention on the cold water supply to the kitchen
- Delivering all works on schedule as part of a live venue fit-out
What Was Delivered
Citi Industries delivered a complete commercial brewery drainage system. This covered all internal trade waste drainage, pipework, venting, and cold water supply. The result: a fully operational and compliant venue.
Internal Above-Slab Trade Waste Drainage
The team installed all drainage lines above the slab. Each line achieved correct gradients and flow paths throughout the tenancy.
In a brewery environment, getting this right matters. Incorrectly graded drainage lines lead to blockages. In a venue open to the public, that creates both operational and compliance problems.
Trade Waste Pipework and Tank Connection
The team installed all trade waste pipework to connect the internal drainage network to the existing holding tank. Every junction followed the correct sequence. This ensures trade waste flows through the system without bypassing any part of the approved infrastructure.
Atmospheric Venting: Rear Face of Building
The team ran all vents up the rear face of the building to the atmosphere, over the gutter line. The installation required no roof penetrations.
Proper venting is non-negotiable in a commercial kitchen trade waste system. Without it, trap seals siphon. Odours enter the building. Drainage performance degrades over time.
Cold Water Supply and Backflow Prevention
The team connected cold water supply to the kitchen and installed a 15mm RPZD backflow prevention valve on the supply line.
All plumbing works met the National Construction Code Volume Three, Plumbing Code of Australia. This code sets minimum standards for brewery plumbing across commercial facilities in Australia.
Final Outcome
The project finished on schedule. The brewery opened with a correctly built drainage system before serving a single customer.
Getting plumbing right during a fit-out matters. Revisiting it after the venue is trading means managing compliance problems under operational pressure. This installation delivered exactly what the venue needed: a compliant, fully connected trade waste system ready from day one.
The project delivered:
- A compliant above-slab brewery wastewater system that captures trade waste from all kitchen and brewing fixtures
- Atmospheric venting via the rear building face, with no roof penetrations
- A 15mm RPZD backflow prevention valve protecting the potable cold water supply
- Trade waste pipework correctly connected to the holding tank, matching the approved hydraulic design
Queensland Urban Utilities trade waste guidelines require compliant trade waste infrastructure for any brewery or commercial kitchen in Queensland. This project delivered exactly that.
Partner With Citi Industries for Your Brewery or Commercial Kitchen Plumbing
Fitting out a new craft brewery? Upgrading trade waste infrastructure? Navigating Queensland’s compliance requirements for the first time? Citi Industries has the expertise to get it done right.
- Talk to us about trade waste plumbing installation and whether you are fitting out a new venue or upgrading an existing one, we know what compliant brewery plumbing looks like.
- Find out about our commercial plumbing services covering cold water supply, backflow prevention, sanitary drainage, and more.
- See our industrial drainage solutions for complex projects across commercial and industrial environments in Queensland.
Call us on 1300 002 484 Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, or send us your details online and we will take it from there.
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