IBP NEWS
How Remote Monitoring and AI are Transforming Water
Treatment for Sustainable Manufacturing
By Chris Payne, Co-founder & Director of PureTec Separations Ltd
As packaging output increases to meet
rising demand, so too does water use.

For bottlers and beverage producers,
this creates a growing challenge: how
to scale up sustainably while keeping
resource use, and costs, under control.

Water is essential across the line, from
ingredient processing and CIP (clean-
in-place) systems to rinsing, cooling
and packaging operations. Managing it
efficiently is more than a back-of-house
concern, it’s a strategic imperative and
opportunity for improvement.

That’s where remote monitoring
and AI come into their own, delivering
unparalleled control and insight
into your water treatment processes,
while supporting key sustainability
targets. These tools not only optimise
plant performance but also underpin
two vital strategies for long-term
success: water efficiency, and proactive
maintenance and refurbishment.

That’s why water efficiency is commonly
measured by the water:product ratio:
a simple but powerful metric for
sustainability in F&B.

The goal? To reduce the volume
of water used per unit produced, cut
waste, and manage effluent responsibly.

However, reaching and maintaining an
optimal water:product ratio is complex,
especially across high-throughput,
multi-stream operations. Even small
inefficiencies can escalate quickly if
left unmonitored.

This is where AI and remote
monitoring can unlock huge
advantages. They offer real-time
visibility, early warning systems, and
trend tracking that allows plants to
move from reactive fixes to predictive,
preventative strategies, helping you
maintain optimal efficiency 24/7.

The Packaging-Water Link:
More Volume, More Pressure
Modern water treatment systems
generate huge volumes of data, but
without the right tools, that data often
goes unused and under utilised. Remote
monitoring changes that by capturing
live performance metrics across
your treatment systems: flow rates,
pressures, pump loads, membrane
status, and more.

At PureTec Separations, we
support manufacturers with AI-
enhanced trending and normalisation
programmes. These tools analyse
current performance against historical
benchmarks, flagging potential issues
before they impact efficiency. Whether
it’s a clogged filter or a gradual drop in
RO system performance, AI ensures you
can act early.

This level of control supports
continuous improvement, reduces waste,
and extends the working life of your
equipment. It also makes it easier to plan
Water use is intrinsically tied to product
output. More bottles mean more
water – whether it’s for washing,
blending, cleaning or chilling.

10 How Remote Monitoring and AI
Improve Control and Insight
interventions during low-demand periods,
minimising disruption, saving costs and
ensuring production continuity.

Water Efficiency:
A Core Pillar of Sustainable
Manufacturing Remote monitoring and AI are more
than just operational upgrades, they’re
enablers of sustainable manufacturing
goals. Water efficiency in particular
supports several strategic outcomes:
Reducing environmental impact:
Less effluent means less pollution
and reduced strain on ecosystems.

Lower water volumes also require less
energy to pump, heat, and treat, cutting
carbon emissions.

Conserving resources:
With aquifer levels falling in parts of
the UK due to borehole over-extraction,
reducing freshwater demand is
increasingly urgent.

Optimising the product cycle:
Lower water use means lower
incoming water costs, reduced
treatment requirements, and improved
profitability – a win-win.

Driving energy efficiency:
High-efficiency technologies like
PureTec’s Ecosoft range reduce
treatment time and power use.

Enabling circular systems:
Where feasible, remote monitoring
supports closed-loop approaches such
as Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) by
recycling water, recovering resources,
and eliminating discharge altogether.

Why Maintenance and
Refurbishment Still Matter
Even with the smartest systems, physical
components wear over time. Filters clog,
membranes foul, and pumps degrade,
all of which compromise performance.

Without regular attention, these issues
silently increase energy consumption
and water rejection rates, undermining
sustainability efforts.

That’s why comprehensive
maintenance and timely refurbishment
INTERNATIONAL BOTTLER & PACKER | JULY 2025