With business doubling, Stanthorpe Abattoir needed to do something about their growing waste problem.

“Our business was increasing dramatically and we were over loading the effluent system,” Mr. Allen said.

“Our ponds were smelly, there was talk of a possible subdivision just across the Broadwater Creek from the abattoir and we knew we were in trouble. “I used to spray the effluent at night because the Broadwater School is about two kilometers west of the abattoir.”

“I took the punt and put in the Grander equipment one Sunday, without telling anybody,” Mr. Allen said. “It was three months before I noticed the effect but now it is improving all the time and smells have completely disappeared.”

It is the processing of the pigs that works, manager John Allen says the Grander Water technology has achieved one of its most noticeable effects, with surface bacteria counts dropping from around 10 to two, amongst the lowest in the country.

Beef and sheep bodies are washed down only once during processing, but are also showing improved bacterial counts between zero and one, the industry standard being six. Bacteria counts have fallen throughout the abattoir, all walls and equipment, while sanitizer use has been cut by some two thirds and cleaning detergent use by 50%.

Water hardness readings have dropped from 90 to 20, allowing the Allen’s to eliminate regular chemical use in the boiler yet continue to strip scale.

“The fellow who sold us the boiler asked what we had done to get such a turnaround,” Mr. Allen said.

For some time Don Allen and Co has been using worms to treat, cattle paunch contents, in a system that requires daily watering. Mr. Allen says “things, were pretty desperate, water wise,” and he tried effluent from his old pond system. Not for long.

“Around June I had to put effluent on the worms. Three quarters of them died and the rest shot through. They didn’t cop it all,” he said.

“In October I decided to give the effluent another go, because by then the Grander technology was in place and we were increasingly desperate for water as the year went on. The worms lapped it up, and I think perhaps they’re breeding faster now than they did with the dam water.

“That’s when the penny really dropped as to what the Grander Water was capable of doing.”

Mr. Allen’s faith in Grander Technology was strong enough for him to install a domestic unit, at his home, to treat a mix of rainwater and purchased Stanthorpe town water.

“My wife Jean says she is using much less dishwashing liquid, hardly any in the dishwasher, and you can certainly see the difference in glasses when they’re washed. I can only tell you that Grander works I can’t tell you how.