FITCHBURG (WKOW) -- The city of Madison is encouraging water conservation with a new pale ale beer made with treated waste water.
On Sunday, the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District poured up samples of their new Nine Springs Effluent Pale Ale at the Nine Springs Golf Course in Fitchburg.
The beer is brewed locally with waste water that is double distilled and ran through a carbon filter, to make it safe to drink.
Initially, members of the treatment facility admit they were weary of tasting the beer.
"The guys at the treatment plant were a little bit caution about sampling our treated water and effluent beer, but people are really responding well," said Ralph Erickson, pre-treatment coordinator at Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.
The golf course also installed a sprinkler that uses treated waste water to help treat their grass.
The mission behind the brew is to discourage water waste by "making every drop count" as part of World Water Day.
As of now, the beer is not being sold anywhere.
Currently, there is interest from the Nine Springs golf course to begin partnering with the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and distribute the beer.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/34949654/2017/03/19/madison-metropolitan-sewerage-district-unveils-beer-brewed-with-treated-waste-water