Ranch Style, Inc., in Fort Worth is one of the major food processors in Texas. More recent plant modifications to recycle water have resulted in saving more than 10,000 gallons of fresh water each day. Water use at Ranch Style was not reduced because of limited or expensive water. Two wells on the plant property are adequate to supply the plant far into the future. The energy costs of heating water and the expense of wastewater disposal, according to Edward Barrera of Ranch Style, were the main incentives for changes in plant operation.
Major water uses at the plant are for sauce and steam.
Another 45 percent of the water used at the plant is for cooking, sterilizing, and cooling the sealed cans in a hydrostatic retort. Continuous metal conveyors carry thousands of cans simultaneously through hot-water, then steam, then more hot water, and finally into the cooling water. Each can spends approximately three hours inside the retort. Movement of the conveyor and pressure from the steam displace large quantities of hot water. This overflow, which is approximately 185 deg.