Longitudinal analysis of industrial water consumption by process: Empirical evidence from a brewery case study (2022–2024)

Industrial water efficiency is a critical component of sustainable manufacturing, particularly in water-intensive sectors such as beverage production. This study analyzes longitudinal water consumption patterns in a brewery plant between 2022 and 2024, using validated daily operational records disaggregated by process. Descriptive statistics, interannual comparisons, and inferential tests were applied to identify structural trends and critical consumption nodes. Results show that two processes consistently accounted for more than 70% of total water use, confirming structural concentration. Consumption increased significantly in 2023 (+24.8%), followed by a reduction in 2024 (−8.1%), coinciding with the implementation of an operational efficiency intervention. The packaging process exhibited the largest decrease (−23.9%), supported by statistically significant differences (p < 0.01). Variability indicators revealed improved operational stability after intervention. Findings demonstrate that process-level monitoring enables precise identification of inefficiencies and supports targeted strategies for resource optimization. This study contributes empirical evidence to industrial water management literature by providing high-resolution longitudinal data from a real production environment and highlighting the value of process-based analysis for sustainability decision-making.