Anheuser-Busch halts beer production to provide clean water for Harvey victims

The king of beers has switched to water—at least at one Anheuser-Busch brewery, which is producing cans of emergency drinking water to be sent across the Hurricane Harvey disaster area.

The Anheuser-Busch brewery in Cartersville, Georgia has been working to meet the demand of Hurricane victims, just as it has during previous natural disasters, according to WXIA. Clean drinking water could be in short supply in Houston and other impacted areas as flood waters from Hurricane Harvey—which has dumped feet of water on the region since it made landfall last week—begin to recede.

The original shipment was 50,000 cans, according to Anheuser-Busch, but the company has now sent over 155,000 cans to support flood-damaged communities.

“Throughout the year, we periodically pause beer production at our Cartersville, Georgia brewery to produce emergency canned drinking water so we are ready to help out communities across the country in times of crisis," Brewmaster Sarah Schilling from the Cartersville Brewery said, according to WXIA. “Putting our production and logistics strengths to work by providing safe, clean drinking water is the best way we can help in these situations.”

The huge brewery in Cartersville is unique among other facilities because of its capacity to switch gears and package water rather than beer, according to WXIA, which comes in handy when safe, clean drinking water is needed during disasters.

The Baton Rouge Red Cross is receiving the water today, and will then distribute it to those in need around the area, according to WXIA.

The brewery typically makes 24 different kinds of beer, according to the Palm Beach Post.

After the initial 50,000 can shipment was packaged on Sunday, the beer made the 500-mile trek from Georgia to Baton Rouge for distribution.

Previous disasters the Cartersville brewery has switch from beer to water for include Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Sandy, according to WGN. The facility has also sent emergency water up to firefighters fighting wildfires in the Pacific northwest.

This story was originally published August 28, 2017 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Anheuser-Busch halts beer production to provide clean water for Harvey victims."