Dealing With Wine Waste Water

Dealing With Wine Waste Water

Dealing With Wine Waste Water. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report.

The subject of winery waste water is getting plenty of press these days after the Department of Ecology proposed a General Permit for wineries. Stuart Childs, senior scientist with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants talks about the two waste streams wineries need to deal with.

CHILDS: If you separate your solids and your water, then you have two waste management streams. Sometimes you're not set up for that. Sometimes you may have a discharge system where it's ok that they're combined but be aware, solids plus water equals odor.

Childs says that there is a way to improve waste water from the beginning.

CHILDS: You can also improve processed water quality by separating things as fast as you can with solids. Those are the good things about separating solids. Another thing is you need to protect your discharge and if you put all your solids in a pond you could have an odor problem, you might reach capacity in your pond slowly but surely, there can be issues.

He also says that solids in a drain field or septic system is a very bad idea. Childs was speaking to a group of wine industry people and giving them a brief overview of how systems can work and how that could be modified to comply with the proposed DOE permit. The permit is currently going through scrutiny and public comment. If you are concerned about how the permit could affect your operation or to just find out more information, visit the Department of Ecology's website.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.

Previous ReportWine Wastewater Issues
Next ReportWine Industry Awards