Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/489844
22 APRIL 15, 2015 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Reducing WATER USAGE E & J Gallo reduced its winery water usage by 25 percent. by Melissa Hansen I t takes a lot of water to turn grapes into wine. No matter the size of the winery, all wineries face the same issue of dealing with wastewater. One of the world's largest wine producers— E & J Gallo Company—shared how small and big changes can reduce a winery's water usage, and in turn, reduce the amount of wastewater that must be treated and handled. John Nagel, environmen- tal manager for E & J Gallo in Healdsburg, California, and guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers, shared how Gallo's Healdsburg winery reduced its water usage by more than 25 percent. His talk was part of dis- cussions that focused on a new general winery wastewater per- mit for Washington State being proposed by the Department of Ecology and wastewater tools and resources for wineries. The impetus behind Gallo's efforts included water shortages in California, winery capacity constraints, and their desire to implement sustainable winery practices and meet ISO 14000 (the Industry Standards Organization's new environmental management standard). Wastewater—not wine—is the number one product produced by the wine industry, said Nagel. "It takes an average of 80 gallons of water to process each ton of grapes. That's equal to about four gallons of water for every 750-ml bottle of wine." Gallo's water campaign, initiated in 2008, had two goals: to reduce water usage by 25 percent and to sustain or improve winery sanitation. Nagel reported that the company exceeded both goals and reduced water con- sumption from an average of six gallons of water required to make a gallon of wine down to four gallons of water. A game plan was developed, an intern was hired to help carry out the plan, and, most importantly, they leaned heavily for help on a winery wastewater guidebook, the Comprehensive Guide to Sustainable Management of Winery Water and Associated Energy, published in 2008 by the Wine Institute, American Society of Enology and Viticulture, and the National Grape and Wine Initiative. "The guidebook is like a blueprint that tells you what to test, how to test, and helps you develop processes that work," Nagel said. Employee buy-in One of the first things Gallo did was focus on employee culture at the winery. "We wanted employees to be aware of the need for water conservation, so we measured flow rates of all the hoses and put up signs everywhere. We wanted employ- ees to see how much water was used in various winery John Nagel The Leader In Sustainable Crop Inputs Recognizing the need for sustainable farming inputs, BRANDT introduced its first bio-pesticide more than 30 years ago. Today, BRANDT is a leading manufacturer and supplier of sustainable crop inputs, with more than 50 products approved for use in organic production. From OMRI-listed plant nutrition to crop protection and adjuvant solutions, BRANDT has your sustainable farming needs covered. To locate a BRANDT distributor near you, call 559 499 2100 or email info@brandt.co Proud Sponsor of the NASCAR #51 Ag Car Brandt Consolidated Inc. 3654 South Willow Avenue Fresno, California 93725 USA www.brandt.co 559 499 2100 NUTRITION CROP PROTECTION ADJUVANTS