WINETECH Technical Yearbook 2019

At Allan Scott Family Winemakers, there were sluices evident in the winery. Winery wastewater is pumped through a spin separator (Photo 7). Grape skins were still evident even months after vintage. The wastewater is settled in tanks. At this winery, they use the wastewater for vineyard irrigation after harvest. CLOSING REMARKS In South Africa and New Zealand there is some level of legislation regarding irrigation with wastewater. In New Zealand specifically, one has to obtain a consent from the local council and irrigation with wastewaters is a very localised process with the local councils being involved, and responsible for monitoring of water quality during vintage. Winery wastewater treatment varied from almost nothing at smaller wineries to the sophisticated system at Matua in Blenheim. In New Zealand and South Africa, beneficial irrigation with wastewater is strived for. Although New Zealand has high rainfall, they anticipate water shortages in the future and, as such, showed a great deal of interest

in using winery wastewater for vineyard irrigation. The BOD, rather than chemical oxygen demand (COD) as in South Africa, is an important criterion of water quality in the New Zealand wine industry. Elements of concern in winery wastewater for all countries are potassium (K) and sodium (Na). In New Zealand there is also an intense interest in N content of wastewaters. Making compost at wineries in New Zealand will still get a lot of attention in the future. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The South African Society for Enology and Viticulture (SASEV) for awarding the prize for the best article in 2014. Winetech for funding of the prize for best article in the SAJEV journal. Funding for the technical tour was also provided by the Local IWA Organising Committee. The ARC Infruitec- Nietvoorbij for the opportunity to undertake the technical tour. All my hosts in New Zealand who showed exceptional hospitality and showed such an interest in the South African wine industry.

PHOTO 6. The three settling tanks and main wastewater tank at Cloudy Bay Winery near Blenheim.

PHOTO 7. The spin separator used to remove solids from winery wastewater at Allan Scott Family Winemakers near Blenheim.

– For more information, contact Carolyn Howell at howellc@arc.agric.za.