What is involved in the process of winery wastewater treatment?

Winery wastewater is a byproduct of winery operations. It consists of things like unused grapes and juice, the sugars from alcohol and winemaking and any cleansing agents that are applied to tanks, barrels, filters, etc. These waste materials must be processed correctly for maximum efficiency and sustainability.

Fundamental considerations in winery wastewater management

It is good practice to control what gets into the flow of waste. This will help promote better quality in the wastewater. Many wastes can be turned into useful resources with the right management. These can be applied to things like irrigation and industrial use, and reduce risks to the environment.

The management of winery wastewater is crucial to the business and environmental performance of a winery. Failure to manage wastewater correctly can be very harmful to profitability and general operations.

A good approach involves:

  • Cleaner production, reducing waste to improve profits
  • Efficient, cost-effective treatment processes
  • Gaining more options for secure water supplies
  • Focusing on reducing environmental risks from wastewater discharge

It doesn’t have to cost a lot to improve your wastewater management. It can start with improving your operations to reduce waste within the winery.

Effective treatment of winery wastewater

Environmental issues are a critical factor to be competitive in the wine industry. Winery wastewater has a high biochemical oxygen demand, meaning it is highly biodegradable. As such, treatment often involves biological processes, but there are actually several broad options.

  • Physical and chemical processes like filtration, settling tanks, pH correction and screening.
  • Mechanical processes like tickling filtration or activated sludge.
  • Natural systems like wetlands or anaerobic or aerobic ponds.

The correct treatment system generally depends on site-specific factors:

  • The characteristics of the wastewater.
  • Requirements for effluent quality.
  • Availability of space and buffer requirements.
  • Budget.
  • Technical capabilities.

So, for example, a smaller winery with limited land availability may be best suited to a physical system coupled with filtration. A large winery, on the other hand, may be suited to mechanical techniques for biological treatment and reuse.

Managing residuals

All wastewater treatment techniques produce sludge as a result of settlement and organic matter degradation. This sludge must be routinely removed, and the frequency of removal depends on the type of system. Disposal of this sludge often consists of land spreading as it can be beneficial for soil, but there are limitations to this.

It is very common today to look for sustainable solutions wherever possible. A professional wastewater treatment firm like By-Jas can help with this. We can offer expert advice and consultation as well as support in implementing and maintaining new systems to improve your wastewater management. There are often many opportunities to make these improvements for greater sustainability and efficiency.

Get in touch with the winery wastewater experts

By Jas specialises in sewage and waste water treatment. Visit us at Byjas or contact us on (03) 5979 1096.

We have been in the industry for 35 years and are family-owned.

We service across Australia, regional town centres, remote regional areas, and main capital cities.

What you can read next

Waste water treatment for Wineries
Specialising in the Winery Industry
Irrigation efficiency for Wineries
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From waste to water: understanding the sewage treatment process

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How do Wastewater Aerators Work?

If you’re wondering how wastewater aerators work, you’re not alone. Many people don’t know much about aerators or the role they play in sewage treatment. This blog post will discuss how aerators work, and why they are such a vital part of the sewage treatment process.

What are aerators?

Aerators are devices that introduce air into wastewater, so wastewater aeration is a process of using aerators to mix air and water. This process provides dissolved oxygen to the water, helping to remove odours from the water, and to break down organic matter. This process is vital because it helps to remove harmful bacteria and other contaminants. Aerators come in many shapes and sizes, but all operate with the same aim.

Why do we need aerators?

Since nutrient-rich wastewater significantly impacts the relationship between living things and their surroundings, governments enforce regulations to control the number of contaminants in wastewater discharge. These rules stipulate that all liquid waste producers, whether residential, agricultural, commercial or industrial, must treat wastewater.

Types of aerators

There are two types of aerators: surface aerators and submerged aerators. Surface aerators float on the water’s surface and use paddles or propellers to create turbulence and mixing. Submerged aerators are placed below the water’s surface and use diffusers, impellers, or propellers to create bubbles that rise through the water and help aerate it.

Surface aerators have, over time, been the subject of intensive development, with their primary application being in the treatment of wastewater through activated sludge. The primary factor in the design of these devices is naturally their ability to transfer oxygen to water efficiently. A surface aerator creates a large surface area between air and liquid to facilitate oxygen diffusion.

Types of surface aerators

There are two main types of surface aerators: diffused aeration and mechanical aeration. Diffused aeration works by bubbling air through a diffuser, breaking the bubbles into tiny droplets. This process adds a lot of oxygen to the water and is very efficient. On the other hand, mechanical aeration uses paddles or impellers to mix the air and water. This type of aeration is less efficient than diffused aeration, but it is still an important part of the sewage treatment process.

When implementing diffused aeration, more oxygen is added to the water, which helps break down the organic matter present in it. This process can also eliminate harmful bacteria and other contaminants from the water, making it safe for human use. Wastewater aerators are a vital part of the sewage treatment process.

Trust the experts

By Jas specialises in sewage and wastewater treatment. Visit us at www.byjas.com.or call us on (03) 5979 1096. We have been in the industry for 35 years and are family-owned.

We service across Australia, regional town centres, remote regional areas, and main capital cities. If you want to learn more about aerators or surface aeration, please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

What you can read next

Waste water treatment for Wineries
Specialising in the Winery Industry
Irrigation efficiency for Wineries
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Wednesday 21 September

We’ve got great news from our Incident Management Team – the Shepparton Wastewater Management Facility has returned to normal winter operating levels, and odour is no longer being released from the aerated lagoons.

With that, its been recommended to close out the IMT this week and we’ll be working on some wider communications materials to inform the community about our progress and success in returning the plant to normal.

We’re seeing a continuing downward trend in the levels of organic load leaving the High Rate Anerobic Lagoon, which is the primary treatment lagoon at the facility. It’s returning to levels we normally see in winter, close to 100mg/L, which we’re really happy with, and shows the lagoon’s treatment performance has stabilised and is working well. We’re also seeing temperatures begin to increase in the lagoon, and continuing warmer weather will create more optimal treatment conditions.

You can see the trends in the 14-day average graph below. Under optimal treatment processes, the gap between the orange and blue lines should be as large as possible.

We’ve also seen more key areas in our key performance indicators turn green over the past two weeks. There are still a few yellow ones, but we’re confident they’re very close to turning green in the near future as well.

These indicators show key data we’re looking at during wastewater sampling in the main treatment lagoons, including pH levels, alkalinity levels, VFAs (volatile fatty acids), the VFA to alkalinity ratio, as well as dissolved oxygen and organic loading – all are important in ensuring the wastewater treatment process works as best it can.