Winewatch Projects
Winery wastewater ponds at a winery in the Margaret River wine region.
Winewatch has initiated and delivered a number of projects in the Margaret River wine region funded by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and Caring for our Country. The projects have been managed by Curtin University on behalf of Winewatch.
Winery wastewater management
The Winewatch wastewater management project focused on improving industry capacity for wastewater management by small wineries. Small wineries are defined as those that produce less than 350 kilolitres of wine per annum (crush less than approximately 500 tonnes of grapes) and are not required to be licensed through the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation under the Environmental Protection Act Regulations 1987 (Part 5, schedule 1 – prescribed premises category).
Project report: Hanran-Smith G and Gibberd, M (2010) Improved industry capacity for wastewater management by small wineries in the Margaret River wine region – Project Report (Unpublished report)
The following outputs were delivered through the project:
- Monitoring of wastewater characteristics at three small wineries over twelve months during 2008/09.
Wastewater data from three small wineries over a 12 month period. - Development of a series of fact sheets on issues related to wastewater management at small wineries.
- Winewatch fact sheet 1: Winery wastewater composition and potential environmental impacts of wastewater disposal from small wineries.
- Winewatch fact sheet 2: Reducing winery wastewater volumes and pollution loads from small wineries.
- Winewatch fact sheet 3: Winery wastewater disposal to land from small wineries.
- Winewatch fact sheet 4: Subsurface disposal of winery wastewater for small wineries.
- Winewatch fact sheet 5: Ponds for percolation/evaporation and storage of wastewater from small wineries.
- Winewatch fact sheet 6: Disposing of winery wastewater from a small winery using irrigation.
- ‘Winery wastewater management for small wineries’ workshop series – workshops were delivered in Margaret River, Swan Valley, Denmark and Busselton in 2009/10.
- Winery wastewater management plans were developed for eight small wineries in the Margaret River wine region.
- Wineries participating in the EntWine Australia pilot in the Margaret River wine region received advice on a site by site basis on best practice ground and/or surface water monitoring to check that there are no off-site impacts occurring as a result of winery wastewater disposal.
EntWine Australia
EntWine Australia is the Australian wine industry’s voluntary environmental assurance scheme. The scheme was developed by the Winemakers Federation of Australia and launched in 2009. It allows grape growers and winemakers to receive formal certification of their practices according to recognised standards. It involves third party certification and requires demonstration of best agricultural practice, management of remnant vegetation and waterways, best practice winery wastewater management and resource use efficiency.
For more information see http://www.wfa.org.au/entwineaustralia/default.aspx
During 2009/10 Winewatch delivered a pilot of Entwine Australia in the Margaret River wine region. Nine wineries and 55 vineyards participated in the pilot. Participants received EMS training and assistance in developing environmental action plans outlining activities to be implemented on the property to protect the conservation value of remnant vegetation, waterways and wetlands.
Numerous conservation activities were undertaken by participating wine companies with funding support from the project. Activities include over 11 kilometres of fencing on various stream systems within the Margaret River wine region to protect stream banks and riparian vegetation from degradation by grazing stock, and extensive control of invasive weed species.
