The Department of Ecology in Washington state is looking at regulatory changes due to the growing number of wineries in the state. According to the agency, every gallon of wine produced results in 6 gallons of wastewater. While the DOE says the industry has done a good job in general handling the wastewater, it is concerned many smaller wineries are disposing of wastewater in domestic septic systems, which aren’t designed for these waste streams. The largest wineries have individual wastewater discharge permits, and the DOE is drafting a general permit for smaller operations. Draft regulations are expected in July with
