The cellar commissioned an environmentally friendly effluent water treatment plant in an effort to recover and purify waste water for irrigation purposes.

The cellar's effluent is discharged by gravity into a receiver tank, screened to remove solid material such as pips and skins, and then to a second tank where the water's pH level is balanced, nutrients are added and it is aerated. From there, the clean water is pumped to the irrigation dam to supply water to one of the adjacent farms.

Cellarmaster, Martin Moore, says that in any winery, waste water is one of the major problems and poses the most significantly environmental risk. The new plant ensures that the waste water now poses no risk to the environment.

Martin says they have also started looking at how they can reduce their carbon footprint.

The cellar was assessed by the SABS in 2004 and the environmental management system had been found to comply with the requirements of the Environmental Standard ISO 14001.

[10 Apr 2008 08:38]

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