If you’re a winery own in California, you’ve likely heard about new rules for handling wastewater. The California Water Resources Control Board introduced these rules to ensure wineries consider potential contaminants, aiming to protect groundwater and surface water. Complying is costly, prompting wineries to explore the budget-friendly “tank and haul” or “hold and haul” option. In this blog, we’ll explain the Winery General Order, discuss compliance challenges, and explore the tank and haul option.
Understanding the Winery General Order
The Winery General Order is a set of rules established by the California State Water Resources Control Board to oversee how wineries release their process water. The main goal is to safeguard the state’s valuable water resources from potential pollutants, maintaining the quality of groundwater and surface water. Wineries are now required to follow specific guidelines, which often means making substantial investments in compliance measures.
Challenges for Wineries in Compliance
Meeting the requirements of the Winery General Order involves dealing with a complicated set of rules, leading to significant financial commitments. Wineries may face a mountain of paperwork and the need for system upgrades, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. This financial strain, combined with disruptions to operations, poses a considerable challenge for winery owners.
Tank/Hold and Haul Services: A Practical Alternative
Acknowledging the financial burden of compliance, wineries are exploring more cost-effective ways to manage their wastewater responsibly. One popular alternative is the “tank and haul” or “hold and haul” method. AllStarz Pumping & Engineering offers comprehensive tank/hold and haul services, providing wineries with a practical and efficient solution.
How Tank/Hold and Haul Services Work
Tank/hold and haul services involve bringing in on-site tanker/liquid storage units by specialized vendors like AllStarz Pumping & Engineering. These units act as temporary storage for winery process water, allowing wineries to manage wastewater without the immediate need for extensive system upgrades. Periodically, the vendor pumps and removes the stored wastewater, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Benefits of Tank/Hold and Haul Services
- Cost Savings: Choosing tank/hold and haul services can lead to significant cost savings compared to investing in permanent system upgrades. Wineries can avoid substantial upfront expenses with this option.
- Operational Efficiency: On-site storage units offer flexibility in managing wastewater. This allows wineries to schedule pumping based on their operational needs, minimizing disruptions.
- Compliance Assurance: With experienced service providers like AllStarz, wineries can trust that their wastewater management meets regulatory requirements. This ensures winery owners can avoid potential penalties and legal issues.