Influence of Winemaking Practices on the Characteristics of Winery Wastewater and Water Usage of Wineries

The winemaking industry produces large volumes of wastewater that pose an environmental threat ifnot treated correctly. The increasing numbers of wineries and the demand for wine around the worldare adding to the growing problem. The vinification process includes all steps of the winemakingprocess, from the receipt of grapes to the final packaged product in the bottle. To fully understand allthe aspects of winery wastewater it is important to know the winemaking processes before consideringpossible treatments. Winemaking is seen as an art and all wineries are individual, hence treatmentsolutions should be different. Furthermore, wastewater also differs from one winery to anotherregarding its volume and composition and therefore is it vital for a detailed characterisation of thewastewater to fully understand the problem before managing it. However, prevention is better thancure. There are a number of winemaking practices that can help lower the volume of the wastewaterproduced to decrease the work load of the treatment system and increase the efficiency of treatment.