Stormflower Winery
Stormflower is a small winery in the Wilyabrup pocket of the Margaret River region all about producing the best wine they can from the small block, with all fruit from the vineyard. Since Stormflower management took over the vineyard in 2007, they have lovingly restored the vines with increased use of composts and natural vineyard management and have now achieved full organic certification for their vineyard and wines produced.
Challenge
Stormflower were looking for a wastewater management solution that would serve as a long term solution with potential for growth as the winery becomes more established in the future. They were looking for something that was cost effective to build and that could be easily managed by Stormflower management and staff. They were also looking for a solution that tied in with their organic and environmentally sustainable philosophies and had and atheistic appeal of which they could promote to visitors of the vineyard and cellar door.
Scope
Eco Wastewater Solutions was engaged, at the early stages of design, to consult with management and provide a design solution to meet the needs of the winery production development and the property in general. Eco Wastewater Solutions provided preliminary consultation and indicative cost estimates to present and discuss with Stormflower management. Following this Eco Wastewater Solutions provided extensive Site and Soil Evaluations and detailed design documentation for a wastewater management system to be built by a contractor of Stormflower management’s choice. Eco Wastewater Solutions provided extensive support to Stormflower management in working through the required approval process.
Solution:
The design outcome was a simple, passive wastewater management system which could be built from mostly locally soured materials and components. A passive, gravity fed system utilises the natural slope of the land to treat the winery production wastewater via naturally occurring processes in purpose built reed bed or constructed wetlands. Utilising a modular approach to allow for future growth, the water flows through a series of red bed ‘pods’, treating the water before it is discharged to the existing irrigation dam. Ultimately the wastewater is then stored and reused to irrigate the vineyards through the growing season. The system was built by a local contractor with ongoing support provided by Eco Wastewater Solutions.
The result is not only simple, functional and cost effective but also serves as a working example of resourceful and sustainable winery management.
