Hard-working worms clean-up Fetzer Vineyards’ wastewater for re-use in landscaping and vineyards

Worms and working the land have always had a mutual relationship. If you work the land to grow fruits or vegetables, worms are an ever-present part of farming. But recently, worms became an integral part of Fetzer Vineyards’ commitment to conserve resources and achieve sustainability goals.

In partnership with the BIDA® wastewater treatment system, Mendocino County vintner Fetzer Vineyards announced the completion of the installation of the new system which utilizes billions of worms to clean up the process water. Working in tandem with microbes to clean contaminants in the winery’s greywater, the worm-based system uses 85 percent less energy to clean the greywater and can regenerate up to 17 million gallons of water for re-use in the vineyards and landscaping each year.

The new system was debuted last week to coincide with Earth Day and a celebratory annual employee event at the company’s certified ZeroWaste, CarbonNeutral® winery in Hopland. Fetzer is the first American winey to use the BIDA® system to treat 100 percent of its wastewater.

“From our worms to our winemakers, we have an incredible team that comes together to create innovative ways to make great wine while giving back to the Earth,” said Josh Prigge, Fetzer Vineyards’ director of Regenerative Development.

In addition to the BIDA® wastewater treatment system, Fetzer Vineyards also announced the installation of a fleet of APANA® smart water meters at its Mendocino winery. Utilizing Internet-of-Things technology and cloud computing will allow the system along with winemakers and facilities teams to spot water leaks in real time thereby reducing waste. Utilizing this data will save up to 25 percent more water; Fetzer is the first U.S. winery to install this technology.

These two new regenerative systems are indicative of Fetzer’s commitment to seek-out and utilize Earth-friendly technology. “We have implemented a regenerative strategy at Fetzer Vineyards because our goal is to not only sustain the world we live in, but to enhance it,” states Prigge. “We are committed to using regenerative and restorative business practices that create positive impacts on our natural environment, the people of Fetzer Vineyards, and our communities.”

With the recent installation of the BIDA® worm-based system Fetzer has created a new website page detailing information about its planet-friendly practices. Go to: http://fetzer.com/commitment for more information on Fetzer’s commitment to becoming Net Positive by 2030. Fetzer has also developed an educational infographic on utilizing worms to clean wastewater for re-use, suitable for older elementary and middle school students, at: http://fetzer.com/water.