Publication Summary

A recent report of winery wastes in Woodinville turning a local drainage ditch purple prompted staff from NWRO′s Water Quality Program (Industrial Unit and municipal stormwater) to reach out to the City of Woodinville and the winery community. This incident created a series of "teachable moments" for all involved and culminated in a shared presentation by the City of Woodinville Public Works Department, King County Industrial Wastewater (which operates the sanitary sewer trunk lines) and Ecology′s Water Quality Program. Area wineries now understand that their liquid winery wastes must be disposed of via the sanitary sewer, their solid wastes must be composted, land applied, or used to feed stock, and that no wastes from any part of the winemaking process should be discharged to the City′s storm drain system.