New Statewide Winery Order: What Wineries Need to Know

Buzz Hines and John Ugai, along with guest speakers, Timothy Simpson and Mehran Ebrahimi from GSI Environmental Inc, discuss "New Statewide Winery Order: What Wineries Need to Know."

The new statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) for winery process water (Winery Order) adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board have spread concern across the wine industry. The Winery Order is applicable to wineries which discharge winery waste to land for disposal or reuse. Examples include process water systems which reuse treated process water for irrigation or discharge to a subsurface disposal system. Wineries that are not covered by existing WDRs or waivers will be required to apply for coverage under the new Winery Order by January 2024. Wineries with existing WDRs will be required to apply for coverage when their existing WDR expires or if required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Although the State Water Board intended to streamline and improve the permitting process, stakeholders across the industry expressed concern about the cost and complexity of complying with the new Winery Order.

Please join us as we discuss the Winery Order and how to comply with the new statewide permitting regime, including:

• Overview of the Winery Order and its permitting timeline and requirements
• How to determine your tier designation and apply for coverage under the Winery Order
• State Water Board and citizen-suit enforcement mechanisms and potential legal risks