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May 25, 2018 CapitalPress.com Washington Ecology sets rules for winery wastewater Permit fee to be determined Capital Press Capital Press Columbia River Treaty negotiations to begin on May 29-30 Idaho issues final notice on groundwater flow meters; state inspections starting By BRAD CARLSON By DON JENKINS Beginning next year an estimated 100 Washington wineries will need a per- mit from the Department of Ecology to discharge waste- water. The rules that come with a permit will set limits on ir- rigating with water recycled after cleaning bottles, bar- rels, tanks and other equip- ment. The rules also will regulate storage ponds and watering down dusty roads. Ecology says the permits will keep water laced with cleans- ers, stems and wine sediment from contaminating ground- water. Ecology has not deter- mined how much a permit will cost, nor has it docu- mented a case of ground- water pollution caused by a Washington winery. “A lack of evidence does not mean groundwater is not being impacted,” according to an Ecology response to comments on the plan. Wineries that generate at least 53,505 gallons of waste- water a year will come under a regulatory approach used by Ecology to control waste- water from other industries, including fruit packers and vegetable processors. Ecol- ogy projects that wineries that make less than 17,835 gallons of wine a year will be exempt from the rules. There are nearly 1,000 licensed wineries in Wash- ington, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Although most wineries won’t need a permit, the rules will apply to vintners who make 98 percent of the state’s wine, Ecology esti- mates. Ecology finalized the 7 Washington Department of Ecology Beginning in mid-2019, an estimated 100 Washington wineries will need a permit from the state Department of Ecology to discharge wastewater. The department says the permit will protect groundwater. rules Thursday, though they won’t take effect until July 1, 2019. The department says it will give wineries time to prepare to meet their new ob- ligations. Ecology proposed the rules in November. Some commenters said the rules were too costly and expan- sive. Some complimented Ecology for consulting the wine industry in writing the rules. Efforts to reach sever- al of those who commented were unsuccessful. Some 14 wineries already are operating under Ecolo- gy-issued wastewater per- mits. Ecology either required the permits because the win- ery had a potential to pollute, or the winery sought a permit to head off being penalized for discharging pollutants. The new permit will set industry-wide standards. Ecology spokeswoman Jessi- ca Payne said the uniform set of rules will put wineries on an equal footing. “I believe the purpose of regulations is to level the playing field,” she said. Ecology will set fees in the coming year based on wine production. Currently, the fee for a winery to have an individual wastewater permit is $6,731 a year. The rules will not apply to brewers, distillers, or ci- der or mead makers. The exemptions drew some com- plaints from wine makers. Ecology said it will focus on wineries first, but did not rule out writing rules later for the others. The rules will not apply to wineries that discharge their wastewater to one of 20 treatment plants around the state equipped to handle industrial waste. For those who must have a permit, the conditions will limit the days and the amount they can irrigate. The conditions also will require assessing storage ponds, testing wastewa- ter and monitoring flows. Permit holders will have to write pollution-prevention plans and train employees to prevent, respond to and report spills. Ecology could levy pen- alties of up to $10,000 per violation. Everyday that passes without a problem being fixed can count as a separate violation. If a winery generates more than 6 gallons of wastewater for every gallon of wine, it must find ways to use less water. Ecology cited two cases of water-quality problems caused by wineries, though neither affected ground- water. A winery’s stems and skins lowered oxygen levels in wastewater dis- charged from a treatment plant in 2005. In 2009, a winery harmed a stream by releasing wastewater into a storm drain. The problem was spotted when water in a ditch turned purple. The Idaho Department of Water Resources on May 17 issued a final notice to more than 400 Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer groundwater irriga- tors who have yet to comply with an order requiring them to install approved flow me- ters on pumps. The requirement stems from a 2015 settlement be- tween groundwater users and a coalition of surface-water users as well as a 2016 order from IDWR Director Gary Spackman. The director’s no- tice requires the installations by the start of the 2018 irriga- tion season, which is already underway. More accurate measurement of groundwater usage and better reporting are among the goals. The department is sending notices to ESPA groundwater users authorized to irrigate more than 5 acres. Watermas- ters will be authorized to cur- tail water use from non-com- pliant irrigation wells after June 1. Groundwater users who have not installed a de- partment-approved measuring device also may be subject to a formal IDWR enforcement action. Instructions in the final no- tice direct groundwater irriga- tors to contact the department if they have installed ground- water flow meters, Deputy Di- rector Matthew Weaver said in a statement. “If they haven’t installed a flow meter, they need to get into compliance immediately or they will be curtailed,” he said. The flow meters pro- vide a much more accurate measurement of groundwa- ter usage than the previous system that looked at power IDWR Flow meters are required for groundwater irrigators on the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. records, IDWR spokesman Steve Stuebner said in an in- terview. Groundwater users, in the 2015 settlement with the Surface Water Coalition — which consists largely of surface-water irrigators and aquaculture operators — agreed to reduce their usage by about 240,000 acre-feet, or 13 percent per year. A us- er’s required reduction can vary based on water right se- niority. The department estimates at least 80 percent of the approximately 5,500 affect- ed groundwater users are in full compliance. The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer under- lies much of south-central and eastern Idaho. Department staff is con- ducting wide-scale field inspections on public and private property of all qual- ifying wells. That continues through summer, with an in- creased field presence begin- ning June 1. Priority will be given to wells the department believes are not in compli- ance with the order based on lack of response to depart- ment notices or previous in- spections. IDWR sent reminder let- ters to qualifying well own- ers in June 2017 and March 2018. John Deere Dealers See one of these dealers for a demonstration Capital Press The U.S. and Canada will begin negotiations to modern- ize the Columbia River Trea- ty May 29-30 in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of State announced the negoti- ation start date May 22 in a press release. Certain provisions of the treaty are set to expire in 2024. Key objectives include con- tinued, careful management of flood risk; ensuring a reliable and economical power supply and better addressing ecosys- tem concerns, according to the press release. “The 1964 treaty’s flood risk and hydropower opera- tions have provided substantial benefits to millions of people on both sides of the border,” the press release states. “The treaty, a worldwide model for transboundary water cooper- ation, has also facilitated ad- ditional benefits such as sup- porting the river’s ecosystem, irrigation, municipal water use, industrial use, navigation and recreation. Modernizing the treaty regime will ensure these benefits continue for years to come.” The U.S. negotiating team will be led by the State Depart- ment and includes the Bon- neville Power Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Di- vision — both comprising the “U.S. entity” that implements the treaty in the United States. Also included are the Depart- ment of the Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration. Chief negotiator Jill Smail said during a town hall in Spokane she was confident the U.S. and Canada will find common ground in the talks. 21-1/102
