Aaldering Cellar is a boutique cellar located in the Devon Valley, Stellenbosch. The cellar will process approximately 150 tons of grapes per annum from February of the 2012 harvest season. The ultimate future capacity of the cellar will be approximately 200 tons per annum.
A2V were approached to propose a solution for the handling, treatment and disposal of the winery wastewater and commercial/residential sewage. We determined that there is a sewer running the length of the Devon Valley and this was the most economical alternative for disposing of the effluent.
It was also considered as the Best Practicable Environmental Option for this particular project and was supported by the Department of Water and Sanitation of Stellenbosch Municipality for the following reasons:
- The sensitive receiving environment would require a very reliable treatment process. This is better suited to the municipal treatment plant
- The low waste water volumes produced, particularly post harvest volumes, could be accommodated within the existing infrastructure
- The limited space available for land application of wastewater
The proposed system was for the pre-treatment (screening, settling, pH control, and equilisation) of the winery wastewater in order to comply with the chemical limits (excluding COD) stipulated in terms of the Stellenbosch Municipal Bylaws.
The pre-treated wastewater is then collected and pumped via a small diameter Low Pressure Pumped Sewer (LPPS) to the existing Devon Valley Sewer Mains situated approximately 900 meters to the west of the cellar on a neighboring property.
Commercial/residential sewage was segregated and discharged to the same LPPS pipeline by a separate pump station.