Fetzer Vineyards has said that it expects to cut its water usage by 25% when it becomes the first winemaker to install an advanced water metering technology from Washington-based company Apana.
The smart water meters, currently being installed throughout the winery’s estate in California, will allow Fetzer Vineyards to quickly pinpoint leaks and water waste incidents as they happen. Powered by big data insights that analyse its water usage, the technology will enable the company to expedite its water efficiency targets.
Fetzer hopes to achieve a zero footprint across its business by 2030.
“Integrating Apana’s data analytics and cloud computing technologies with our winery operations allows us to leverage crucial environmental data to achieve our sustainability goals,” said Fetzer chief operating officer Cindy DeVries. “It also allows us to update and improve our corporate water stewardship efforts at a time when conserving water is more important than ever.”
Fetzer Vineyards’ new smart water meters are part of Apana’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution, a groundbreaking set of tools that allow businesses to manage water as carefully as other areas, like their inventory.
It works by building a database of clients’ water use patterns, called their ‘water signature’, allowing them to quickly spot variations and introduce water saving measures in response.
Fetzer expects the new technology to have a knock-on effect on its energy usage too, contributing to reductions of more than 10,000kW hours of energy – in addition to savings of up to 4 million gallons of water – every year.
Fetzer director of regenerative development Josh Prigge said: “Fetzer Vineyards is thrilled to pioneer use of this technology in the wine industry. We know that implementing digital solutions can significantly reduce impacts in areas like water use, and we see technologies like Apana’s working hand-in-hand with comprehensive, efficiency-focused efforts to improve our overall water footprint.”
In 2012, Fetzer Vineyards adopted the use of a new cleaning product for its wine tanks called peracetic acid, which requires less rinsing. This resulted in the reduction of over 200,000 gallons of water annually, and also reduced energy needed to pump the water.
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