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• Farmers in Sonoma County love using their wastewater

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  Elizabeth Riadi    Group moderator

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  Farmers in Sonoma County love using their wastewater

  Farmers in Sonoma County love using their wastewater
  
  By Ross Farrow
  News-Sentinel Staff Writer
  
  While some Lodi-area farmers are crying foul over the city's plan to expand its wastewater treatment plant because they feel it would devalue their crops, farmers in Sonoma County see things quite differently.
  
  Farmers there, including grape growers, have used the city of Santa Rosa's treated sewage for almost 30 years to irrigate their crops. Not only do they enjoy using wastewater, they're disappointed that Santa Rosa has reduced its wastewater allocation to farmers this year.
  
  For many years, Santa Rosa has diverted some of its sewage to irrigate about 6,400 acres of farmland, vineyards and urban landscaping, but this year, the city is transporting 11 million gallons of reclaimed water per day from Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati and Sebastopol to a streamfield known as The Geysers to generate electricity.
  
  Transporting wastewater to the energy generation project has caused some farmers to voluntarily cut back on growing, while others dug wells trying to get by, said Lex McCorvey, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
  
  Bob Muelrath, who uses reclaimed water on his pumpkins, gourds, squash and cattle feed southwest of Santa Rosa, says the only way farmers can use wastewater on edible crops is if it is tertiary, a method that uses substances to coagulate wastewater and remove chemicals. Tertiary water is treated three times.
  
  "Any farmer who has the opportunity to use tertiary treatment water and doesn't use it is missing a great opportunity," Muelrath said.
  
  However, Bob Lauchland, who is battling the city of Lodi's attempt to add his 145 acres of vineyards off Thornton Road into its sphere of influence, maintains that the only people who love treated wastewater on their crops are those who cannot get fresh water. Such is the case in Sonoma County, Lauchland maintains.
  
  The city of Lodi doesn't have tertiary water, but is facing a state requirement to convert its White Slough plant to tertiary treatment.
  
  Lauchland maintains that if his property is moved into Lodi's sphere of influence, his land will be devalued because consumers won't drink wine that contains grapes irrigated with wastewater.
  
  Lauchland estimates that his land, if it is within Lodi's sphere of influence, will be devalued from $25,000 to $30,000 per acre -- the standard value for vineyards -- to less than $7,000 per acre, the value for crops that aren't for human consumption.
  
  "It would take us out of production," Lauchland said.
  
  Craig Rous, general manager of Bear Creek Winery, says that tertiary water doesn't pose any problem in growing grapes.
  
  "The problem is perception, perception by the consumer," said Rous, who uses well water on his vineyard.
  
  Lauchland maintains that he wants to continue growing winegrapes, but others say his desire to be added into Stockton's sphere of influence can only mean that he wants to sell his land to developers.
  
  "Anyone who wants to be in Stockton's sphere of influence wants to sell to a developer," said Del Kerlin, Lodi's assistant wastewater superintendent.
  
  • 19 Sep 2004, 07:20 am
  Elizabeth Riadi wrote: > Farmers in Sonoma County love using their wastewater > > By Ross Farrow > News-Sentinel Staff Writer > > While some Lodi-area farmers are crying foul over the city's plan to > expand its wastewater treatment plant because they feel it would > devalue their crops, farmers in Sonoma County see things quite > differently. > > Farmers there, including grape growers, have used the city of Santa > Rosa's treated sewage for almost 30 years to irrigate their crops. > Not only do they enjoy using wastewater, they're disappointed that > Santa Rosa has reduced its wastewater allocation to farmers this year. > > For many years, Santa Rosa has diverted some of its sewage to > irrigate about 6,400 acres of farmland, vineyards and urban > landscaping, but this year, the city is transporting 11 million > gallons of reclaimed water per day from Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, > Cotati and Sebastopol to a streamfield known as The Geysers to > generate electricity. > > Transporting wastewater to the energy generation project has caused > some farmers to voluntarily cut back on growing, while others dug > wells trying to get by, said Lex McCorvey, executive director of the > Sonoma County Farm Bureau. > > Bob Muelrath, who uses reclaimed water on his pumpkins, gourds, > squash and cattle feed southwest of Santa Rosa, says the only way > farmers can use wastewater on edible crops is if it is tertiary, a > method that uses substances to coagulate wastewater and remove > chemicals. Tertiary water is treated three times. > > "Any farmer who has the opportunity to use tertiary treatment water > and doesn't use it is missing a great opportunity," Muelrath said. > > However, Bob Lauchland, who is battling the city of Lodi's attempt to > add his 145 acres of vineyards off Thornton Road into its sphere of > influence, maintains that the only people who love treated wastewater > on their crops are those who cannot get fresh water. Such is the case > in Sonoma County, Lauchland maintains. > > The city of Lodi doesn't have tertiary water, but is facing a state > requirement to convert its White Slough plant to tertiary treatment. > > Lauchland maintains that if his property is moved into Lodi's sphere > of influence, his land will be devalued because consumers won't drink > wine that contains grapes irrigated with wastewater. > > Lauchland estimates that his land, if it is within Lodi's sphere of > influence, will be devalued from $25,000 to $30,000 per acre -- the > standard value for vineyards -- to less than $7,000 per acre, the > value for crops that aren't for human consumption. > > "It would take us out of production," Lauchland said. > > Craig Rous, general manager of Bear Creek Winery, says that tertiary > water doesn't pose any problem in growing grapes. > > "The problem is perception, perception by the consumer," said Rous, > who uses well water on his vineyard. > > Lauchland maintains that he wants to continue growing winegrapes, but > others say his desire to be added into Stockton's sphere of influence > can only mean that he wants to sell his land to developers. > > "Anyone who wants to be in Stockton's sphere of influence wants to > sell to a developer," said Del Kerlin, Lodi's assistant wastewater > superintendent.