Craft Beverage Wastewater Vermifiltration Study
- Research Date
- 2024
- Priorities
- Wastewater, Water Management
- Crop Categories
- Water
A pilot test was conducted to assess the wastewater treatment efficacy of vermifiltration on craft
beverage processing wastewater. Vermifiltration utilizes the symbiotic relationship between
worms and microorganisms in soils to treat wastewater. Applicability in the Michigan Craft
Beverage industry has not been documented. Raised beds were used to simulate treatment of
Michigan winery wastewater via land application through vermifiltration, bed containing worms.
A control bed with no worms was also used for comparison. Results indicate that land application
does provide wastewater treatment but additional work should be completed to determine
whether Vermifiltration is feasible full scale.