Cotswolds Distillery has revealed its new Wetlands Ecological Treatment System on the distillery grounds. According to the distillery, the wetlands will naturally treat three quarters of wastewater from the whisky making process. The site will also be a biodiverse plant and wildlife habitat.
The Ecological Treatment System will treat Spent Lees, water left in the still after the second distillation, and Wash Water waste, which has been used for cleaning in the distillery. The system will treat the wastewater by breaking down contaminants in the water streams.
Through the system, Cotswolds Distillery hopes to reduce distillery waste by tens of thousands of litres of water every week. Clean water from the system will be used to grow a coppice of willows, an addition to the wildlife habitat created on the site.
Daniel Szor, Cotswolds Distillery founder, said: “We have been looking for ways to improve our waste management and a wetlands treatment system seemed like the perfect solution. Hopefully it will reinforce our position as a force for good within our local community as it allows us to be more environmentally friendly by cutting down on waste and waste transportation and at the same time creating a haven for wildlife.”
The wetlands project was funded by Cotswolds Distillery investor and fine spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd. The team appointed Living Water Ecosystems and Rachael White Designs to create the facility.
Sustainable water use is gaining growing awareness in whisky. In Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Association last year set out a water stewardship framework providing distilleries with guidance on reducing water waste.
