Delicato has a growth problem that is about the disposing of wastewater.

The 99 year-old winery has been buying up land on its southern and eastern flanks to allow for land disposal of winery wastewater with heavy concentrates of everything from nitrates to salts.

The firm — that is spearheading an effort to throw out the just adopted Manteca general plan update that would allow housing roughly a half mile or so away from the actual winery — has been acquiring that land not as much as a buffer but to expand their disposal of wastewater.

Among families Delicato has purchased land from in recent years are Bianco, Hoppe, Hutchinson, Nunes, Kooyman, Moxon, and Zottarelli.

A Delicato spokesperson indicated the winery has initiated discussions with other neighbors who are not yet ready to part with their land. Delicato has ensured then they remain open to negotiation when they decide to sell.

The land use element of the general plan ultimately could lead to future housing immediately adjacent to vineyards, orchards, and/or open lands where the water is used to irrigate crops

The winery’s expansion included a requirement from the California Regional Water Quality Baard’s Central Valley Region to up the amount of acreage for land application areas (LAAs) to dispose of wastewater.

Before the expansion started, there were 23 acres for LAA set aside on the  140 acres Delicato had at the time that included vineyards, administrative and wine production buildings, and two unlined shallow wastewater ponds used as pumping sumps.

The winery now has 130 acres  set aside to accommodate wastewater disposal tied to maximum production allowed under state permitting as it pertains to their expansion.

The LAA — when land used for other purposes such as almonds and vineyards is  included — actually totals 226 acres, according to a 54-page waste discharge requirement order the water quality board issued for Delicato.

That would accommodate an increase in the annual crush that was at 140,000 tons of grapes to approximately 200,000 tons.

Wastewater is applied to the LAAs by flood irrigation. The water is treated passively by the soil and/or taken up by grasses and weeds

 The wastewater disposed of via the set aside acreage ultimately seeps into shallow ground water tables that are 30 to 40 feet below the surface.

The shallow groundwater generally flows to the north and northeast toward and beyond French Camp Road.

The water quality board believes operated properly; the set aside will allow the disposal of wastewater without creating problems.

It notes the background groundwater quality is poor with respect to nitrogen.

That said based on the water board’s order, if nitrates associated with the wastewater and other sources are applied to the LAA land at rates consistent with crop demands for water, there should be no issues created in regards to water quality given the crops will help reduce the amount of nitrates in the water as it works its way into the shallow ground water table.

Wine processing wastewater includes a mixture of organic material comprised of wine, grape skins, seeds, and stems.

Additional wastewater components include additives and chemicals such as caustic soda, sulfurous acid, sodium hypochlorite, soda ash, and diatomaceous earth (DE), which are used during grape processing or as part of equipment sanitizing activities.

By Thursday, the next step in the referendum process is expected to be cued up when the 10-day legal review of the document that is a precursor to circulating petitions is done being reviewed.

Delicato then has a 30-day window to secure just under 5,000 verified signatures of registered City of Manteca voters to force a referendum on the general plan.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com