California Startup Converts Winery Wastewater Into Drinking Water in Breakthrough Test

A California startup has achieved a milestone in water reuse by turning winery wastewater into drinking water, verified by independent laboratory testing to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. Revida Water, based in Napa, completed this process at the Teaching and Research Winery operated by the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis during the 2025 grape harvest. The company’s technology offers a new solution for more than 1,500 wineries across California now facing stricter state regulations on wastewater management.

The state’s Water Resources Control Board Winery General Order requires wineries to manage their wastewater more rigorously, forcing many to choose between paying for ongoing offsite hauling or investing in permanent infrastructure that can cost more than $500,000. Revida Water’s approach eliminates the need for such large capital expenditures. Instead, it provides containerized water treatment systems on a per-gallon subscription basis, with guaranteed performance and minimal upfront costs.

Ashish Shah, founder and CEO of Revida Water, compared the company’s model to cloud computing services. “Winery owners and operators are experts in making wine—they shouldn’t have to be experts in wastewater management,” Shah said. The company designs, builds, and operates its systems, transferring all technology and performance risk to Revida. This vertical integration allows installations to be completed in weeks rather than years.

At UC Davis, Revida’s system began operating just before the 2025 harvest and continues to treat up to 600 gallons per day of winery process water. This water is used for cleaning equipment such as crushpads, hoses, tanks, and other machinery involved in winemaking. The unit runs primarily on solar power with a standard electrical outlet as backup.

Winery wash water is considered a challenging industrial waste stream due to high levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), which can range from 5,000 to 45,000 parts per million. Despite these challenges, the treated water from Revida’s system has been independently verified as meeting EPA drinking-water standards.

Ben Montpetit, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, said that bringing this technology to campus was an intentional decision. “Our students will enter an industry facing serious water challenges, and we want them to see firsthand that those challenges are solvable,” Montpetit said.

Revida is now offering its subscription service commercially to mid-sized wineries in California. The company says its systems can be scaled to treat between 1,000 and 1,000,000 gallons per day. Discussions are underway with operators not only in the wine industry but also in dairy processing and other agricultural sectors across the United States.

Founded in 2022 by Ashish Shah, Revida Water aims to make industrial water reuse simple and economically viable for agriculture-related businesses. The company claims world-first achievements in converting both dairy and wine processing wastewater into potable quality water. By providing access to advanced treatment technology without requiring major investments from clients, Revida hopes to help industries comply with environmental regulations while conserving one of California’s most precious resources.