making such technology accessible. “If you can be more cost-effective and efficient, that’s going to be better for you,” Montpetit added. Beyond cost, different water users have different needs, so it’s important to have options. For some, it’s not just a water problem, according to BioFiltro co-found- er Matias Sjögren. The Davis-based com- pany uses a worm-powered treatment pro- cess that can turn wastewater into water for irrigation and other uses. “There is a water shortage issue, so you need to start using less water for the things you do—try to grow the same thing with less water,” he said. “Secondly, there is a problem of water quality. In the Central Valley, a lot of the underground water has an excess of nitrates.” BioFiltro first worked with municipal water supplies and businesses in the in- dustrial sector, which still make up most of its clients. But during the past few years, it has expanded and started to focus more on treating liquid manure from dairies. Tulare County dairy farmer Dennis Ver- hoeven started using a BioFiltro system about a year ago. He said he’d been looking for a way to capture methane emissions while also managing water nitrate levels. He had considered installing a digester, which involves putting a tarp-like structure over manure lagoons to capture methane. Wastewater Continued from Page 10
see in other states,” Sjögren said. “We have been able to accelerate this project be- cause of that.” Shah said Revida works best on dairies where digesters have been installed. He expects most clients he works with will want to use the treated water for purposes such as irrigation and animal misting but added that perhaps over time “once more comfortable, some of the clients may want us to bring it back to drinking water.” He said he hopes to have around 100 dairies using the process by the end of 2027. With California’s water issues be- coming more urgent, he stressed the im- portance of this growth. “We’re not going to wait around,” Shah said. Montpetit said he hopes introducing students to new technologies at the UC Davis winery can also help transform the industry’s future. By knowing what’s out there, he said students will be better equipped to make changes when they en- ter the workforce. “They can say to their then boss, ‘I saw this technology during my education. I know it exists, and maybe it’s something we can think about,’” Montpetit said. “If they’re in a leadership position, they can say, ‘We want to think about these things. We know it exists. It’s possible.’” Manola Secaira is a staff writer for Ag Alert. She can be reached at msecaira@cfbf.com.
Revida Water founder Ashish Shah holds a cup of wastewater that’s midway through treatment. His company can take wastewater from dairies and wineries and convert it into drinkable water.
But it wasn’t right for his needs. “With a digester, you’re pulling off more methane … but it actually increases the ni- trate levels and the nutrients that’s actually in your water,” which would worsen the nitrate problem, he said. BioFiltro has allowed him to address his methane and nitrate problems. Verhoeven said nitrate levels in the water coming out of his BioFiltro system are low enough that he can use it directly on his crops without
having to mix it with fresh water. “I have cut out a huge amount of fresh water that I’ve had to use otherwise,” Ver- hoeven said. Sjögren said he hopes to have 70 to 80 dairies using BioFiltro’s technology by the end of 2030. He said outside support makes it possible for technologies like his to keep expanding. “In California, we see the state support- ing this a lot through grants that you don’t
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CuAce vs. EDTA vs. Amino Acid
2% Cu Acetate 2 qt/acre
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1 qt/acre 5% Cu EDTA 2% Cu Acetate 1 qt/acre
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1 qt/acre 4% Cu Amino Acid
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Cu Concentration (ppm)
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May 6, 2026 Ag Alert 11
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